Expertise
Many buildings no longer have plans, or have plans that no longer match reality. We measure the existing building and draw up floor plans, elevations and sections, with the areas, in Fez and the Fez-Meknes region.
What a survey is for
A building survey (or existing-condition plan) describes a building as it is today: walls, partitions, openings, staircases, heights, floor levels, elevations. This is different from the architect's plan, which describes what was supposed to be built: between the two, there is often an added floor, an enclosed terrace, a moved partition.
The survey is not an administrative procedure in itself. It becomes necessary when another procedure relies on exact plans of the existing building: placing a building under co-ownership, updating the title plan to match the situation on the ground after construction, a renovation or extension project, or an application for regularisation. The rules of these procedures are explained in our guides Co-ownership and Building authorisation.
For a titled building, the co-ownership technical file must be drawn up by a surveying engineer registered with the ONIGT, then checked by the cadastre service (Decree No. 2-13-18, Article 17): see our Co-ownership plans page.
Common situations
Multi-storey family house, small building sold “in shares” on a single title: creating titles per lot (الملكية المشتركة) involves a survey level by level, co-ownership plans and a table of areas used to calculate the shares.
Co-ownership plans →Before selling or buying, a survey makes it possible to compare the advertised area with the measured area, and to give the buyer exact plans of the property. A joint measurement is possible before signing.
What to check before buying →Refurbishment, adding a storey, change of use: the architect and the engineering consultancy work on plans of the existing building. Wrong dimensions at the start are paid for on site.
Professionals' area →Updating the title plan to match the situation after construction, or preparing an application for a regularisation permit, requires describing the existing building exactly. We draw up the plans; the decision lies with the administration, and regularisation is never automatic.
Building authorisation →How the assignment works
The same process as all our assignments (our method), adapted to buildings.
You describe the building (number of levels, use, access) and the purpose of the survey. Send us what you have: land title, building permit, old plans. The purpose determines the level of detail: a co-ownership plan does not require the same elements as a survey for a renovation project.
It specifies the plans to be produced (floors, elevations, sections), the areas calculated, the formats and the estimated time for our work.
An appointment is arranged with you. All premises to be surveyed must be accessible, including cellars, roof terraces and common parts. Measurements are taken with a total station and, if the building warrants it, a laser scanner.
The measurements are computed and drawn in Fez. We check consistency from one level to the next (load-bearing walls, stairwells, shafts) before calculating the areas.
We hand over the plans and explain them to you. When they are used for a technical file submitted to the cadastre, we follow the file until it is validated, without promising an administrative date.
Deliverables
Equipment, precision, timescales and cost
Most surveys are carried out with a total station, supplemented by detail measurements. For complex or heritage buildings — irregular walls, vaults, ornate façades, old medina houses — the laser scanner records the geometry as a dense point cloud, in which the plans, elevations and sections are then drawn. It is not useful for a recent apartment with straight walls: we only propose it when it brings a real benefit.
The precision of a survey depends on the instrument, the accessibility of the premises, the care taken with checks and the level of detail requested. We do not publish a general figure: the quote specifies what will be measured and how.
The timescale and cost depend on the number of levels and rooms, the complexity of the building, whether or not the laser scanner is used, the plans to be produced and access to the premises. We do not publish rates: the quote is drawn up after the initial conversation (see Surveying engineer fees). For a first order of magnitude on a plot of land, our free Area calculation tool can help; it does not replace a survey.
Frequently asked questions
No. The survey is the basis of the co-ownership plans, but creating the titles also requires co-ownership regulations, a technical file checked by the cadastre and a building that complies with the authorisations. The full process is described in the Co-ownership guide.
Yes, we can measure it and draw it as it exists. But a floor built outside the permit raises a planning issue that must be settled with the municipality before any co-ownership procedure. We point this out to you as soon as we review the file.
For a renovation project, he can. However, the plans and the technical file submitted to the cadastre, in particular for a co-ownership, must be drawn up by a surveying engineer registered with the ONIGT.
It is more complete, not necessarily more useful. It captures all the visible geometry, which is valuable for an irregular or old building. For simple premises, the total station gives the same result with less processing.
No, but the walls must be accessible at the corners and around the openings. Let the occupants know: every room must be accessible on the day of the survey.
Your building
Number of levels, use, documents available: we will reply with the appropriate method and a written quote.