The College of Estate Management 2013

Paper 1408V5-0

Measurement of walls and partitions

Contents
1. Walls and facings
1.1 Battering walls
1.2 Curved walls
1.3 Projections
2. Partitions

Measurement of walls and partitions

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1 Walls and facings

Walls are measured above the damp-proof course (dpc) level. Walls below dpc level
are measured with the substructures. The major divisions for taking off would be
external walls followed by the internal walls. Further sections include projections,
either from the wall face, such as piers or chimney breasts, or above top datum line
such as flues and chimney stacks. The measurements will be booked initially ignoring
openings, etc. unless there is good reason to adjust at this stage.
The NRM2 rules for measuring brickwork and blockwork are contained in Section 14
of the tabulated work sections under the title of Masonry, the generic heading used to
cover stonework and glass block walling as well as brickwork and blockwork.
Under NRM2, all brick and block walls are measured in square metres stating the
thickness either half brick, one brick, etc., or exact thickness, 102.5mm, 215mm
(two half-brick thickness plus 10mm of mortar), etc. The description of the walls
covers the materials of which they are constructed. These can be:

Common bricks, which will in all probability be covered with materials such
as plaster, rendering, tiling, etc., and in consequence no special finish is
required.

Common bricks finished with a fair face where they are to be exposed. The
description must include details of that finish such as pointing, etc.

Special or facing bricks where appearance is all important. Again the

description must include details of the finish.

The examples that follow show typical descriptions of brick walls showing how the
various alternatives can apply.
All labours on brickwork and blockwork are deemed to be included except closing
cavities.
With cavity wall construction both leaves will require measuring separately (along
their own centrelines multiplied by their height) and a cavity will need to be formed.
There may also be some insulation required to the cavity. The external leaf may be of
facing bricks and the inner leaf would perhaps be of blocks. Depending on location,
though, some external leaves are built in blockwork and rendered; other areas may
require walls to be built of natural or reconstituted stone. Care should also be taken
when working out the height of cavity walls as the inner leaf is often higher than the
outer leaf. Inspection of detail drawing at eaves is recommended to obtain accurate
dimensions. An item of closing cavities may well be required. This is measured
lineally and the width of cavity and the method of closing is included in the
description.

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The following differentiation is often made in brickwork:

Common brickwork walling which will not need any facings or special
pointing. This is normally subsequently covered, say with render or plaster.

Facework walling that is built with an exposed face which will require a
neater finish or special brick to be used.

In descriptions it is normal to identify the type of brick, block or stone, the mortar to
be used, the bond being used and any particular pointing that may be required.
When measuring walling, divide the building into manageable areas. Assume, say, a
box up to eaves level, adjust for any additional blocks on the inner leaf and then
measure any triangular areas in gable end walls or details as may be shown. To
relieve the appearance of large areas of brickwork it is quite common to see different
coloured band courses used in a number of ways. These can be in line with the wall or
projecting slightly or even recessed. These band courses are measured lineally, stating
the width. These can be in line with the wall (flush), or projecting slightly (depth of
set forward stated), or even sunk (depth of set back stated). A deduction of the
original wall is required for the area displaced by the band, as they are not measured
as extra over the original brickwork measured.
The following examples show the various options that you may come across.
5.50
3.20

Walls facework one side,

215mm thick as before

One brick thick wall built with

facework one side measured as
an area.

5.50

Facework, ornamental bands

in mixed red facings, built
flush, horizontal brick on
end band 215mm thick,
flush pointed

The band course is flush with the

wall and a contracting brick. As it
does not go through the thickness
of the wall there is no deduction
from the previous item. As the
material is different it is also not
measured as extra over.

5.50

Facework, ornamental bands,

projecting, set forward 50mm
horizontal 215mm high,
flush pointing to top and
soffit of projection

Here the band course projects from

the face of the wall but it is built in
the same brickwork.

3.20

Facework, quoins, vertical, in

mixed red facings, 318mm
girth bonded to buff
brickwork as before, all as
drawing as/001

Where there are specific patterns

called for either at quoins or jambs
then reference to a drawing would
be more appropriate than long,
flowing descriptions.

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The following sketches illustrate the method of measuring more complex types of
work and also repeat some of the more important basic rules covered earlier.

1.1 Battering walls (14.1.1.2)

14.00
3.68

2B semi-eng bks
in cm (1:3) in English
bond in battering walls

1B
2B
3B
2)
avg 1B
10.00
3.75
Tapered wall avg 1B thi
of cb in cm (1:3) one side
battered.

1.2 Curved walls (14.1.1 Note 3)

1/ /
4
31/7/

2/

3.00
2.00

1B wall of cb in cm
a b d curved to 3m rad

1.3 Projections (14.5)

1 Plinths

The wall would be measured its nominal thickness for the full height and the
additional brickwork in the plinth dealt with as follows length 10m in each case:

10.00

Projections 600mm high

and B wide a b d,
horizontal

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2 Piers
Bkwk a b d but in projection
B deep and 450mm
wide on face, vertical

2.00

Attached piers are to be described as walls if the length is greater than four times the
thickness.
Projections on existing walls

2.00

Half-a-brick in projections
of attached piers on existing
walls including cutting away
for and bonding every
fourth course of new work
to old brickwork 680mm
wide on face

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2 Partitions
The following example of measuring block partitions illustrates the idea of collecting
together quantities of work similar in several respects (thickness, height, etc.).

FIGURE 1

Drawing No MBW1/4/2

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BLOCK PARTITIONS

Reference drwg MBW1/4/2 (Figure 1).

Position

50

A to B
B to C
A,B,C to E

4.725
75
2.600

Collections should be made as often

as possible but must always be
perfectly clear and easy to follow
at a later stage.

7.400
7.400
7.650
4.350

2/.700
Splay

WCs

100mm

2.150
2.150

E to F,H
C,E,H to D
F to H
F to G

wants

75

2/.900
2/50

2/

8.49
2.50

1.600
2.135
3.735
1.400
2.335
1.000
1.800
.100
1.675
50
1.625

3.335

1.900

3.250
8.485 23.450 7.650
50mm Terracotta
hollow blocks
300 225mm,
keyed both
sides for plaster
bedded and jointed
in gauged mortar
(1:1:6) in walls

23.45
2.50

75mm Ditto

7.65
2.50

100mm Ditto

Partitions are measured under a group heading and the term is used to denote those
rather thin walls, usually of blocks (concrete or terracotta), slabs or timber, which are
intended to divide spaces in the structure into smaller spaces. It could quite well be
that these partitions are formed of pressed steel units, compressed straw, laminated
plastic, bamboo canes or woven fabrics.
However, let us confine our attention in the first instance to blockwork. The rules
should be reviewed and will apply to blockwork generally.
The recommended routine for measuring block partitions is to group together by
means of a suitable schedule all those partitions which are similar in thickness, type,
finish and height. After the main overall measurements, bonding if appropriate should
be measured.

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The other type of partition that may be encountered is that built of timber. The timber
members, including noggins and struts in partitions are measured by length in metres,
stating their size in the description.
Partitions formed of timber are referred to as stud partitions, where the timbers
generally are spaced vertically at convenient intervals between a bottom member
(sill) and top piece (head). Usually there are short timbers horizontally to maintain a
regular spacing (noggings); and trussed partitions, where the arrangement of timbers
is such that the load is tranferred to convenient points of support.
STUD PARTITIONS

Where a partition is of timber the several members are measured in linear form. The
dimensions assume that the 100mm partition in the last example is a stud partition.
When a length is likely to be over 6m it is normal to allow 150mm for a joint.

Stud
partitions.
7.650
.150
7.800

Joint

(Sill and head

2/

7.80

50 100 mm
Impregnated sawn
softwood in
partitions
400) 7.650
19 + 1
= 20

2/50
2/

13

16.1.1.7

The overall length is divided by the

spacing and if one is then added will
give the number of upright members or
studs.

2.500
.100
2.400
26
2.426

20/

2.43

(Studs

2/

7.65

(Noggings

2/23/

0.05

Deduct ditto
(Intersctn.
of studs
and nogging

These are the horizontal members that

strengthen structure.
When measuring net it is worth marking
the position of the studs on the drawing and
making allowance for additional studs at
door openings if required. Put sketches with
your dimensions to show what you have
measured.