Regulations and documents for measurement by RICS?
RICS Guidance Note: Code of Measurement 6th Edition 2015
What did the old Property Measurement document set out?
The RICS Professional Standard: Property Measurement was archived in June 2025, and it incorporated the IPMS and designed to be globally consistent.
What measurement would you use in a Valuation for an office?
NIA
If a property had a canopy, would this be included in GIA? Does IPMS 2?
No GIA excludes canopies, balconies and fire escapes
Where as IPMS 2 includes (but states separately) covered canopies and balconies
Why has IPMS not been implemented as widely as RICS intended?
As the property market heavily relies on NIA, GIA and introducing IPMS disrupted comparability
If the property had an atrium would this be included in GIA?
And what about NIA
So the floor at the bottom of the atrium would be included in GIA, but would not count the empty space above.
NIA would include if exclusive use to tenant
In your industrial measurement in Essex what was the reasonable tolerance of the floor areas provided?
2%
What measurement technique did you use on your valuation of office in London?
NIA
How do you calibrate a distometer and how do you know its calibrated?
And how often do you send it back to manufacturer
There are instructions on the back for sending back to the manufacturer to have it calibrated and you can also in between calibrate by carrying out check measurements of a known distance
Annually
What are the benefits of IPMS?
International consistency and transparency
For comparison
What guidance do you follow for measurement?
RICS Guidance Note: Code of Measuring Practice 2015 6th Edn
In your measurement of an industrial unit in Essex, did the property have a mezzanine. If so, did you include this in GIA?
No I did not, this is not included in GIA as it was not a permanent structure, was a recent tenant alteration
To what point did you measure the eaves?
The lowest point on the underside of the roof
What was the site coverage?
How much of the site is covered by a building footprint – 40%
Which measurement would include and exclude ramps
NIA: If within usable area – within NIA but stated separately
GIA: included if part of building perimeter wall
You mention a reasonable tolerance – what do you mean by this, how was it determined, and what would you have done if it was outside the tolerance?
This depends on the purpose and asset.
However agreed between client in terms of engagement at 2%.
If it was outside this tolerance, I would inform client, check my accuracy again – then procedure in terms was to adopt Plowman and Craven measured survey.
In your office measurement NIA, what were you measuring to?
Internal face of the perimeter wall. Usable space
Why did you measure to NIA and not IPMS3
This is because the RICS guidance says that IPMS measurement is not mandatory. I should adopt the measurement technique from the code of measuring practice appropriate to the instruction. Client requested NIA, measured survey was in NIA
Gross Internal Area?
Total enclosed space, not including thickness of external walls includes corridors, columns, mezzanines with permanent access.
Exclude: thickness of external walls, balconies, fire escapes
Net Internal Area?
Measures the usable space in a building (measure to internal face of perimeter wall), including kitchens, lift lobbies, non structural walls sole occupancy
Excludes: Toilets, stairwells, lifts, communal corridors, areas less than 1.5m in height
Gross External Area?
Full footprint of building including external wall thickness
Excludes: external balconies, fire escapes
Business rates, how would they measure?
Industrial – GIA
Offices - NIA
In Valuation/Agency what would you measure to?
Industrial – GIA
Offices - NIA
When would you use GEA?
Building Costs
