RMS Measurements in Calgary

UrbanMeasure provides RMS measurements in Calgary for REALTORS® and sellers. A technician measures every home on site, without scanning systems. We follow the Real Estate Council of Alberta's Residential Measurement Standard. You get the above-grade RMS size, a schematic drawing, room dimensions, ceiling heights and bathroom counts, backed by $5 million in E&O insurance. Pricing starts at $124.99 plus GST, and documents come back the same day when we finish on site before 4 pm.

• Method: on-site, by hand
• Standard: RECA RMS
• Report: RMS total, schematic, rooms, ceilings, baths
• Insurance: $5M E&O
• Turnaround: documents back the same day for appointments completed before 4:00 pm
• Price: from $124.99 plus GST (up to 1,500 sq ft total measured size, basement included)
• Experience: over 130,000 properties measured
• Appointment length: most RMS appointments take about an hour on-site

Prefer to talk? Call us at 403-827-4420.

Last updated November 2, 2026. Reviewed by David Boudreault, UrbanMeasure

RMS measurements for Calgary REALTORS®

When size is given for any residential property listed on MLS®, RECA requires it to be measured using the RMS. That number is your brokerage's responsibility, so it has to be right.

You can measure yourself or hire someone to do it. If you hire someone, RECA asks you to check that the measurer is trained, has experience, uses suitable tools and carries errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. Here's how we line up:

• Trained: our in-house team measures to RECA's RMS every day, and RECA's own licensee guide uses many of our diagrams.
• Experienced: 20+ years of measuring, through seven guideline changes, and over 130,000 properties measured.
• Suitable tools: every home is measured on site by hand, not estimated from a scan.
• Insured: $5 million in E&O insurance backs every report.

One thing to keep straight: RECA's rule applies whenever a size is given. It doesn't say every listing must show a size. If the seller wants size shown, or the listing database has a mandatory size field, it must be the RMS size. Read RECA's Residential Measurement Standard page.

What's included in an UrbanMeasure RMS report

The measure report

The report gives the above-grade RMS total in square feet and square metres, the size of each level, room dimensions, dominant ceiling heights and bathroom piece counts.

The schematic drawing

Every report comes with a schematic drawing that supports the RMS number, so you can back up the size on your listing.

Below-grade area, shown separately

We measure the basement and any other below-grade space and report it outside the RMS total, so the listing can show both numbers. It isn't a separate add-on. Our price is calculated on total measured size, and basement size is included in that calculation. For example, a home with 1,500 sq ft above grade and a 1,000 sq ft basement is priced on the 2,500 sq ft total: $174.99 plus GST. Its RMS size on the listing is still 1,500 sq ft.

Optional upgrades

Add a property layout, a marketing floor plan, listing photos, or the Realtor Essentials Package in the same visit.

How we measure Calgary homes under RECA's RMS

Detached and semi-detached homes

We measure to the outside perimeter at the foundation, including shared walls. If the thickness of a shared (demising) wall can't be determined, we use an exterior wall thickness.

Townhouses

Row and side-by-side townhouses are measured at the exterior wall at the foundation. This has applied since January 1, 2024, whether the home is fee simple or condo.

Apartment-style condos and Stacked Townhouses (Attached Properties)

Apartment-style condos, and Stacked Townhouses (Attached Properties) with a unit above or below, are measured on the interior, paint-to-paint at floor level. An assumed exterior figure may also be shown, as long as it is clearly labelled as not RMS.

What counts and what doesn't

Counts toward RMS size:

• Levels entirely above grade
• Extensions such as cantilevers, bays and dormers at least 1.5 m / 5 ft high
• Year-round additions and conversions
• Sloped areas at least 1.52 m / 5 ft high, where the room reaches 2.13 m / 7 ft

Doesn't count toward RMS size:

• Any level partly below grade (walkouts, bi-level lower floors)
• Garages
• Open-to-below and vaulted voids
• Three-season rooms

The 2% rule and how we report size

The size you advertise must be within 2% of the RMS size. It's given in one measurement system and reported to the nearest 0.1 m² or the nearest whole square foot.

Why hand-measured, not scanned

Our in-house technicians measure by hand to within 1/10th of an inch, and we never outsource. A person on site applies RECA's inclusion and exclusion rules room by room. Read more in manual vs 3D scanning.

Calgary situations that change the RMS number

Walkout and walk-up lots. In Calgary's hillside communities, the whole lower level of a walkout is below grade, so it stays out of the RMS total.

Bi-levels and splits. The lower levels are below grade and are reported separately.

Inner-city infills and semi-detached homes. These are measured to the exterior, including the shared wall.

Bonus rooms and 1.5-storey homes. The sloped-ceiling rules apply, so low areas under the roofline may not count.

Condos. The RMS size and the condominium unit registered size (CURS) must be disclosed separately. CURS is usually larger.

Garage conversions and rooms over garages. The year-round-use test decides whether the space counts.

Want to see examples of our work? Email info@urbanmeasure.com.

Booking, appointment and turnaround

How to book

Book online through our booking page or call 403-827-4420.

The online booking page walks you through what we need to know about the property. Questions first? Call 403-827-4420.

How long the appointment takes

Typical RMS appointments take about an hour on-site.

Large luxury homes and rural properties with multiple outbuildings can take longer.

Same-day delivery

Measurement documents come back the same day for appointments completed before 4:00 pm.

You receive an RMS Report and a Schematic Drawing. We also offer Property Layouts (with the Realtor Essentials Package), 2D Marketing Floor Plans, Premium Floor Plans and 3D Floor Plans. For examples of each, email info@urbanmeasure.com. If an appointment ends after 4:00 pm, we still do our best to finish your documents the same day; if not, you'll have them the following morning.

What to prepare

• Access to every room
• A clear path along the exterior walls
• Pets secured
• Someone available who can confirm any additions

Pricing

A standalone RMS measurement is from $124.99 plus GST for properties up to 1,500 sq ft. Price is based on total measured size, with the basement included. That's different from the RMS size on your listing, which leaves out below-grade area.

Total measured size (basement included): price

• Up to 1,500 sq ft: $124.99 plus GST
• 1,501–2,000 sq ft: $149.99 plus GST
• 2,001–2,500 sq ft: $174.99 plus GST
• 2,501–3,000 sq ft: $199.99 plus GST
• 3,001–3,500 sq ft: $224.99 plus GST
• 3,501–4,000 sq ft: $249.99 plus GST
• Over 4,000 sq ft: add $25 plus GST for every additional 500 sq ft

A size exactly on a boundary falls in the lower tier (for example, 2,000 sq ft is $149.99 plus GST, and 2,500 sq ft is $174.99 plus GST). All prices plus GST.

Example: a home with 1,500 sq ft above grade plus a 1,000 sq ft basement is priced on the 2,500 sq ft total, which comes to $174.99 plus GST. Its RMS size on the listing is still 1,500 sq ft.

Realtor Essentials: from $445 plus GST for up to 2,500 sq ft, plus $50 plus GST per additional 500 sq ft. It includes insured measurements, the RMS schematic, up to 50 photos, a 60-second video or 360 tour, and a property layout (basic floor plan). See Realtor Essentials Package.

Volume and brokerage pricing: We have partnership programs with many of the top brokerages. Please let us know if you are interested in discussing an exclusive partnership.

Why Calgary REALTORS® choose UrbanMeasure

UrbanMeasure is the trusted measurement provider for many of the top REALTORS® in the Calgary area. Here's what backs that up:

• RECA's own Guide to the Residential Measurement Standard in Alberta (Fifth Edition, January 2024) thanks “UrbanMeasure Inc. for many of the diagrams in this Guide.” See RECA's licensee guide (PDF).
• 20+ years of experience, through seven guideline changes
• $5 million in E&O insurance, and our reports aren't labelled “approximate”
• An in-house team, with no outsourcing
• Our measurement technicians hold Architectural Technologist diplomas from SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)
• Featured as measurement experts by Redfin
• Over 130,000 properties measured
• Partnership programs with many of the top brokerages

Accuracy you can stand behind

We stand behind every measurement. Our in-house technicians measure each Calgary home on site by hand, to within 1/10th of an inch, and apply RECA's inclusion and exclusion rules room by room. Every report is backed by $5 million in E&O insurance, and our reports aren't labelled “approximate” or “subject to verification.”

Want a number you can stand behind?

Areas we serve around Calgary

We measure homes across Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks and Banff/Canmore. More about our Calgary service.

No travel fee: Springbank, Bearspaw, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere and Okotoks.

Out-of-area fees are approximate. We calculate them from Stoney Trail, Calgary's ring road, to the appointment address. Langdon, Strathmore, Crossfield, Priddis and High River are about $50 plus GST. Canmore is about $110 plus GST, and Banff is about $140 plus GST. We cover all of Rocky View County and the other counties around Calgary, and we serve all of Alberta and nationally. Anywhere else, we'll quote the fee when you book.

UrbanMeasure Calgary
4034 16th Street SW, Calgary, AB T2T 4H4
Phone: 403-827-4420
Email: calgary@urbanmeasure.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

RMS measurement FAQ for Calgary realtors

How much does an RMS measurement cost in Calgary?

A standalone RMS measurement starts at $124.99 plus GST for properties up to 1,500 sq ft. Price is based on the total measured size, and basement size is included in that calculation. Above 1,500 sq ft, the price goes up $25 plus GST for every additional 500 sq ft (a size exactly on a boundary, such as 2,000 sq ft, is priced at the lower tier). For example, a home with 1,500 sq ft above grade and a 1,000 sq ft basement is priced on the 2,500 sq ft total: $174.99 plus GST. RMS is also included in our Realtor Essentials package, which starts at $445 plus GST for up to 2,500 sq ft (plus $50 plus GST per additional 500 sq ft) and adds photos, a 60-second video or 360 tour, and a basic floor plan.

How fast will I get my RMS report?

Same day for every appointment we complete on site before 4:00 pm. Most RMS appointments take about an hour on-site, though large luxury homes and rural properties with multiple outbuildings can take longer. You receive an RMS Report, with the RMS total, room dimensions, ceiling heights and bathroom counts, and a Schematic Drawing that supports the size on your listing. If an appointment ends after 4:00 pm, we still do our best to finish your documents the same day; if not, you'll have them the following morning.

Does RECA require RMS for Calgary MLS® listings?

Yes, whenever size is given. When size is given for any residential property listed on MLS®, RECA requires it to be measured using the RMS. That applies when the seller wants size shown or the listing database has a mandatory size field. The size must be within 2% of the RMS size, and a third-party report documents your due diligence.

How do you measure a condo compared with a detached home?

Detached and semi-detached homes and row townhouses are measured at the exterior wall at the foundation, including shared walls. Apartment-style condos, and Stacked Townhouses (Attached Properties) with a unit above or below, are measured on the interior, paint-to-paint at floor level. For condos, the RMS size is reported separately from the condominium unit registered size.

Is my client's walkout basement included in the RMS size?

No. Under RECA's RMS, if any part of a level is below grade, the whole level is below grade and stays out of the RMS total. That includes walkouts. We measure the basement and other below-grade space and show it as a separate figure, so the listing can show both numbers. It isn't an add-on: our price is based on total measured size, basement included. For example, a home with 1,500 sq ft above grade and a 1,000 sq ft basement is priced on the 2,500 sq ft total: $174.99 plus GST.

Can I use the tax-roll size, builder plans or the last listing's square footage?

No. RECA says licensees must measure using the RMS or hire someone who will. Tax-roll sizes, builder sizes and previous listings don't qualify. The narrow exceptions are renewing a recently expired listing and re-listing a rental under an ongoing property management agreement.

Do you use 3D scanning to measure?

No. Our in-house technicians measure every property on site by hand and apply RECA's inclusion and exclusion rules themselves. We don't use scanning systems to calculate the RMS number. We can still add photos, a 360 tour or a marketing floor plan in the same visit.

Which areas around Calgary do you cover?

We measure across Calgary, all of Rocky View County and the other surrounding counties, from our office at 4034 16th Street SW, and we serve all of Alberta and nationally. There's no travel fee for Springbank, Bearspaw, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere and Okotoks. Out-of-area fees are approximate and calculated from Stoney Trail, Calgary's ring road, to the appointment address: about $50 plus GST for Langdon, Strathmore, Crossfield, Priddis and High River, about $110 plus GST for Canmore and about $140 plus GST for Banff.

Can't a virtual tour camera measure my listing?

Not to RECA's standard. A virtual tour camera can produce a tour and a floor plan, but it can't decide what counts toward RMS size, such as below-grade levels, low sloped-ceiling areas or open-to-below spaces. Our in-house technicians measure every property on site by hand, to within 1/10th of an inch, and apply RECA's inclusion and exclusion rules themselves. We don't use scanning systems to calculate the RMS number. We can still add photos, a 360 tour or a marketing floor plan in the same visit.

Have another question? See our full RMS FAQ for Alberta, or learn about RMS measurements across Alberta.

Book your Calgary RMS measurement

Get a hand-measured, RECA-compliant RMS report with your documents back the same day when we finish on site before 4:00 pm. Book online, or call or email our Calgary team.

Call 403-827-4420 or email calgary@urbanmeasure.com. Bundle with photos: Add photos, video or virtual tour, with Realtor Essentials Package.