Quantification and Costing

Question 1

What is COMP6?

Answer 1

• A guidance note published by RICS
• Provides precise guidance on the accurate measurement of buildings and land
• In particular, the code describes what GEA, GIA and NIA are, and when they are used

Question 2

What is the purpose of COMP6?

Answer 2

• Precise guidance on how to quantify building areas
• Provides consistency across the industry
• Parties must agree in advance the basis on which a building or land is to be measured; the code is to provide guidelines for measuring buildings and land so that disputes can be avoided
• It is a criminal offence to give false or misleading information about certain aspects of land of buildings that are for sale. In this context, the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991 and the Property Misdescriptions (Specified Matters) Order 1992 specifically refer to measurements and sizes.

Question 3

Is COMP6 still relevant? When does it / does it not apply?

Answer 3

• IPMS should be used for offices, retail, residential and industrial buildings – all other building types should comply with COMP6.
• RICS does intend to have IPMS for all building classes eventually

Question 4

Where would you find definitions for GEA, GIFA and NIA?

Answer 4

The RICS Code of Measurement Practice, 6th Edition

Question 5

What is the GIFA

Answer 5

• Gross Internal Floor Area

- Area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level (Definition from NRM1)

Question 6

What’s excluded from the GIFA?

Answer 6

• Perimeter wall thickness and external projections
• External open sided balconies
• Canopies
• Greenhouses, garden stores

Question 7

What’s included in the GIFA?

Answer 7

• Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
• Stairwells, lift wells / lobbies, vertical ducts
• Atria and entrance halls
• Mezzanine areas
• Areas of headroom less than 1.5m