Frequently Asked Questions

Lease Area Surveys are carried out to measure the area of land or space within a building. This area becomes the basis for determining the rental value of the premises or land under the terms of a lease agreement. 3 TYPES OF LEASE AREA SURVEYS In general, there are three different types of Lease Area Surveys (which are also known as Lease Plan Surveys and Lettable Area Surveys): Net area surveys for commercial properties such as office buildings and Business Parks Gross area surveys for industrial sites such as warehouses, showrooms, industrial workshops and for free-standing supermarkets Gross area surveys for retail tenancies in shopping centres, shopping strips and free-standing shops Different types of buildings can have different areas for tenancy use, and different types of leases also determine different uses, which define different areas for measurement. For example, the lettable area can either be up to the inner walls or the outer walls, or premises in retail areas have different lettable areas than those in industrial areas. Such specifics can also be negotiated between an owner / agent and a tenant. For surveying purposes, such differences in leases require standardised industry guidelines for measurement, and these are set out by the Property Council of Australia, which publishes the handbook ‘Methods of Measurement’. Lease Area Surveyors should follow these PCA guidelines in delivering their service. (Note: the previous equivalent industry body was the Building Owners and Managers Association, and Lease Area Surveys also used to be known as BOMA surveys). WHY IS A LEASE AREA SURVEY NEEDED? There are three related reasons why Lease Area Surveys are required: To comply with the legal requirements of the Property Council of Australia, which can cover long-term or high-value leases To avoid owner-tenancy disputes over land / area use for the period of the lease. Put simply, as a tenant you only want to pay for the area you occupy, and as an owner or agent you only want to lease a specific area, and incorrectly quoted areas can easily lead to costly disputes or litigation For forward business planning regarding costs and uses. Again, a small miscalculation of a leased area can have a significant impact over a 10 year period WHEN ARE THEY NEEDED? When entering into, renewing or negotiating a lease of a property for your business. BY WHOM ARE THEY NEEDED? Tenants, property owners, property managers and agents all need Lease Area Surveys in order to enter into lease agreements with peace of mind. We hope that this information is useful for you in your endeavours. Supergeomatics is highly experienced in lease area surveys. Please call +234 803 310 7835 for a quote or send an email via our contact form.

GPS STANDS FOR GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM GPS is a highly accurate navigation system using signals from satellites to determine a location on the Earth’s surface, irrespective of weather conditions. It is dependent on GPS satellites high above the Earth which transmit signals containing the time and location of the satellite. Any ground-based receiver which receives signals from four or more GPS satellites can use navigation equations to calculate its location on the Earth’s surface. Constant signaling can then update speed and direction information for moving receivers. GPS was originally developed for military use but since the 1990s has been open for civilian use and is now used in such common applications as mobile phones, car navigation systems, and of course surveying and mapping. HOW IS GPS USED IN SURVEYING? Surveying and mapping was one of the first commercial adaptations of GPS, as it provides a latitude and longitude position directly without the need to measure angles and distances between points. However, it hasn’t entirely replaced surveying field instruments such as the theodolite, Electronic Distance Meter, or the more modern Total Station, due to the cost of the technology and the need for GPS to be able to ‘see’ the satellites therefore restricting its use near trees and tall buildings. In practice, GPS technology is often incorporated into a Total Station to produce complete survey data. GPS receivers used for base line measurements are generally more complex and expensive than those in common use, requiring a high quality antenna. There are three methods of GPS measurement that are utilised by surveyors. Static GPS Baseline. Static GPS is used for determining accurate coordinates for survey points by simultaneously recording GPS observations over a known and unknown survey point for at least 20 minutes. The data is then processed in the office to provide coordinates with an accuracy of better than 5mm depending on the duration of the observations and satellite availability at the time of the measurements. Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Observations. This is where one receiver remains in one position over a known point – the Base Station – and another receiver moves between positions – the Rover Station. The position of the Rover can be computed and stored within a few seconds, using a radio link to provide a coordinate correction. This method gives similar accuracy to baseline measurements within 10km of the base station. Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS). This where a survey quality GPS receiver is permanently installed in a location as a starting point for any GPS measurements in the district. Common users of CORS are mining sites, major engineering projects and local governments. Surveyors’ GPS receivers can then collect field data and combine it with the CORS data to calculate positions. Many countries have a CORS network that are used by many industries. Australia’s CORS network is the Australian Regional GPS Network, and uses an online processing system to deliver data over the internet within 24 hours, and give positions within an accuracy of a few centimetres. Local CORS networks are also used to provide instant positions similar to the RTK method by using a mobile phone data link to provide a coordinate correction to the surveyor and their rover. We trust that this information is useful for you. Supergeomatics is a surveying company specializing in large infrastructure, drilling and mining projects around Nigeria. We also have teams working on residential and commercial projects around the area. Please call us on +234 803 310 7835 or send an email via our contact form.

Land surveying is an essential means of mapping land boundaries, distances, slopes and features so as to enable land development and accurate land registers. The surveying process has been in existence for a very long time and many say it is the second oldest profession in the world. In fact, records show that it dates back to ancient times in Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome. History reveals a lot about how people accurately established their cities, monuments and kingdoms along with determining land ownership using boundary records. EGYPT Based on records at hand, historians believe that early precision surveying originated in Egypt. Their skill in this area is manifested in one of the worlds most famous monuments, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Measuring 755 feet long, and 481 feet high, the precise squareness and exact measurements of the pyramid make you wonder how this was built in 2700 BC. The fact they managed such a feat without modern surveying equipment is proof of their tenacity and skill. Moreover, the first documented land ownership records are that of the Egyptian Land Register in 3000 BC. They show records and declarations of land ownership with boundary details. These facts prove that the Egyptians of that era already had an excellent command of geometry and mathematics which they utilised well in land surveying. BABYLON (EARLY IRAQ) The Babylonians were amongst those who adopted many of the Egyptian surveying techniques. In ancient Babylon, Kudurrus were stone tablets that served as boundary stones upon which details of the property, the surveyor, the owner and property history were all inscribed. These were used circa 1600 to 1200 BC and are another representation of how modern surveying evolved. GREECE AND ROME Land surveyors were held in high esteem in both Greece and Rome. They were crucial in the creation of the straight angles and perfect lines that shaped those amazing buildings and coliseums that still stand today. Both the Romans and Greeks made use an early surveying instrument called the Groma, which was basically a long staff with a cross bar that measured straight lines and right angles. It is thought that the Groma originated around 400 BC in Mesopotamia, where modern Iraq now lies. While we haven’t been doing this for as long as the Egyptians, Supergeomatics are highly experienced land surveyors operating in Rivers State and all over Nigeria. Please call us on +234 803 310 7835 or use our contact form.

COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN, COMMONLY KNOWN AS CAD, USES COMPUTER SYSTEMS TO MAKE, ALTER, OPTIMISE OR ANALYSE A DESIGN. CAD software is used by Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Drafters to make plans and construction diagrams. It is used to improve the efficiency and productivity of the designer and the design itself. CAD software creates images which are easily viewed and understood and if changes are needed to a certain part, the rest of the design will automatically adjust according to the changes that have been made. It also allows the user to see their work in two or three dimensional views, rotate the images to see different views and perspectives, change the shape and scale of an image and zoom in or out on their design. Another important feature is that it allows the creation of photo simulations to show what if any environmental impacts a new building or feature will have on the existing environment. Before CAD Software was invented, all designs, drawings, blueprints and diagrams were created by hand. Nowadays it is more efficient to use CAD which utilises mathematical equations to record each individual line as a vector, allowing easy design adjustments when changes are required. LISCAD SURVEYING SOFTWARE LISCAD is an innovative and high quality land surveying and engineering software. It was designed to allow users to make landscape designs and process information from land surveys. The program allows you to import information from the devices which perform the land surveys in order to make a visual map or diagram of the area surveyed. LISCAD contains a wide portfolio of civil engineering and integrated land surveying software modules which can be used to assist with the creation of plans and diagrams. BRICSCAD DRAFTING SOFTWARE BricsCAD is a drafting software which allows its users to create plans, models, images or diagrams. It has many features which can help individualize each thing created, such as the ability to define materials used, natural and artificial light and different layers and attributes. BricsCAD provides the tools that the user needs to effortlessly create new designs and make them to exact specifications. It can also show images in two and three dimensions and lets the user make changes to designs easily. Supergeomatics is a professional surveying company specializing in both the commercial and residential sectors. Our commercial team can provide complete surveying services for large scale commercial building and infrastructure projects while our residential team works to meet the needs of individual property owners. Call us on +234 803 310 7835 or send an email. Our expertise and service makes the difference.