Commercial Building Surveying

1. Surveying Solutions for Commercial Properties sites.google.com/view/survey-of-lease-area/home Between residential & commercial properties, the latter entails more accountability between the parties involved. That said, a commercial building surveyor greatly helps all the said parties through the data they provide from construction planning to lease or tenancy agreements. In this article, we will discuss the different surveying solutions done to produce the said data, from a detail survey to a survey of lease area to different building plans & layouts. Detail Survey Through a detail survey, a commercial building surveyor locates all the features within a property. Then from the data gathered, they create a detail map that follows the scale & format required by the project architect & local authorities. This is used for construction planning & design purposes. How does this benefit owners & agents? When the construction project team has detailed information on the features of a property, they can create the best design & plan possible. Particularly, they can maximise the area to best benefit its intended users while making sure the environment is cared for. Thus, this assures a good return on investment for the owner. Then once the design materialises after construction, the real estate agent, in turn, can market the property well given what it can offer. Another reason why a detail survey is critical is that it provides information necessary for land valuation. How does this benefit lessees & tenants? While owners & real estate agents mainly benefit from having a detail survey conducted, it also benefits lessees & tenants. How? It helps ensure that the building’s design delivers on its purpose. Moreover, if they want to know the reason for a property’s asking price, the agent can present the necessary information. This may include those stated in a detail survey report. Lease Area Survey To conduct a survey of lease area, a commercial building surveyor measures the land or space area within a building. They do this according to the guidelines set out by the Property Council of Australia (PCA). 1/2

2. Also known as a lease plan or lettable area survey, it is generally classified into three types: Net Area, Gross Lettable Area (GLA) & Gross Lettable Area – Retail (GLAR). The type of survey conducted depends on the property’s intended use. How does this benefit owners & agents? Conducting a survey of lease area is important for all parties when entering into a lease. For the owner & agent, its results serve as basis in determining the area’s rental value. How does this benefit lessees & tenants? Lessees & tenants can also use the results of a survey of lease area to negotiate the rental rate with the owner or agent. Building Plans & Layouts There are different types of plans & layouts which commercial building surveyors create. These include fire escape plans, floor plans, car park layouts & marketing drawings, among others. How do these benefit owners & agents? Having helpful information at hand enables the owner & agent to assist prospects to decide quicker. Additionally, based on the quality of the structure & its features, they can use the plans & layouts to support the property’s asking price. How do these benefit lessees & tenants? Besides helping in decision making, the information provided also assures lessees & tenants that they’re making a good deal. Other than knowing that the property can deliver on its purpose, they feel secure knowing that their safety was also prioritised in the planning. Showing these plans & layouts serve as a simple but great way to show them that their safety & convenience is paramount. An effective fire escape plan is an example of this. Seeking the assistance of a commercial building surveyor Wherever you are in Australia, there are plenty of commercial building surveying firms ready to help. You can see the ones closest to you by typing in “commercial surveyor near me” in your preferred search engine. Then to make sure you hire the right team, review each company’s website for the services they offer along with client feedback. Doing so ensures that the commercial building surveyor you hire will deliver. 2/2