Land Glossary

A group of landowners allowing for the joint management of works or the completion of urban restructuring projects.

Part of topography dealing with the measurement of altitudes and the representation of relief.

A topographic survey carried out after works to verify the compliance of structures (networks, roads) with the initial project.

A legal structure grouping owners within a subdivision or horizontal co-ownership to manage common spaces and equipment.

The action of giving an inclined slope (batter) to soil during earthworks to ensure land stability.

Intelligent digital model grouping all the technical data of a building throughout its life cycle.

A legal act signed by neighboring owners that formalizes their final agreement on the boundary of their properties.

A graphic document drawn up by the Chartered Surveyor following a boundary marking mission, identifying boundaries and reference points (markers).

Representation of a vertical section of a building to understand its heights and internal structure.

Set of documents establishing the state of land ownership for essentially fiscal purposes. The cadastre does not guarantee the exact legal property boundary.

Measurement of private area (Carrez) for sale or habitable area (Boutin) for rental.

Contractual document defining the operating rules of a building and the rights and duties of co-owners.

A clause in a contract (e.g., land sale) on which the execution of the act depends, such as obtaining a development permit.

Operation consisting of legally defining and materializing on the ground (using boundary markers) the physical limits separating contiguous private properties.

Precise evaluation of earthwork volumes (excavation and embankment) based on comparative topographic surveys.

Technical document detailing the characteristics of a development project and its integration into the landscape.

Urban planning authorization allowing the administration to control developments affecting land use (housing estates, camping, etc.).

Document for Modification of the Cadastral Parcel. It must be prepared by a Land Surveyor to update the cadastral map following a change in boundaries.

A 3D representation of the ground surface allowing for hydraulic, visibility studies, or volume calculations.

Calculation of the volume of materials (soil, rubble) to be moved during earthworks, based on precise topographic surveys.

Charge weighing on a land property for the benefit of another land property (right of way, networks...).

A procedure allowing a public entity to acquire private property for public utility purposes, often involving surveyor expertise for valuation.

The vertical projection on the ground of the building's volume, including overhangs and projections.

A ratio used to measure the maximum surface area a building can occupy on a land.

The science that studies the Earth's shape and allows for the definition of coordinate systems used by GPS and measuring tools.

The official portal of the Order of Chartered Surveyors centralizing all land interventions carried out in the territory.

The operation of assigning precise geographical coordinates (X, Y, Z) to an object or plan in a national reference system.

A form of co-ownership applying to detached houses built on common land, as opposed to vertical co-ownership (buildings).

Division of a land unit into several lots intended for building, often involving the creation of common spaces.

Development approach aiming to master the environmental impacts of an urban or real estate operation.

An act by which the administration sets the boundary of the public highway along a riparian property.

Detailed graphic representation of each level of a building, including walls, partitions, openings, and equipment.

Shared property right on a fence, wall, or hedge separating two contiguous properties.

A procedure initiated before the court when owners fail to reach an amicable agreement on the boundary of their land.

The official projection system used in metropolitan France for all maps and topographic surveys.

A set of operations aimed at improving the structure of agricultural holdings or the development of rural territories.

Historical technique for measuring land area, today integrated into the global missions of the Chartered Surveyor.

The operation of materializing on the ground the exact position of a future construction according to the architect's plans.

Measurement of the altitudes of different points on the ground relative to a reference system (often NGF in France).

Plan used to precisely locate a piece of land within its municipality and its global environment.

A land unit resulting from a division (subdivision) or an ownership unit in a co-ownership building.

The official altimetric reference system used to express altitudes relative to mean sea level.

The national institution that guarantees the competence, independence and ethics of the Land Surveyor.

An aerial image geometrically rectified to obtain a uniform scale, combining the richness of a photo and the precision of a plan.

Right to pass external thermal insulation over the neighbor's property, under certain legal conditions.

The basic unit of the cadastral plan, identified by a section and number, representing a continuous stretch of land.

Land action aimed at dividing a land unit into several distinct entities, very often with a view to creating a new building lot.

Representation on a horizontal plane of natural and artificial details of the Earth's surface, without regard to relief.

A document providing information on the urban planning rules applicable to a land and the feasibility of a specific project.

Local Urban Planning Map (Inter-municipal). Planning document that sets the general rules for land use in the territory of one or more municipalities.

Set of millions of 3D coordinates captured by a laser scanner, forming a faithful digital image of the existing condition.

A mandatory urban planning authorization for minor works or land divisions without the creation of common spaces.

Person or entity appointed by the project owner to design, study and direct the execution of works.

A type of easement allowing a owner whose land is landlocked to cross their neighbor's property to access the public highway.

Ownership share of the common areas attributed to each co-ownership lot, used as the basis for calculating charges.

A plan showing the entire construction project, indicating the footprint, access, and network connections.

Repeated precision measurements over time to monitor the stability and any potential deformations of a building or infrastructure.

A network of reference points with known coordinates, serving as the backbone for all topographic surveys of a project.

Precision instrument used by the surveyor to measure horizontal and vertical angles.

The art of measuring dimensions of the Earth on a limited area, allowing the creation of large-scale plans.

A measuring instrument combining an electronic theodolite and a laser rangefinder to measure angles and distances with extreme precision.

Right allowing the passage of pipes or underground networks beneath another person's property.

A complex legal technique allowing for the splitting of a real estate complex into ownership lots without any common areas.

Set of works and infrastructure developments for site servicing (roads, water evacuation, electricity, etc.).

Large-scale public urban planning operation by which a local authority develops land to sell it to builders.