Visualising square footage (sq ft) or metrage (m2) may be second nature for London estate agents and international buyers; but there is no tradition of quoting a single area figure (or, calculating price per sq ft) in the UK residential property market The British think in terms of number of bedrooms and reception rooms, with individual floor measurements thrown in.

But there are signs that British buyers are becoming more familiar with the notion of floorspace. Hurford Salvi Carr prepare a floor plan for every one of our instructions, whether the property is a small studio flat, a loft apartment or a substantial house. Floor plans enabled us to calculate and quote accurate sq ft and m2 on our sales particulars. Increasingly our buyers are insisting that they must have a minimum square area, rather than a certain number of bedrooms.

In part this is a consequence of the strength of the international market in London over the past few years; overseas buyers expect such details and our British buyers have become much more familiar with them. Floor plans and sq ft are as factual as you can get and assist Hurford Salvi Carr to comply with the Property Misdescriptions Act, which restricts estate agents’ literary prowess to the facts alone

The trend also reflects the interest in shell conversions, where there are no rooms to count and even if there were, they would give little indication of the true extent of an apartment. The high level of new developments in the City in recent years has also seen developers widely using sq ft in their marketing material.

When comparing similar properties within an area the price per sq ft rate will give an indication as to value for money. Typically in the City, Clerkenwell and Bloomsbury prices range from £200 per sq ft to £300 per sq ft for prime locations and for quality new development prices can be as high as £400 per sq ft. Smaller properties command higher prices per sq ft because they remain affordable to a wider cross section of purchasers.

But there is a danger of over-simplification and buyers still need to take into account the view, the amenities and the condition of the property. As experienced valuers we never value a property on a sq ft basis. We use traditional methods of valuation including comparable evidence, and only then calculate the rate per sq ft, if required.

So, although the trend towards quoting square areas is likely to continue, and is a useful tool in conjunction with other details, we do not expect bedroom numbers to disappear from our property particulars. London Property Guide