Romly AS: High Accuracy Real Estate Documentation with the Leica BLK2GO

In Oslo, Norway, a transformation is unfolding within the realm of real estate and architectural measurements. Romly AS, a unique firm fueled by an architect's vision, is challenging the traditional methods of property measurements. A major tool that drives this transformation is the Leica BLK2GO, a handheld imaging laser scanner that's rewriting Romly's and Norway's approach to area calculations and accurate floorplans in real estate transactions and documentation. 

 

A real estate challenge 

An architect by profession, Floire Nathanael Daub, CEO of Romly, noted during his years working in architecture a common problem architects faced: obtaining accurate data of existing buildings. Romly was born from this need for up-to-date 3D data. 

"One of the problems that architects always have when they want to start a new project, especially in an existing building, is to get an accurate dataset," Daub explained. “I wanted to learn how to get a highly accurate dataset for area measurements. So, it was a weekend experiment with using a BLK360 unit to scan my apartment, which revealed an additional six square meters of overlooked space that was not documented.” 

Daub noted that most architects and real estate professionals rely on simple laser pointers for square-meter area measurements. However, these tools have limitations, especially when measuring areas with tricky angles or unique features and geometry. This revelation spurred Daub to adopt the BLK2GO to his workflow, remaining committed to high accuracy in the floorplans and the 3D data it provides to its clients while also taking advantage of mobile handheld scanning and gaining speed and efficiency on the jobsite. 

 

Innovating the industry with the BLK2GO 

Romly has a simple pledge: "No reservations, no guesswork, no room for doubt. 99% verified area based on millions of collected data points – and a method where all steps can be verified. This is Romly."  

To achieve their accuracy goal, especially for tricky spaces, the firm uses the BLK2GO to measure properties with a simple site visit. They prepare and scan the property to gather all the data they need during one quick visit – and clients are often awed by the BLK2GO’s capabilities and speed, and it provides a degree of trust that Romly is measuring things the right way.  

From there, they use the data to create a “Romly-verified” floorplan – documentation of a space that is verified every step of the way through their workflow to creating the final deliverables. 

Romly's accuracy with the BLK2GO yields tangible benefits for their clients. In one instance, they realized there was, overall, an additional 15 square meters in a client's apartment that had previously been mismeasured and overlooked. The "new space" that Romly found through accurate 3D point clouds proved profitable for the homeowner, adding $153,000 to the property's value. (You can also see other examples of missing or additional square meters at https://www.instagram.com/romly.no/) 

 

A new real estate documentation workflow, designed for new housing laws 

With the BLK2GO, Romly pioneers a new workflow that delivers accuracy and efficiency. Daub explained that “for the type of work we do, the BLK2GO is superb.” And the type of work Romly does is based on a set of values – accuracy, transparency, efficiency – that drive not just Daub’s push for accuracy in all real estate documentation in Norway, but for innovation within the entire real estate industry and its adjacency to architecture. 

These values, especially accuracy, that Romly bases their work on has set their operations in a position to adhere to new regulatory demands. As of January 2022, the Disposal Act in Norway stipulates that maximum tolerable deviation in area measurements for housing transactions is 2%, tightened from the previous 6%. With the BLK2GO’s ±10 millimeters accuracy, Romly found themselves equipped to adjust to this stricter requirement.

 

What’s next after scanning? Software magic

The process, however, doesn’t end at capturing raw data on site. The number of operations and possible opportunities for error are significantly diminished thanks to the BLK2GO data and the resulting deliverable through Romly’s software workflow.  

As Daub states, “With reality capture data, instead of coming home with a list of different numbers written on a sketch pad, you have so much more data available when you sit in front of your computer.”  

Once they export the BLK2GO data, Romly uses many software tools including Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 PLUS, alongside some of their unique in-house solutions, to process the BLK2GO point clouds. Once the data is processed in Cyclone REGISTER 360, they import datasets into Autodesk's Revit. 

This step is vital as measurements with point clouds should be taken as close to the floor as possible, according to regulatory rules, to find the most accurate measurement for the area in a floorplan as nothing would be physically stopping the scanner from measuring with LiDAR. 

The magic of pulling all this data together comes alive in Revit through verification of their data quality, performing test calibrations, and exporting into a CAD-readable format. Revit allows them to slice and fine-tune the data, and Daub explains how integrating BLK2GO data into Revit accelerates their process, adding that "both slicing and also all the operations – drawing wall thickness and making a proper BIM-ready format." 

This detailed data aids Romly in creating an accurate plan that far surpasses traditional methods. Once they get to the floor plan, it is dubbed “Romly-verified” and ready for use by their clients. 

However, Daub is quick to clarify that being “Romly-verified” means far more than adhering to a complex process. It speaks to their commitment to transparency in their method and their willingness to show every step in the process. They consistently educate their clients about the technology they use and why it matters, whether that’s when Romly first scans a property – or even when real estate transactions end up in court. 

 

Romly-verified floorplans become vital evidence in court 

Romly's attention to detail through accuracy hasn't only paid dividends in their business; they've also made a significant impact in the courtroom. Romly-verified floor plans have provided essential, trustworthy, and clear evidence in several notable real estate or property court cases, leading to faster resolution of disputes. 

The accuracy of Romly's data helped uncover significant discrepancies in a high-profile property case. Their measurements revealed a 24-square-meter area that was overlooked in previous calculations (8,1% of the total area). This had serious implications for the property's valuation, and Romly's data enabled a fair outcome. 

The court judge especially pointed out the benefit of the extensive visual datasets that Romly could provide in the courtroom in the format of point clouds, sections, and plans, making a site visit obsolete. The visual data gave the court a more in depth understanding of the situation and exactly what was included in the area calculations. Compared to previous cases, where they have had limited insight about how the situation looked and had been limited only to different numbers with no supporting visual data.  

The court case was won and provided the client with a $190,000 compensation for the missing square meters and all court related costs.  

But let’s talk more about numbers. In another case, the challenge was that an apartment was sold six times since 2003 and in all cases the listed square meters were different.  

The demand for a price reduction of $27,000 was initially rejected due to too many inconsistent measurements of the area. According to the previous surveyors, the apartment was very difficult to measure with a handheld laser distance meter as the walls and corners were not 90 degrees. With six different measurements carried out by different surveyors who all came to different results, it was first concluded that it was not probable that there was a deficiency as there was disagreement about the real size of the home. The disadvantage of handheld laser distance meters and handwritten measurements, which is the most often used method for measuring area, is that the method cannot be tested. In the context of a dispute, there is no supporting data that can verify or explain the different results.  

Romly was contacted and concluded that the apartment had an area of ​​111 m2 BRA and could provide detailed and accurate drawings of the apartment's geometry and a visual explanation of how the calculation was done. The case was then presented to the Financial Appeals Board. In the light of the new data that Romly provided, it was concluded that there was an error in the area of ​​8m2 (6.7%) and the new owner was awarded compensation.  

The following excerpt is taken from the tribunal's decision: "In this case, the buyer has presented new documentary evidence which, in the tribunal's view, proves that the area of ​​the home in BRA is actually 111 m2. In light of the fact that the sales document has stated the home's BRA at 119 m2, there is an area deviation of 8 m2. This amounts to 6.7% of the home's area, and the tribunal finds that, according to practice, this is sufficient for it to be considered that there is a deficiency that has affected the purchase."  (Link to the case: Søk etter uttalelser (finkn.no)) 

But the hidden value discovered through Romly’s laser scanning isn't just monetary. The data Romly provides helps build trust among all parties involved, allowing cases to be resolved before reaching the courtroom and saving both time and public resources. 

Amid trying industry times and shifting regulations, Romly’s exceptional use of the BLK2GO provides previously unattainable accuracy and a transparent, verified method for creating real estate documentation that adheres to new guidelines and provides clients with valuable information about their properties. By introducing laser scanning technology, paired with unique software workflows, into real estate measurement and transactions, Romly is raising the industry’s and the nation’s standards for property documentation.  

 

Interested in adding the BLK2GO to your real estate documentation service? Learn more about the scanner here.