The BBMI measurement report: correct square metres are worth money

The square metres in a property listing look like a detail, but legally and financially they are anything but casual. Buyers convert the asking price to a price per square metre, valuers rely on it, and in case of a discrepancy the seller can be held liable. The BBMI measurement report records the correct area officially.

What the measurement instruction entails

The industry-wide measurement instruction (BBMI, based on NEN 2580) prescribes exactly what counts as usable living area and what as other indoor space, outdoor space or external storage. Sloping roofs, basements, extensions and garages are allocated according to fixed rules.

A measurement professional measures the home on site and records the outcome in a report that estate agent, valuer and buyer can all use. Everyone then works with the same, verifiable number.

Why it matters when selling

The cost of a measurement report is negligible compared with the price effect of a few square metres of difference.

• Overstated metres can lead to claims after completion; courts have ordered sellers to pay damages per missing metre.
• Understated metres needlessly depress the asking price.
• Valuations and mortgage applications increasingly require a BBMI-compliant measurement report.

Combine with the label assessment

Both the measurement report and the energy label require someone to visit the home. Combining them in one appointment is faster and cheaper. The assessor measures the home, records the label data at the same time, and you receive both documents digitally, ready for the estate agent and the file.