|
|
How does an appraiser measure the living area of a house?
The following is a description of the generally accepted method of measuring a house. While this is the generally accepted "best practice", there may be significant local market variations.
The ANSI Standard for Measuring Houses
In April, 1996 the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) adopted a standard for measuring single-family residential buildings. American National Standard Z765-1996 was developed through a process of consensus among a wide variety of participants. These included the American Institute of Architects, the Appraisal Foundation, the Building Owners and Managers Association, the Manufactured Housing Institute, the National Association of Realtors, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD and others.
The ANSI standards are not law, only a voluntary guide, and are subject to periodic review and revision. But anyone using these standards must apply them as a whole, and not just pick out the parts they like or agree with. The standards are intended for both attached and detached single family residences, but not for apartments or multi-family residences.
The ANSI standards base floor area calculations on the exterior dimensions of the building at each floor level, and include all interior walls and voids. For attached units, the outside dimension is the center line of the common walls. Internal room dimensions aren't used in this system of measuring.
The ANSI standards define "finished area" as "an enclosed area in a house suitable for year-round use with permanent heating and cooling, embodying walls, floors, and ceilings that are similar to the rest of the house in quality and condition." Measurements must be taken to the nearest inch or tenth of a foot, and floor area must be reported to the nearest square foot. Enclosed Garages and enclosed patios would be excluded if the garage door, sliders, concrete walls, exterior wall electrical wiring were present. additionally, if the home has central heat and cooling then the room should be heated and cooled by that system and not a separate window unit.
Basements and Below-Grade Floor Areas
The ANSI standards make a strong distinction between above-grade and below-grade floor area. The above-grade floor area is the sum of all finished square footage which is entirely above ground level. The below-grade floor area includes spaces which are wholly or partly below ground level.
Disregard the old rules of thumb that allow you to include below-grade areas if they are less than five feet below grade, or if less than half the area is below grade. If the house has any areas below the natural grade, measure that whole level separately. Even if the below-grade areas are fully finished, they are not part of the finished floor area according to ANSI standards.
Attics, Lofts and Low Ceilings
Level ceilings must be at least 7 feet high, and at least 6 feet 4 inches under beams, ducts and other obstructions. There is no height restriction under stairs. If a room has a sloped ceiling, at least one-half of the finished floor area must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet. Otherwise, omit the entire room from the floor area calculations. If a room with a sloped ceiling meets the one-half-of-floor-area-over-7-feet requirement, then include all the floor space with a ceiling height over 5 feet.
Lofts and finished attics must be accessible by a conventional stairway or other access to be counted. If you can only reach the loft by climbing a ladder, it's not part of the finished floor area regardless of the ceiling height.
Detached Rooms, Guest Cottages, Granny Units and Dwelling Units
According to the ANSI standards, finished areas which are not connected to the main residence by a finished hall or stairway must be listed separately. If you have to leave the house to get to the room, it's not part of the finished floor area.
County Zoning Ordinances define several types of detached living areas. The County calls these "detached bedrooms," "in-law suites", "guest cottages," "family care units (granny units)" and "dwelling units."
A detached bedroom is a separate structure containing one room only without a kitchen or bathroom. It must be designed for and intended to be used as a sleeping or living facility for family members. It must be used in conjunction with the main house which includes a kitchen and a bathroom. Detached bedrooms can't be located farther than 150 feet from the main house and can't exceed 500 square feet in floor area.
A guest cottage is like a detached bedroom with a bathroom, but no kitchen. It can't exceed 640 square feet in floor area and must be a permanent structure, not a trailer or mobile home. It can't have a kitchen, wet bar or any provision for appliances for the storage or preparation of food. It must be clearly subordinate and incidental to the main house. Guest cottages can't be rental units. They must be used without compensation by guests of the occupants of the main house.
A family care unit (sometimes called a granny unit) is determined more by use than design. It is the temporary use of a building, structure or trailer to provide housing for the following.
not more than two adults who are 60 years of age or older; or
immediate family members who require daily supervision and care; or
people who provide daily supervision and care for the people who reside in the main residence
A full dwelling unit is a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more people, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. A dwelling unit can have only one kitchen.
Room Counts, Bedrooms and Bathrooms The real estate profession often describes houses by their total room count, the number of bedrooms and the number of bathrooms they contain. For example, the shorthand convention "5/2/1.5" describes a house with 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. Local custom determines the definition of a "room." In general, a room is a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room, a dining room, a family room, an office or a den. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, sun rooms, lofts, closets, storage rooms and entries are not usually considered to be rooms. What is the difference between a den and a bedroom? If the den can function as a bedroom, there may be no difference at all. What is the difference between a dining area and a dining room? If you could add walls and it would remain functionally the same, a dining area can be called a dining room. A bedroom is any room that you can fit a conventional bed into. Usually the local zoning, building or health codes establish minimum requirements for bedrooms. In general, bedrooms should be at least 90 square feet in size, with at least one bedroom in the house 120 square feet in size. Bedrooms should have a window which provides an emergency exit, natural light and ventilation. Bedrooms should have direct access to a hallway, living room or other common area. You should not have to walk through one bedroom to get to another. A bedroom should have a closet, but this is optional. Before closets, people stored their clothes in armoires and dressers. Local custom also defines the bathroom. In most parts of the country, a full bathroom includes a toilet, a sink, a bathtub and a shower. A combination bath and shower counts as two fixtures. If the bathroom has only three fixtures it is a 3/4 bath. If it has only two fixtures it is a 1/2 bath, and if it has only one it is a 1/4 bath. |
|