Cost per m2 of gross internal floor area
The New Rules of Measurement (NRM) are published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). They provide a standard set of measurement rules for estimating, cost planning, procurement and whole-life costing for construction projects.
According to NRM1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building work, the term ‘Cost per m² of gross internal floor area’ (or cost/m² of GIFA) is:
‘…the unit rate which, when multiplied by the gross internal floor area (GIFA), gives the total building works estimate (i.e.works cost estimate less main contractor’s preliminaries and main contractor’s overheads and profit). Other cost estimates that form part of an order of cost estimate or a cost plan should also be converted to costs/m² of GIFA when reporting costs to the employer and project team (i.e. to express cost targets for group elements, elements, sub-elements, as well as the cost limit).They are also used in cost analyses and benchmarking as a means of documenting costs of previously completed building projects.’
Where the ‘gross internal floor area’ (GIFA) (or gross internal area (GIA)) is:
‘…the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level. The rules of measurement of gross internal floor area are defined in the latest edition of the RICS Code of Measuring Practice.’
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