Measuring Your Apartment

So you've got the plans in front of you, you've been told that the apartment is 80sqm, but, like anything, this should be checked and confirmed.

Using the guidelines as allocated in the Property Council of Australia's Method of Measurement for Residential property, we will be able to break down what needs to be measured, and what in fact is measured.

These guidelines adhere to the Building Code of Australia (2006) Classification of Buildings and Structures, as well as teh Property Council of Australia recommendations of rounding to one decimal point of a square metre unit.

There are so many variables in apartments, it can make it somewhat overwhelming, and often confusing, when you're trying to measure the size of the unit, so what does one actually measure? 

• common walls to stairs, lifts and ducts even up and to the inside face of the structural wall
• voids over spaces need ot be measured and recorded separately
• common corridor walls that run to the outside face of the walls
• external building walls
• standard facility walls to the external finished surface
• attic space and sloping walls from the point 1m above the floor level
• the whole and horizontal surface of the internal stairs to all levels, including whatever is underneath as well

It is also important that you measure the car sparking space to the centre of the line markings and the storage rooms and cages to the inside walls.

On top of the above guidelines, there are a few things that have to be included, and some things that are separate and excluded.

Included in measurements:

• stuctural colums that are under 1sqm
• windows and frames
• perimeter colums

Those that need to be marked separate are:

• balconies, terraces or verandas
• external storage cages or rooms
• car parks and garages

And finally, those that are completely excluded:

• structural colums that exceed 1sqm
• service risers that exceed 1sqm

For any concerns, please engage and communicate with the agent or developer involved in the project.