Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about our missions, land issues or planning legislation? Find our expert answers.
Q.What is contradictory boundary marking and is it mandatory?
R.Boundary marking allows for the legal and definitive fixing of your land's property lines. In France (Article 646 of the Civil Code), any owner can compel their neighbor to boundary marking. This is also legally mandatory in the case of land division for building (subdivision). Only a Chartered Land Surveyor registered with the Order is authorized to carry it out and place official markers.
Q.What is the difference between a topographic plan and a boundary plan?
R.A topographic plan is a precise survey of the existing situation (relief, walls, trees, roads). It is essential for the architect or project manager but has no legal value concerning the property line. The boundary plan, however, determines the guaranteed legal land boundary after analysis of notarized deeds and contradictory agreement from neighbors.
Q.Can I divide my garden land to sell it?
R.Yes, but this operation (parcel detachment) requires ensuring the project complies with the local urban plan (PLU/PLUi). The Land Surveyor verifies buildability, creates the division plan, marks the new created boundary and constitutes the mandatory urban planning file (Preliminary Declaration of division) at the City Hall.
Q.Is the cadastral plan proof of my land's boundary?
R.No. Contrary to popular belief, the cadastre is a document with a purely fiscal vocation (for calculating property taxes) and has no probative value of land ownership. In case of dispute, only a boundary marking minutes drafted by a Chartered Surveyor is authentic.
Q.How can I correct an error on the cadastral plan?
R.If the public cadastre indicates an incorrect boundary, you must request a Chartered Surveyor. After researching old deeds and surveying the land, our team will draft an amicable delimitation plan and update the cadastral documentation (DMPC) sent to the tax authorities.
Q.Who pays for boundary marking costs?
R.According to Article 646 of the Civil Code, boundary marking costs are shared between the two neighboring owners, although the distribution can be negotiated differently during amicable conciliation.
Q.Why hire a Chartered Surveyor for a co-ownership setup?
R.The Chartered Surveyor is the only qualified professional to guarantee the accuracy of interior plans and the calculation of co-ownership shares (tantièmes). Their intervention legally secures the sale deed and prevents future disputes between co-owners regarding charge distribution.
Q.What is a co-ownership regulation amendment?
R.It is an update to the regulations following a change in the building (lot division, change of use, annexation of common areas). The Surveyor creates new plans and calculates the new share distribution for publication in the real estate file.
Q.What is 3D Laser Scanning?
R.It is a technology that captures millions of points in seconds to create a millimeter-accurate '3D image' of the existing structure. This allows for surveying complex structures (monuments, factories, frameworks) with an exhaustiveness impossible to achieve with traditional methods.
Q.How do you use drones in your missions?
R.The drone allows us to produce high-resolution orthophotographs and digital terrain models (DTM) over large surfaces or difficult access areas. It is a valuable tool for site monitoring, cubature calculations (earth volumes), and structure inspections.
Q.How long is a boundary marking valid?
R.A signed and archived contradictory boundary marking is definitive and immutable. It 'follows the land': even if owners change, the set boundary remains the same for future generations. It is the strongest guarantee of peace of mind for your land heritage.
Q.What documents are required to apply for a development permit?
R.The typical file includes a location plan, a plan of the initial state of the land, a general composition plan, as well as a descriptive notice explaining the project's insertion into its environment. URBATEAM takes care of the complete technical and administrative constitution of this file.
Q.What is an easement and how can it be verified?
R.An easement is a constraint imposed on land (servient estate) for the benefit of another (dominant estate), such as a right of way or the passage of networks (underground easement). They are mentioned in your property title. The Chartered Surveyor can identify them precisely on the ground and verify their compliance.
Q.Do you intervene for the creation of sports fields?
R.Yes, URBATEAM has specific expertise in sports engineering. We design sports complexes (stadiums, athletics tracks, synthetic fields) respecting federal standards and high-precision drainage and leveling requirements.
Q.How are a Land Surveyor's fees calculated?
R.Each case is unique. Our fees depend on the technical complexity of the mission, search time in archives, the number of neighbors to be summoned for boundary marking, and the land area. We systematically provide a free, detailed quote before any intervention.
Q.What is the difference between amicable and judicial boundary marking?
R.Amicable boundary marking results from an agreement between neighbors with the help of a Land Surveyor. If agreement is impossible, a judge can order judicial boundary marking. In this case, a Land Surveyor is appointed as a judicial expert to propose a boundary that the judge will validate by a ruling.
Q.Why have a Land Surveyor perform your Carrez Law measurement?
R.While not mandatory, a Land Surveyor's intervention offers a professional civil liability guarantee. In case of a measurement error greater than 5%, the buyer can request a price reduction. Our precision and legal expertise secure your real estate transaction.
Q.What is the difference between co-ownership and volume division?
R.Co-ownership usually applies to simple buildings with shared common areas. Volume division is used for complex real estate complexes (e.g., shops on the ground floor and housing above) to legally dissociate elements without common areas, often managed by a homeowner association (AFUL or ASL).
Q.What is the Scan-to-BIM process?
R.It is the transformation of a point cloud from a 3D scanner into an intelligent digital model (BIM). This model contains not only the building's geometry but also data on materials, networks, and equipment, facilitating subsequent building management.
Q.Do you offer structural monitoring services?
R.Yes, we perform high-precision measurements to monitor the stability of buildings, bridges, or retaining walls via structural monitoring. Using sensors and periodic surveys, we detect the slightest movements or millimeter settlements to guarantee infrastructure security.
Q.Do you produce interior plans and sections of existing buildings?
R.Absolutely. We intervene to survey entire buildings to produce interior plans, transversal sections, and facade plans. These documents are essential for architects in renovation or rehabilitation projects.
Q.How can I know if a Land Surveyor has already intervened on my land?
R.All land interventions by Chartered Surveyors are recorded on the GéoFoncier portal. We can consult this history to find old boundary marking minutes or division plans, securing your project by relying on certified data.
Q.How does a land division work?
R.Division involves detaching one or more parcels from an original plot. URBATEAM supports you from the feasibility study to the preliminary declaration at the town hall (as in Plouzané or Landerneau), up to the surveying document and the boundary marking of new lots.
Q.What is the guarantee offered by a Chartered Surveyor?
R.The Chartered Surveyor is a professional whose title is protected by law. We have a professional indemnity insurance and continuous training obligations. In case of errors in our boundary or design missions, our civil liability protects you, offering security far superior to that of a simple unregulated service provider.
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