Measurement L1

Question 1

Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement.

Answer 1

Provides RICS guidance on the measurment of different property types and standards in accordance with IPMS.

Question 2

When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 2

• Shops and convenience stores
• For agency, rating and valuation.

Question 3

When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 3

• Agency rating and valuation

Question 4

When would you use GEA as a measurement basis?

Answer 4

• Insurance reinstatement
• Rating
• Planning
• Council Tax

Question 5

Tell me about what is included in NIA

Answer 5

• The usable space within a building measured to the face of the main external walls including:
  o Atria with clear height above, measured at base level only.
  o Kitchens
  o Built in cupboards

Excluding toilets, stairs, circulation space etc

Question 6

Tell me about what is included in GIA?

Answer 6

The area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level including:
o Columns
o Mezzanines with permanent access.
o Loading Bays.
o Lift wells.

Where would GIA be used?
o Agency, rating and valuation.

15% more than NIA typically

Question 7

Tell me about what is included in GEA?

Answer 7

The area of a building measured externally at each floor level including:
o Canopies.
o External Balconies.
o Fire Escapes.
o Garden Stores.

Question 8

What measurement basis would you use for office property?

Answer 8

IMPS 3

Question 9

What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?

Answer 9

GIA

Question 10

What measurement basis would you use for retail property?

Answer 10

NIA

Question 12

What is the difference between IPMS 3 AND NIA

Answer 12

The term ‘net internal area’ is now obsolete and should no longer be adopted as an industry standard term. It is now replaced with the term IPMS 3 known as ‘useable floor area’ - space only for the exclusive use of an occupier.

Measurements should now be taken to what is known as the ‘internal dominant face’ (the area within each vertical section [wall] that makes up the perimeter of the building/unit). This can include inside the window recess (to include inside glazing), as long as the glazing is 50% or more of the floor to ceiling height.

In a multi-let scenario, the area occupied by the dividing wall between two tenants’ accommodation is included within the floor area and apportioned equally between the two as a limited use area.

Will the rentalised area increase with IPMS 3?
Essentially no, the useable floor area calculations are representative of the former net internal area.

Question 13

How does RICS Property Measurement differ from the old Code of Measuring Practice?

Answer 13

Old code of measuring practice looks at NIA NEA GIA

Property measurement now incorporates IMPS 3 and 3b

Question 14

What are the residential standards for IMPS?

Answer 14

IPMS 3A – Residential, which equates somewhat to the former GEA (gross external area).
IPMS 3B – Residential, which equates somewhat to the former GIA (gross internal area).
IPMS 3C – Residential, which equates somewhat to the former EFA (effective floor area).

Question 15

Tell me about how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?

Answer 15

Use a floor plan to annotate with measurements and saves me having to draw my own.

Question 16

How do you calibrate a laser measure?

Answer 16

Test it over a known distance.

Question 17

Why do you take check measurements?

Answer 17

To ensure the measured plan or historic measurements area accurate.

Question 18

Tell me about a strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used.

Answer 18

Laser.
Incredibly accurate, reliable, easy.
Struggles at distance, in direct sunlight, and runs out of battery.

Question 19

When would you use a tape measure?

Answer 19

For very precise or short measurements

Question 20

When would you use a trundle wheel?

Answer 20

Areas of land.

Question 21

What is a potential source of error when measuring?

Answer 21

Inaccurate disto.

Question 22

What is IPMS?

Answer 22

International Property Measurement Standards

Question 23

Why has IPMS been introduced?

Answer 23

To standardize measurement standards internationally.

Question 24

Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?

Answer 24

IPMS 3b - Residential
IPMS 3 - Office

Question 25

Explain your understanding of IPMS All Buildings to me.

Answer 25

IPMS All Buildings is applicable to all types of buildings independent of their use or their occupation.

Question 26

What is dual reporting and when would you use it?

Answer 26

At clients request. Ie reporting NIA and IMPS 3 in an office valuation.

Question 27

What IPMS bases are you aware of and when would each of these used?

Answer 27

IPMS 1, which equates closely to the former GEA
(gross external area).
* IPMS 2 – Office, which equates closely to the former
GIA (gross internal area).
* IPMS 2 – Residential, which equates closely to the
former GIA (gross internal area) and net sales area
(NSA).
* IPMS 3 – Office, which equates somewhat to the
former NIA (net internal area).
* IPMS 3A – Residential, which equates somewhat to
the former GEA (gross external area).
* IPMS 3B – Residential, which equates somewhat to
the former GIA (gross internal area).
* IPMS 3C – Residential, which equates somewhat to
the former EFA (effective floor area).

Question 28

How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?

Answer 28

Broader, covers greater variety of asset types.
More specific, ie residential, retail, office, not just 3 categories.

Question 29

What are limited use areas and how do you report these?

Answer 29

Report them as part of the whole while making clear limited use.

By separating limited use areas from the primary usable or leasable areas, IPMS helps stakeholders better understand the layout and functionality of the property while ensuring consistency and comparability in measurement practices.

Question 30

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 30

The surface of an internal wall that makes up the majority of the vertical space.

‘The internal dominant face (IDF) is the inside finished
surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling
height for each IDF wall section. If such does not occur,
then the finished surface is deemed to be the IDF

Question 31

How has IPMS been incorporated into Property Measurement?

Answer 31

It is being phased in over time. Many IPMS Standards have been released but only office and residential have been incorporated so far.

Question 32

What RICS guidance relates to the measurement of land?

Answer 32

Land measurement for planning and development purposes (1st Edition 2021)

Question 33

How do you deal with a situation where your client requests a different measurement standard to those contained within the RICS guidance?

Answer 33

Dual report.

Question 34

What Is a suitable measurement tool for taking land measurements?

Answer 34

Trundle wheel or use of online scaled measurement tool

Question 35

How can you ensure your measurements are accurate?

Answer 35

Calibrate the measuring tool against a known scale.

Question 36

How would you treat low or limited head height when measuring?

Answer 36

Identify the space as restricted/limited use.

Question 37

How would you measure using a scaled plan?

Answer 37

Check the scale, print on the correct size paper and use the appropriate side of a scale rule.

Question 38

How would you adjust your comparable evidence if it was measured on a different basis to your subject property?

Answer 38

Identify discrepancy
Quantify
Make adjustment
Consider how the market would respond
Make detailed notes and draw attention to it in the text.

If it the report was heavily reliant I might consider remeasuring my own property.

Question 39

What is a tolerance level when measuring?

Answer 39

A margin of acceptable error for a type of measurement.

The biggest amount that doesn’t have a material impact on value.

Question 40

How could you take measurements from Google Maps?

Answer 40

There are quite a few webistes that use the Google Maps base data and scale to allow you to measure from their mapping.

Question 41

How reliable are these?

Answer 41

usually accurate to within a few meters so OK tolerance for large parcels of land.