Lazy appraiser did not measure

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

You can use the plans, but how about verifying the home is built to plans by checking the measurements. Then verify the square footage totals by re-drawing in Apex or whatever.

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Concerns:

sure they built what the plans said they were going to? (very often .......not)

dwelling in subdivision of several style dwellings where Assessor used builders/brochures for SF? (often)

Contemps usually have large open areas on second / third levels; plansGLA include fin.bsmt/garage/porch etc. (often do)


Conclusion & practice: need my signature-then you need my sketch.

 

[Mr Rex]

I finished a new construction report today from plans and specs. The architect over-stated the GLA by a little less than 100sf on what he called a 2200sf house. So a little less than 5% but large enough to be a small room in some folks eyes. The discrepancy was an open 2 story foyer and measuring to the outside of the knee wall rather than the actual 5 foot high interior side of the knee wall. Having worked with architects for over 5 years in a previous life, I prefer measuring or doing my own sketch from their drawings, these so called detail folks miss alot of little things.

 

[Michael Tipton]

Any SOW questions should be directed to the client. I personally would measure the subject. The majority of the appraisals I have completed for mortgage lending purposes reference secondary market guidelines.

In the worst case, how would you defend your appraisal process (sketch) should you be cross examined in court?

 

[OSU Beavers]

Don't skippy the measurements!!!

 

[Lobo Fan]

I have done it once or twice when blueprints were available. The last time it was a new house and the mud was knee deep. I checked as many measurements as I could without getting swallowed up in the mud. It still turned into a problem as I came in undervalue and my report received a full colonoscopy.

I went out on one yesterday. New construction, blueprints in hand and a pair of brand new shoes on. Mud was pretty bad, though only ankle deep. Subject was still slab floor so tracking in mud was not an issue. Measured the whole thing.

I have scanned in floor plans when I could not get the sketch to come out. I still had full measurements in the file.

 

[Tom Woolford]

I have seen plans be off as much as 300 sq. ft. on new construction. No way I trust prints.

 

[Stone]

You can use the plans, but how about verifying the home is built to plans by checking the measurements. Then verify the square footage totals by re-drawing in Apex or whatever.

Best answer, IMO.

 

[John Hassler]

There are very few residential properties that I think would meet the burden of being too complex to be measured & sketched by an appraiser (one I had in the shape of a nautilus shell comes to mind). At the very least, I think I would want to know what calculation method the architect used and note that in the report.


FWIW the new construction report I finished yesterday had GLA of 2,596 sq ft printed on the plans but was calculated by my sketch program at 3,002 sq ft. I triple checked the exterior dimensions on the plans before I tried to figure out the architect's methodology. The plans gave the square footage of each room and then aggregated them to arrive at the GLA. Only problem was they were based on interior room measurements and did not include closets or staircases. I suspect the intent was to state the least GLA reasonable to reduce neighborhood opposition to the project.

 

[OSU Beavers]

. I suspect the intent was to state the least GLA reasonable to reduce neighborhood opposition to the project.

Or the cost of the building permit.