GLA or NOT

[medinaappraisal]

A house I recently visited and am considering purchasing has an addition of about 700 sq ft, this is not complete meaning the interior is still under construction; drywall, lights, etc. the exterior and roof are done with new hardiplank and 30 year shingles. My question is should this be counted towards GLA? Im an LO

Also when appraisers measure 2 story houses; I know the protocol is to measure the exterior of the first floor but what about the 2nd story? Do you measure the exterior also or do you measure the interior only? If you measure the exterior do you subtract the open space to the first floor?
Again Im an LO... Any help would be greatly appreciated...

:new_newbie:

 

[stefan olafson]

GLA is all area above grade. Interior finish is dealth with in the report.

2 story homes, if true 2 story you measure once and multiply by 2. On 1.5 or 1.75 story homes, those that don't have 8' sidewalls on second floor in all rooms are measured at the 5' level on the interior of the home to arrive at 2nd story square footage.

A good appraiser takes out the stairwell sq ft and any two story atrium areas on 2nd floor but I've seen some who don't.

 

[RSW]

GLA is all area above grade. Interior finish is dealth with in the report.

2 story homes, if true 2 story you measure once and multiply by 2. On 1.5 or 1.75 story homes, those that don't have 8' sidewalls on second floor in all rooms are measured at the 5' level on the interior of the home to arrive at 2nd story square footage.

A good appraiser takes out the stairwell sq ft and any two story atrium areas on 2nd floor but I've seen some who don't.

According to ANSI it is not 5'. It is 7'. FNMA wants us to follow ANSI and lenders want us to follow FNMA guidelines.

 

[Mztk1]

According to ANSI it is 7' in the center but to five foot market on the eaves.

The unfinished addition is not living area until finished because the market wouldn't pay the same amount for the space as it would if it were fully finished.

I measure capes from the inside width-wise but outside length wise. Stairwells are taken out as are areas open to below.

Two stories that are capes are measured from the outside for both levels

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

ANSI: at least 50% of the area to be counted must be at least 7' in height - nothing less than 5' in height to be counted as GLA.


To original poster: I'm thinking, from what you posted, that this would be counted as GLA as long as everything about it would make it counted per ANSI, then decuct a cost to cure to finish it. Diffucult to know for sure without photos.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Not all states have adopted ANSI. One needs to check the specific guidelines of the intended user to be sure it is handled correctly. Back to the specific question in this post...no, the under construction portion would not be included as GLA. Open areas on the 2nd floor would not be considered GLA. Usually the stairwell is only counted once...as part of the first floor.

 

[David Dietz]

GLA is all area above grade. Interior finish is dealth with in the report.

2 story homes, if true 2 story you measure once and multiply by 2. On 1.5 or 1.75 story homes, those that don't have 8' sidewalls on second floor in all rooms are measured at the 5' level on the interior of the home to arrive at 2nd story square footage.

A good appraiser takes out the stairwell sq ft and any two story atrium areas on 2nd floor but I've seen some who don't.

ANSI standards state the stairs are to be included in the second floor, not removed.

 

[stefan olafson]

David,

Why would you count as GLA an area already included once? That just doesn't make sense. I may not be politically correct on ANSI standards, but I measure to my shoulder on second floors that don't have 8' sidewalls (straight), I don't include something twice that has been included once. I include all area above grade in the GLA and adjust for lack of finish within the report.

If the area that is unfinished is not included how is it recognized in the report? If you have a 2 story with 1,200 sq ft on main and 1,160 sq ft up, all typically finished, that's 2,360 total square feet. If the house next door is exactly the same but for some reason the kitchen, dining room, and family room are not finished at the time of inspection, do you reduce the square footage of the house by those 700 sq ft, making this house only 1,660 sq ft????

I agree that enclosed porches typically aren't included in sq ft, but to omit a part of the house in this manner is just wrong.

 

[Marcia Langley]

If you follow ANSI, you don't subtract for stairs (of course you do for atriums).

The reasoning is that the underlying floor counts on the first level and the stairs, themselves, count on the second level. Think of it as if it were a drop stair. The area and utility are there.

This is the way I do it and it is commonly done that way in my market.

If you don't follow ANSI and everyone else in your market subtracts for stairs, no big deal.

But IMO ANSI is very logical in this regard.

 

[David Dietz]

David,

Why would you count as GLA an area already included once? That just doesn't make sense. I may not be politically correct on ANSI standards, but I measure to my shoulder on second floors that don't have 8' sidewalls (straight), I don't include something twice that has been included once. I include all area above grade in the GLA and adjust for lack of finish within the report.

Rationally taking out the stairs sounds correct, however that is all it is rationale. I have found no publication of any kind which says subtract the stairs. ANSI standards have been adopted by many states, ERC and the local assessors office. I can reference a publication for my method which is what matters to me if I am ever in court or in front of the board.