Interior room measurements are great for the realtor creating a new listing and giving that info to prospective buyers......yet, not necessary from the appraiser's perspective. Everything fits "in the box", and so you must first sketch that exterior perimeter line which closes-the-loop. I also sketch on ten-grid paper (Alvin - Cross Section # 1422-5) and draw my lines to match those measured lengths. I write exact number (Ft.+In.) from the tape as I progress around.
I do no effective rounding-off until it's time to draw in Apex. The # for each "end" of the hose should be the same, as too the # for each "side" of the house......or the loop does not close nicely. I sketch in 1/2-ft. increments, as does my county, and I find that all generally works out just fine to "round" 1-3" down to the whole foot, 4-9" to the 1/2-foot, and 9"+ up to that next whole foot. I note distances to ALL doorways from corners, primary windows and a few other aspects as I go around and that offers key perspective when inside and posting any primary interior wall segments near those things. I also place abbrevaited indictations of floor material as that changes per room and levels. I also post flag-markers at certain places with text related to any supplemental photo or improvement description (detriment) that I may have given in the report.
During my first year in this biz in 1998 I had a formal challenge to my measurement of a house, and I told an owner that he basically had 480sf LESS than he thought he had purchased. He went ballistic, and complained to the State. Eventually the investigator came out and measured the house. It was me......against the h/o, the county, a listing realty agent, and another appraiser. Very unique house, 5 levels, on a 45-deg. slope. It was concluded that I was correct, and the others were all overly exuberant in their denial of the facts in my report. Phew ! Ever since then, my sketches are usually full, and they tell a story just like the words in the report. Measuring and sketching is a very special process that gives an appraiser the up-close-and-personal interaction with the house. No one has challenged my physical house data, or my observations of improvement conditions, etc. in the last 7 years.
With many folks saying that business volume is "down" these days (and it is for me, dang it all ! ) then all should have a few extra minutes to give toward measuring, observations and then sketching. Make it impossible for someone to ever say that.......you missed something critical about the subject property when you were out there !
