Interactive lesson

The site map, step by step

Interactive lesson: draw your land layer by layer — base, levels, sun, wind, water and frost, without expensive equipment.

Free sample Chapters 1 and 2 (8 steps) are free. The full lesson comes with the Site map module. Already bought? Unlock

This lesson is general guidance, not professional training. Local regulations and expert advice always take precedence. Read our disclaimer.

The whole lesson as text

1. Equipment and scale

You don't need a drone or a surveyor's instrument: a tape measure, a compass, a hose full of water and a few battens.

Tape and compass — A 30–50 m (100–165 ft) measuring tape for lengths, with a helper. A compass for directions and bearings.
Hose and A-frame — A clear hose 15–20 m long, with no air bubbles, measures differences in level. An A-frame from three battens and a plumb line draws contour lines.
Stakes and thermometers — Stakes with painted tops mark points. Hang min/max thermometers (2–4 of them) 1.5 m above the ground, in shade.
Scale and layers — For land up to about 3 ha (7 acres) the scale is 1:500 (1 cm = 5 m), on A3 graph paper. Draw each of the 7 layers on its own sheet of tracing paper.

Why: Most mistakes on a homestead happen because a decision was made by eye. A map to scale shows shade, water and frost before you start building.

Keep the compass away from the car and steel.
For larger land make two maps: the whole holding at 1:1000 and the yard with the garden at 1:200.

2. The base

The first layer is the boundaries of the land and everything that physically exists. This sheet doesn't change.

Plan and aerial photo — A title plan, plat or survey and an aerial photo from a mapping site or county GIS are the rough base. Check boundaries and gates, with lengths, on the ground.
Intersecting arcs — Measure with the tape from two corners of the house to the tree. On paper, draw two arcs to scale with a compass: where they cross is the tree.
What to draw — Buildings, well, tracks and the entrance, larger trees with their crown, hedges and dry-stone walls. North arrow and scale on every sheet.
Underground services — Before digging, ask the electricity network operator and water company where cables and pipes run; in the US and Canada call 811. Striking a live cable with a spade can kill.

Why: The title plan or plat gives the shape and the lengths of the boundaries, but often only roughly. An aerial photo shows trees, tracks and buildings, but without exact measurements. So use both as a rough base and measure the important points yourself.

Count your paces over a measured 50 m, three times, and take the average. An adult's pace is roughly 0.7–0.8 m.
For meadows and woodland paces are accurate enough; for buildings and beds use the tape.