UAD 3.6 discussion

[Non Sequitur]

Back to measuring threshold elevation. It's nice to see I'm not the only one ringing the bell, here's a post on LinkedIn. And I ask, what is reasonable about any of this mess?


EDIT:
Thanks to DWiley for pointing out the flat-out wrong information in the post. I decided to edit out the misinformation, and make no mistake about it: The post I quoted from LinkedIn is so filled with errors, made up cites, etc. that it can only be described as misinformation. It was not intentional on my part to spread the misinformation but I did report without checking the cites. For that I apologize. No excuse for that happening, I'm embarrassed and will do better going forward.

 

[Fernando]

Steps can be dangerous.
While in Iceland, I missed the last step and went flying landing on my back onto a field. Good thing my backpack cushioned the fall. It was rather embarrassing though.

 

[Dublin ohio]

Steps can be dangerous.
While in Iceland, I missed the last step and went flying landing on my back onto a field. Good thing my backpack cushioned the fall. It was rather embarrassing though.

I don't think steps are the problem

 

[djd09]

Back to measuring threshold elevation. It's nice to see I'm not the only one ringing the bell, here's a post on LinkedIn. And I ask anyone, what is reasonable about any of this mess?


GSE UAD 3.6 QUES

How is this new rule to be applied to condos, where lobby entrance is 5’ above grade, and the condo is on the 20th floor, level with corridor: ~205’?

In a two story walk-up condo building, are 2nd floor units ~10’ above grade, assuming grade is level with 1st floor?

For an SFR, if the height of threshold above adjacent grade is 1’, the site is 80% flat and level, and the flat & level section is 3’ above street grade, is this to be reported as 1’ or 4’.

The option is to measure elevation above EITHER the adjacent grade, or, the street.

There’s more:

Threshold must be measured & reported to the NEAREST TENTH-OF-A-FOOT.

This requirement was not thought out very well for UAD 3.6.
_______________________

Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Supplement (June 2025):
• “The appraiser must measure the vertical height from adjacent ground or street grade to the front entrance threshold, recording this dimension to the nearest tenth of a foot.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 27 of 164)
• “Documentation must include photographs or sketches illustrating any exterior steps, porches, or walkways leading from the street grade to the front entrance.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 28 of 164)
• “The presence and materials of walkways or driveways connecting the street to the entrance (such as concrete, blacktop, pavers, or bricks) must be noted in the appraisal report.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 28 of 164)
• “Stairs or steps providing access to the front entrance must be documented and their impact considered in site condition assessment.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 29 of 164)
Fannie Mae Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines (June 2025):
• “Elevations of exterior features must be measured and reported accurately to reflect the height difference between street grade and the front door.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 15 of 73)
• “Supporting documentation for these measurements must include a sketch or diagram in the appraisal report and photographs capturing the elevation features of walks, stairs, and porch areas.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 16 of 73)
• “Precise measurements for entrance height are mandatory without exception, ensuring consistency following ANSI Z765-2021 alignment.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 17 of 73)
Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification (June 2025):
• “Appraisers are required to record the height of the front entrance above street or ground grade for all relevant residential property types.”
(Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification, June 2025, Page 12 of 52)
• “The appraisal should detail any stairs, porches, or access areas that affect the front entrance’s elevation relative to the street, supported by photo documentation and sketch exhibits.”
(Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification, June 2025, Page 13 of 52)

what does that mean...

 

[Fernando]

I don't think steps are the problem

Normal steps have about 6 inch rise. If varies too much, it's a hazard speaking from an ugly privileged American perspective.

 

[Tom D]

Just curious. Any body brave enough to look at a 2-4 family uad3.

So now we are doing a femma flood risk assessment on da house. If it ain't in a flood zone, why. Maybe the door thingy is just for flood zones. Or that's to hard for the savant idiots to figure it in or out needed in the report.

 

[cashcatz]

Steps can be dangerous.
While in Iceland, I missed the last step and went flying landing on my back onto a field. Good thing my backpack cushioned the fall. It was rather embarrassing though.

You could have just wrote that you "pulled a Biden" and saved some characters.

 

[Dublin ohio]

Normal steps have about 6 inch rise. If varies too much, it's a hazard speaking from an ugly privileged American perspective.

The standard is the 7/11 rule. 7" rise, 11" tread

 

[J Grant]

Back to measuring threshold elevation. It's nice to see I'm not the only one ringing the bell, here's a post on LinkedIn. And I ask anyone, what is reasonable about any of this mess?


GSE UAD 3.6 QUES

How is this new rule to be applied to condos, where lobby entrance is 5’ above grade, and the condo is on the 20th floor, level with corridor: ~205’?

In a two story walk-up condo building, are 2nd floor units ~10’ above grade, assuming grade is level with 1st floor?

For an SFR, if the height of threshold above adjacent grade is 1’, the site is 80% flat and level, and the flat & level section is 3’ above street grade, is this to be reported as 1’ or 4’.

The option is to measure elevation above EITHER the adjacent grade, or, the street.

There’s more:

Threshold must be measured & reported to the NEAREST TENTH-OF-A-FOOT.

This requirement was not thought out very well for UAD 3.6.
_______________________

Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Supplement (June 2025):
• “The appraiser must measure the vertical height from adjacent ground or street grade to the front entrance threshold, recording this dimension to the nearest tenth of a foot.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 27 of 164)
• “Documentation must include photographs or sketches illustrating any exterior steps, porches, or walkways leading from the street grade to the front entrance.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 28 of 164)
• “The presence and materials of walkways or driveways connecting the street to the entrance (such as concrete, blacktop, pavers, or bricks) must be noted in the appraisal report.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 28 of 164)
• “Stairs or steps providing access to the front entrance must be documented and their impact considered in site condition assessment.”
(Fannie Mae UAD 3.6 Policy Supplement, June 2025, Page 29 of 164)
Fannie Mae Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines (June 2025):
• “Elevations of exterior features must be measured and reported accurately to reflect the height difference between street grade and the front door.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 15 of 73)
• “Supporting documentation for these measurements must include a sketch or diagram in the appraisal report and photographs capturing the elevation features of walks, stairs, and porch areas.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 16 of 73)
• “Precise measurements for entrance height are mandatory without exception, ensuring consistency following ANSI Z765-2021 alignment.”
(Standardizing Property Measuring Guidelines, June 2025, Page 17 of 73)
Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification (June 2025):
• “Appraisers are required to record the height of the front entrance above street or ground grade for all relevant residential property types.”
(Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification, June 2025, Page 12 of 52)
• “The appraisal should detail any stairs, porches, or access areas that affect the front entrance’s elevation relative to the street, supported by photo documentation and sketch exhibits.”
(Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification, June 2025, Page 13 of 52)

This is scary. I thought it applied to a SFR- they want a threshold measurement for a condo? What is that going to be when the unit is on the tenth floor?

We should not be doing this at all. It relates to FEMA flood management. Even if we report it in broader categories of one—to two-foot increments, they are asking us to take on a flood elevation survey function for their risk purposes.

 

[Tom D]

• “The appraisal should detail any stairs, porches, or access areas that affect the front entrance’s elevation relative to the street, supported by photo documentation and sketch exhibits.”
(Freddie Mac UAD 3.6 Specification, June 2025, Page 13 of 52

Don't forget that door photo & I gotta practice drawing my sketch exhibit of a front elevation sketch on my drawing program. And remember these are only observation to the ansi 1/10 inch water line observation, i mean inspection. Ding ding, more pay? Nada.

Can't wait for the condo and the 2-4 family uad3 discussions to start.