To property owners and developers who inquire, "how practice I draw a site plan?," this guide answers with, "let usa count the ways!"

There are a handful of DIY site programme options, and i of them is sure to be a good fit for you lot. If not, we've got alternative suggestions for letting an experienced drafter do the work for you.

This guide does four things:

  1. We propose where you might find an existing site plan for your property.
  2. The post explains what information is needed on a site plan and where you lot can find it.
  3. Information technology discusses the nigh common DIY plot program drawing options.
  4. If you decide a DIY site plan isn't for y'all, we'll tell you where to find a professional site plan at an affordable cost.

What we don't reply, hither are the basics, such as what is a site plan is and why you demand i, explained hither: https://www.24hplans.com/what-is-a-site-plan-plus-12-elements-of-plot-programme/

Does a Site Plan Already Be?

In that location's no reason to reinvent the wheel, and so to speak, if a site plan was made for the belongings during an before phase – perhaps the initial building of the domicile.

In our guide chosen Where Tin can I Get a Site Programme of My Holding, we list the five near common places to locate one, if it already exists. https://www.24hplans.com/where-can-i-get-site-plan-for-my-property/

Here are the places you may want to bank check to encounter if the site program for the property in question already exists:

  • In the closing documents provided when you lot purchased the property.
  • From the title company or depository financial institution that handled the closing or provided a loan.
  • Your county: Try the Registrar of Deeds and the Building Department.
  • The builder: If the home was recently built and the construction company is however effectually, information technology might have a site plan on file.
  • The seller or realtor involved in the sale.

A Site Plan Checklist

What is included in a site plan? Here'due south an overview.  For instance, the City of Fairbanks, Alaska is representative of most cities in what the officials there crave of a site programme/plot plan.

Contact your local city or county office for a site plan checklist. Nosotros'll add a brief explanation where needed.

Post-obit the list are a few items that other cities and counties want to see on a site plan.

  1. Scale at which site programme is drawn (for example 1"= 20'). The calibration tin can be adapted per the size of the lot and local requirements.
  2. Northward pointer. A north pointer shows the directional orientation of the belongings.
  3. All holding lines and their dimensions. These items tin can be institute on earlier site plans, a survey and other places discussed below. They are readily bachelor, so no worries are necessary.
  4. Location, type and dimensions of existing structures or a driveway including a house and garage, detached garage, shed, inground pool, retaining wall or other permanent structure.
  5. Location, type and dimensions for proposed permanent structures, whether fastened to the original domicile or detached, or driveways.
  6. Setback distances (distance off the property line) of all proposed structures, since each customs has required setback distances.
  7. Buildable surface area of the lot inside required setbacks to bear witness how much space is available for new development.
  8. Names of adjacent road(s).
  9. Well or water main location.
  10. Septic tank and field or sewer line location.

Items not included in the Fairbanks list merely required past some cities and counties include topography (topo – non ofttimes required) elevation and slope, wetland areas (rare), large trees and utility easements.

Where to Find Information Required for a Site Plan

Dimensions: Dimensions and possibly the location of utility easements, if they exist, can be found on several documents:

  • Holding Survey
  • Property Tax Assessor's Map located where your taxes are collected or in the city/county offices
  • Tax Bill (In written grade rather than drawn)
  • Subdivision Plat (available at the city/county office or from the developer)
  • Hiring a Surveyor (starting at most $300 and commonly non necessary)

Structures: A previous plot plan will bear witness the location of permanent structures. The Google Maps satellite function and services like Google Globe and InstantStreetView.com are useful, too, providing aerial satellite views and a 360% street view of the property.

Utilities: Complimentary locating and marking of underground utilities including electrical, fresh h2o, sewer, phone and cable is available in most areas. This prevents costly damage during construction. Calling 811 should connect y'all to the free service.

Setbacks: If you lot don't accept a previous plan and they are not shown on the survey, you might need to measure out and decide setbacks and building dimensions, when required.

DIY Site Program Options

Drawing your own site plan ranges from literal hand-drawing to using sophisticated software. Of the latter, in that location are complimentary and paid options, online and downloadable versions for many.

How to Draw a Site Program by Hand

Graph paper makes hand drawing a site programme easy. The Fairbanks, AK certificate gives this encouraging give-and-take, "A site plan need not be professionally prepared and can be hand drawn. With a little work, you tin draw an acceptable site program for your projection."

Beware that not all local offices will accept a mitt drawn plan, but information technology'southward worth finding out, if you're inclined to DIY.

The Metropolis of New Smyrna Beach, Florida lists 4 easy steps to drawing a site program. To summarize:

  1. The nuts. Choose a scale for the graph paper such as 1 square equals 20 or 25 feet, and note the scale in a prominent place on the drawing. The squares are commonly a quarter inch, so your scale might be ¼"=20'.

And so draw the lot lines and place the house, driveway, sidewalk and other permanent structures equally accurately as y'all can. Measure and write in feet the closest distance from the business firm to the nearest lot line to show the structure (existing or proposed) meets local setbacks rules. Draw your North arrow.

  1. Well and septic. Locate and depict in, if applicable, a well location and the location of a septic tank and bleed field, aka leach field, existing or proposed. Note: The distance between the wellhead and drain field must be 75 feet or more in most counties.
  2. Sensitive areas and trees. Locate and marking wetlands, sinkholes, inundation plans and bodies of water, if any of these exist on the belongings. In New Smyrna Beach, like in many cities, large trees (6" in diameter or larger in NSB) must be noted. Measure out the circumference at 54" off the footing and divide past pi, or 3.xiv, to go diameter.
  3. Changes. Testify where construction activeness will occur – new abode building, an addition, inground pool, driveway, etc.

If in that location is meaning gradient to your land and you have nearby neighbors, you lot might also need to show slope and the pattern of water runoff. This might exist the largest claiming to DIY site plan cartoon.

The Fairbanks guide shows a good example of a DIY site program.

Using Software to Create a Site Plan

If you enjoy making employ of technology and/or manus drawn site plans aren't accepted where you live, complimentary and fee software is bachelor for the purpose.

A search will produce a list of results to explore, only a few we found nearly useful are these:

RoomSketcher Site Plans (Costless)

This site allows you to create 2nd and 3D printable site plans on a PC, Mac or tablet. Information technology starts with inputting measurements for property line dimensions to create the "framework" for the drawing. Measurements tin can too be supplied to space objects on the DIY site plan and to prove setbacks, zone/structure sizes and total surface area calculations.

Click, drag and drib elements like structures, mural items and other necessary elements. Text, labels and symbols can be added too. When the site program is complete, generate and print it from the RoomSketcher software.

The 3D proper noun, whether with the RoomSketcher or other services, can sometimes be somewhat misleading, since the plans are apparently are 2-dimensional. All the same, using avant-garde technology, the drawings can have photorealistic depth like the 3D renders from 24H Plans.

  1. Create a Free business relationship
  2. Wait for the RoomSketcher e-mail to confirm your account
  3. Download the RoomSketcher App
  4. Commencement the App
  5. Cull 2D or 3D Site Plans, and explore

The Free business relationship allows you to create five projects.

SmartDraw (Gratis)

SmartDraw site programme software gets a v-star rating from CNET. You have the selection of using the online edition of SmartDraw, an advantage over RoomSketcher, or downloading an app or desktop edition.

SmarDraw offers integration with Microsoft Office and G Suite, and drawings tin can be saved to Google Bulldoze, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

A disadvantage is that instead of beingness allowed five free projects, you're given a 10-mean solar day free trial period. If you don't consummate your project during the trial, the toll is $9.95 per month.

  1. Ready your free account
  2. Download the software and/or work online
  3. Generate your cartoon
  4. Print the drawing or export it to another supported format to Visio VSD or VSDX, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.

Microsoft Visio

This isn't a free service, and plans aren't cheap, starting at $5 per calendar month but with an almanac commitment, then $60 minimum.

However, many individuals and companies already have admission to Visio, and you tin can make site plans with Visio. See the lengthy step-past-pace procedure here.

To summarize:

  1. Choose File > New and search Site Plan. Find Site Plan in the results, and choose Create.
  2. Utilize Tools to draw structures or insert a CAD drawing or copy and paste an existing Visio cartoon.
  3. Enter roads, landscape, symbols, text and other features.

Autodesk AutoCAD

A 1-year subscription to AutoCAD is about $ane,700. But again, many companies and professionals already have AutoCAD, and a site plan feature is included.

The creation of a site plan with AutoCAD is a little more complex than with the other options listed above. This nine-minute tutorial on YouTube walks you through the process.

Getting an Affordable Professionally Drawn Site Plan

If none of the options above come across your needs, and then having a programme drawn professionally is easier and more affordable than you might think.

An address is all it takes: You lot accept to supply zero more than the address of the property – or if information technology is vacant land, it'south survey coordinates. Companies like 24H Plans take if from there using the virtually advanced technologies.

24H Plans Team: They are CGI artists and draftsmen specializing in site plans and similar drawings. The specialists utilize AutoCAD and other leading software options to create site plans of the highest item, clarity and quality.

They Detect the Information for You: Where does 24H Plans get the data needed? From county bundle maps, revenue enhancement information, GIS and updated satellite images, along with other public records. There is no need for visiting your site.

Your Next Step to an Affordable Site Plan

Now that you know how to draw a site plan and understand your options, which works all-time for you?

If you lot're a natural DIYer, then trying 1 of the gratis options makes sense – SmartDraw or RoomSketcher. If you have access to Visio, run across the page on how to draw a site plan on Visio, and give it a effort. AutoCAD is a more complex tool that takes some feel to successfully work with. However, it is a highly accurate and robust tool. It's what the pros at 24H Plans use, but they've mastered AutoCAD and know how to get fantastic results.

While surveyors charge upwardly of $1,000 for a professional site programme, the drawings get-go at less than $100 from 24H Plans – and the results are equal to or superior to what surveyors and civil engineers produce. Contact 24H Plans today, and requite them your address. Yous'll have a professional site program of premium accuracy and quality in less than one business organization 24-hour interval.

Note: Hither's how we tin can help:24hplans has team of highly-trained, professional architects and drafters who can prepare any kind of site plan in the shortest corporeality of time possible, so that you can easily obtain that edifice permit and get on with your project. Utilize the promotion code:24hplans-20off to go axx% disbelieve off any package. — Delight annotation this is a limited fourth dimension offer, exclusive to the readers of our blog. This offer is not being advertised anywhere else.