Total-energy calculations for a series of GaAs͑001͒͑4 ϫ 6͒ and ͑6 ϫ 6͒ surfaces are presented. For the Ga-rich limit, we confirm the GaAs͑001͒͑4 ϫ 6͒ surface model proposed by Ohtake et al. ͓Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 266101 ͑2004͔͒. The calculations indicate that the bright chains along the ͓110͔ direction observed experimentally for ͑4 ϫ 6͒ and ͑6 ϫ 6͒ surfaces are derived from surface Ga-As heterodimers. The near energetic degeneracy of different arrangements of these mixed dimers explains naturally the disorder of bright chains. A long-range correlation between ͑6 ϫ 6͒ surface units proposed by Kocán et al. ͓Phys. Rev. B 70, 201303͑R͒ ͑2004͔͒ allows for fulfilling the electron counting rule and renders a surface based on ͑6 ϫ 6͒ units more favorable.