5.0 Methods of Measurement

METHODS OF
MEASUREMENT
-
RICS GUIDANCE NOTE: CODE OF MEASURING PRACTICE
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES
o The role of and main definitions in the RICS Code of Measuring Practice.
o The principal types of measurement used in property valuation.
o The level of accuracy expected in measuring for valuation.
o How to convert from or/to imperial measurements from metric.

RICS CODE OF MEASURING PRACTICE OVERVIEW
o RICS has set a number of standards & guidelines on property valuations
to ensure consistency & the application of ‘best practice’ within the
profession.
o These are contained in two publications:
o The Red Book, and
o Code of Measuring Practice.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 3
PURPOSE OF THE CODE OF MEASURING PRACTICE
o To provide succinct, precise definitions to permit:

o Accurate measurement of buildings & land,
o The calculation of sizes (areas & volumes), and
o The description or specification of land & buildings on a
common & consistent basis.

CORE DEFINITIONS, THEIR APPLICATION & DIARAMS
o The Code defines the methods of measurement of buildings,
together with when and how they should be used.

o Principal methods used in property valuation & management work
are:
o Gross external floor area (GEA)
o Gross External Area is the area of a building measured externally at each floor level.
o Application of GEA (when to use GEA):

o Town planning – basis for planning applications & approvals.
o Rating & council tax – houses, industrial properties.
o Building cost estimation – preferred for calculating building costs of residential
property for insurance purposes.
o How to use GEA in shared and non-shared properties.


o Gross internal floor area (GIA)

o Gross Internal Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each
floor level (see note GIA 4)
o Application of GIA
o Building cost estimation – recognised method of measurement for calculating building costs.
o Estate Agency & Valuation – basis of measurement for marketing & valuation of industrial
buildings.

o Rating – basis of measurement in England & Wales for rating
industrial buildings, retail w/houses, dept stores, variety
stores, food superstores, many specialist buildings valued by
reference to building cost.

o Property management – basis of measurement for calculation of service
charges.
o New homes valuation – valuation & marketing of residential dwellings.
o GIA excludes perimetre walls but includes internal walls.


o Net internal floor area (NIA)

o Net Internal Area is the usable area within a building measured to the internal face of the
perimeter walls at each floor level. (See note NIA 3).
o Estate agency & valuation – valuation & marketing of shops & supermarkets, offices,
business use, etc.

o Rating – shops & supermarkets, offices, business use.
o Rating – shops & supermarkets, offices, business use.
o Property management – service charge calculation.
o How to use NIA. See diagrams in the following slides.



SOME TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS IN THE CODE
o Cubic content (CC)
o Clear Internal Height (CIH)
o Eaves Height (EH)
o Raised Floor Void (RFV)
o Maximum Internal Height (MIH)
o Site Area (SA)
SOME TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS IN THE CODE
o Gross Site Area (GSA)
o Site Depth (SD)
o Building Frontage (BF)
o Site Frontage (SF)
o Plot Ratio (PR)
o Take note of these definitions and their application in estates

agency & valuation, land measurement & planning, etc.
SOME SPECIAL USE DEFINITIONS: SHOPS
o Retail Area (RA)
o Storage Area (StoA)
o Ancillary Areas (AA)
o Gross Frontage (GF)
o Net Frontage (NF)
o Shop Width (SW)
SOME SPECIAL USE DEFINITIONS: SHOPS
o Shop Depth (SD) = display window to rear of RA
o Built Depth (BD) = external measurement from front to
rear of building at ground level.
o Application in estate agency & valuation

o Diagrams K & L illustrate application specific to shops

SPECIAL USE DEFINITIONS : RESIDENTIAL
Residential Agency Guidelines (RAG)

o Normal market practice describes residential property
by linear measurement.
o GIA adopted where floor areas used
o This is for marketing, sale or letting of residential properties
o Measurements to be taken above skirting board and
no higher than 1.5m above the floor
Residential Agency Guidelines (RAG)
o Include or exclude bays, recesses, alcoves in measurement quoted as appropriate and qualify that –
‘into bay’ or ‘excluding alcove’, etc.

o Kitchen units, built-in cupboards, wardrobes, & the like occupying usable area should be measured &
included as part of the room area but identified separately.

o Measure & identify L-shaped rooms in two parts.
o Use a proportionate sketch plan with lined dimensions for irregular-shaped rooms or no dimensions.
o Garage measurements to be taken overall internally between main wall faces. Ignore piers & reveals.

Residential Valuations (RV)

o No single accepted practice for residential property
measurement for valuation purposes.
o Adopted RAG guidelines:
o Use linear dimensions, or
o Use GEA, GIA, NSA or EFA. State bases of such areas in the report.
Residential Valuations (RV)

o Net Sales Area (NSA) = GIA (new or existing residential dwelling).
o Effective Floor Area (EFA) = usable area of rooms within a building measured to
internal face of room walls.
o Applications:
o NSA used in valuation & marketing of residential units, particularly in new developments.
o EFA used for council tax banding of flats & maisonettes.
SPECIAL USE DEFINITIONS : LEISURE
o Most leisure properties valued based on trading potential & not

area.
o On occasions value is assessed depending on market practice &
judgement of valuer, estate agent or developer.
o Where area is relevant, GIA is recommended.
o Use the appropriate guidelines in undertaking the work.
SPECIAL USE DEFINITIONS : LEISURE

UNIT OF MEASUREMENT: IMPERIAL VS METRIC


5.0 Methods of Measurement

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

5.0 Methods of Measurement

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

METHODS OF

o The principal types of measurement used in property valuation.

o The level of accuracy expected in measuring for valuation.

o How to convert from or/to imperial measurements from metric.

o RICS has set a number of standards & guidelines on property valuations

to ensure consistency & the application of ‘best practice’ within the

o To provide succinct, precise definitions to permit:

o The calculation of sizes (areas & volumes), and

o The description or specification of land & buildings on a

common & consistent basis.

o The Code defines the methods of measurement of buildings,

together with when and how they should be used.

o Application of GEA (when to use GEA):

property for insurance purposes.

o How to use GEA in shared and non-shared properties.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 7

o Gross internal floor area (GIA)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 8

industrial buildings, retail w/houses, dept stores, variety

stores, food superstores, many specialist buildings valued by

reference to building cost.

o GIA excludes perimetre walls but includes internal walls.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 11

o Net internal floor area (NIA)

business use, etc.

o Property management – service charge calculation.

o How to use NIA. See diagrams in the following slides.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 14

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 15

o Take note of these definitions and their application in estates

o Application in estate agency & valuation

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 19

Residential Agency Guidelines (RAG)

‘into bay’ or ‘excluding alcove’, etc.

included as part of the room area but identified separately.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 21

Residential Valuations (RV)

Residential Valuations (RV)

o Most leisure properties valued based on trading potential & not

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 25

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 PROPRTY MEASUREMENT METHODS APRIL 2014 26

You might also like