Q: What is the BOMA Standard?
Since 1915, the BOMA Standard has been the only floor measurement method for commercial real estate approved by the American National Standards Institute.
In 1996, the Standard was revised to differentiate common areas that benefit all tenants (building common) from floor-specific common areas (floor common). BOMA now prorates an allocation of both types of common area on the basis of their share of building-rentable and floor-rentable areas respectively. With the new BOMA standard, rentable areas are calculated much more fairly which benefits tenants.
Q: What’s the difference between a unit’s “rentable” and “usable” area?
The rentable area (the calculated area upon which rent is paid) is larger than the area that is usable within an individual unit. The rentable area includes a prorated portion of all common areas within the building including shared washrooms, hallways, utility rooms and entrance lobbies.
Q: Is the BOMA Standard applicable to warehouse and industrial premises?
BOMA recommends that when the occupancy of a building has 51% or more area devoted to offices, the building owner/manager should utilize ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-1996. When the occupancy of the building has over 51% of non-office users (including ground level retail) then the BOMA/SIOR 2004 Industrial Standard will be used.
Q: Can you calculate the Rentable Area to the BOMA 96 Standard for just a single unit?
Yes we can. However, we will have to measure the entire building. As such, we offer a phased pricing program called the PLANiT AUDiT where we do not charge a full rate for the measuring. Think of it as a ‘Pay As You Go’ program.
Q: Why do you have to measure the entire building in order to calculate Rentable Area of a single unit to BOMA 96 Standard?
All areas of the building must be measured in order to establish the correct proportionate share of the common elements (as required in the BOMA Standard).
Q: Most measuring companies will only deliver an area certification if I order it at the time of the initial measuring. How can you certify drawings (or order certificates) long after the work has been completed?
All of PLANiT Measuring’s drawings are ‘pre-certified’, which means that the drawings were done under the supervision of a Professional Engineer at the time of the initial inspection. When a client calls long after the work was completed, we are able to professionally ‘Certify’ the drawings without a site inspection. This allows our clients to select this feature at any time during the life of the drawing, which can save a significant amount of money.