Is there anyone willing to answer a few Alberta specific measurement questions? Just want to confirm a few things.
1 Like
If we can! What do you need to know?
Hi Paul! Thanks for getting back to me. What city are you located in? The best place to get the main floor wall thickness is around the door frame I read. I thought I had read somewhere to include the exterior finishing but was told that you don’t so just want to confirm that I’m not including this (Exterior finishing) in the measurement. Also when there is a window by the door or something else to get an accurate measurement where do you measure? Wondering where is the best place to get a reading in the basement, Ive been using a window sill. Do you do another measurement upstairs on the second floor or use the main floor measurement does that change ever? Just want to confirm I’m doing it right as I learn as I heard Alberta has very strict margins:)
1 Like
Hi there! Luke, isn’t it? Did you move from BC to Alberta?
I’m in Red Deer.
Technically in Alberta, we’re supposed to measure the house from the exterior at the foundation. That’s next to impossible on the vast majority of properties and, of course, not possible at all on the upper floors. Because of that, we’re allowed to extrapolate from interior measurements, then having to measure at a threshold to get that number. And yes, one one of the entry doors is generally the best place to get the wall thickness. Sometimes the front door will be a door/window insert deal, so I usually verify at a side or rear door.
What you’re measuring is from the inside of the drywall to the outside of the sheathing on the house. That is, the plywood / chipboard the house is sheathed in, but excluding insulation or any exterior finish.
I don’t normally measure at a window, only because I find that more difficult.
I also don’t measure the wall thickness of upper floors or the basement. For upper floors, it’s a safe assumption that they’re the same as the main floor. There aren’t any requirements from RECA on basement measurements, so I just leave it as interior measure only. (If you enter 0 as wall thickness, there will be no “exterior” measurement recorded for the basement. I also enter “0” for any attached properties - apartments, duplexes, etc.)
Best bet if you’re having to do measurements in Alberta is to go to reca.ca, search “rms”, and get the PDF document “Guide to the Residential Measurement Standard”. Another great resource is the YouTube channel “RECA Alberta” and look for the RMS playlist.
Hope this is of some help!
1 Like
This was so helpful:) thank you for the resources I was not sure where to look for this.
1 Like
My pleasure.