To draw a plot plan, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals of technical drawing or design software, as well as focus on careful planning and attention to detail since the document may be used for official purposes.
To guide you through the process—whether by hand or with software—this comprehensive guide covers essential steps like measuring, scaling, and marking key features, ensuring your drawing is both accurate and easy to read.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- Before drawing a plot plan, you must gather tools and property details, and take and calculate the accurate measurements.
- The drawing process, whether manually or by software, involves steps like noting general property information, marking existing details and nearby streets, identifying easements, labeling elements, etc.
- A plot plan can be either hand-drawn, using software like AutoCAD, Chief Architect, SketchUp, or through a redrawing service.
Plot Plan Drawing Basics
Creating a plot plan, both by hand and software, can be challenging, but with a clear starting point and an organized approach, the process becomes much easier.
Here’s a quick guide to the key steps to keep in mind when planning your plot plan:
- Preparation: Before you begin, gather all necessary information to ensure your plot plan is well-structured and accurate. Necessary information may vary from place to place. For example, the city of Scranton requires information like the configuration of your property [1].
- Steps to draw a plot plan: Following a clear set of steps will help you avoid missing important details and prevent the need to start over.
Let’s begin with the preparation phase.
Preparation Work and Info Gathering for Plot Plan
Preparation is essential to drawing a successful plot plan. It sets the foundation for your entire project.
This process usually involves two important tasks:
- Collecting tools
- Obtaining property details
To help you get started, here’s a detailed breakdown of how to tackle both tasks effectively.
1. Collecting Tools
As with any plan drawing task, you’ll need to ensure you have the right materials and equipment.
For drawing in software, you’ll need a laptop, but if your option is hand drawing, then you’ll need the following:
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Ruler
- Graph paper (1/8″ grid paper lets you use one square to represent one foot).
Lastly, you’ll also need a measuring wheel or tape measure.
2. Obtaining Property Details
This may be the most important preparatory work, as accurate property measurements and details are critical for a precise site plan.
Measurements also define the scale of the plot, and a scaled drawing with precise measurements ensures your plot reflects the actual dimensions of the land.
There are several ways in which you can obtain property details, ranging from taking an old one to taking property details by yourself.
Find Official Documents
The easiest option is to obtain an existing house plan from your county recorder’s office or online.
These documents often include essential information like dimensions, easements, and property boundaries, which are key for accurate plotting.
If you’re unsure how to access these records, our article How to Obtain a Site Plan of My Property explains the process in detail.
Hire a Surveyor
For the most accurate results, consider hiring a licensed surveyor. Although more expensive, a professional survey guarantees comprehensiveness, determining property lines, boundary layout, and dimensions with precise measurements.
DIY With Modern Tools Usage
Tools like GIS and Google Earth can be helpful in creating accurate plots, allowing for software integration of survey data and topography to ensure your plan is as detailed as possible.
Many local governments provide access to public GIS resources, which allow you to retrieve property details by entering a parcel number or the property owner’s name.
You can also use open-source tools like Google Earth, which, while not as precise for property boundaries, with the right coordinates can help you mark geographical features—topographical and landscape features (which are included in the blueprint as well).
This allows your blueprint to reflect the topography representation of the site, ensuring a complete and accurate depiction of the land.
DIY on the Field
If none of the above options are feasible, you’ll need to measure the property yourself. Using appropriate equipment, mark the property lines and measure the distances between structures.
Start by measuring the length of each side from fixed reference points, such as a road edge, right of way, or landmarks.
Also, record the distances between structures and the nearest property lines. If your property has corner markers or survey pins, be sure to include them in your drawing.
These elements—legal boundaries, specific features, and the location of structures relative to property lines—are some of the key features that distinguish plot plans from site plans.
Now, let’s move on to the actual drawing.
Drawing a Plot Plan: Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’ve completed the preparation work, it’s time to start to create and draw your plot plan (unless you have a plot plan template). The same steps apply to hand-drawn projects and software (it just has different tools for fulfilling necessary steps).
In both cases, follow these steps in order:
1. Adding Property Owner and Address
Begin by writing your name, address, and street name on the graph paper if you’re the property owner. This will clearly indicate the location of the property.
2. Marking Existing Structures
As the plan should be a visual representation of the landscape and features, draw the property lines and ensure accurate structure indication by marking all existing structural elements, making sure to include the distances between them (as measured earlier).
The plot plan should map out key landmarks/existing structures such as buildings, walls, driveways, sidewalks, bodies of water (like streams or ponds), fences, and elevations.
Information about these site-specific features is vital for building and zoning permit applications.
Dimensions are marked on the plan as well to make it easier to interpret and use for official purposes.
3. Including Nearby Streets
Besides representing property boundaries, a plot plan should also show the location and orientation of structures in relation to them.
Therefore, your plot plan should also show the names of nearby streets or roads. This helps pinpoint the location of your property within the neighborhood.
4. Identifying Easements and Legal Details
Since easements can restrict certain activities on your property, it’s important to mark any easements (and other relevant legal information) that may cross your land. This is essential for planning construction or landscaping projects.
5. Highlighting Planned Modifications
Clearly indicate and outline any proposed modifications or additions to the property, such as new structures, driveways, or any other changes you plan to make. These should be visible on the plot plan.
6. Creating a Scaled Drawing
For dimensional accuracy, your plot plan should be drawn to scale, meaning the distances in your drawing should precisely represent real measurements (a good plot includes both accurate measurements and scale, ensuring clarity).
Standard scales for residential plot plans are 1/4 inch to 1 foot or 1/8 inch to 1 foot. Choose the scale that best allows you to include all necessary details while keeping the drawing clear and easy to read. More on this topic, read in Scale for site plan.
7. Labeling and Adding Notes
Be sure to label each structure clearly, as this will help when you start to draft and align different elements of the plot. Use lines and arrows to indicate distances and dimensions, and ensure all labels for structures, streets, and proposed changes are clearly legible.
8. Providing Extra Information
The local building department may request additional information when reviewing your plot plan, so be prepared to supply any requested details promptly.
9. Reviewing and Double-Checking
Finally, review your plot plan carefully. Double-check all information and dimensions to ensure accuracy and prevent potential issues.
The steps are similar to drawing a site plan, but there are a few key differences.
Plot Plan Drawing with Online Software/Apps
Since drawing a plot plan by hand is a traditional option that requires certain knowledge in technical drawing (which includes precision and patience), the easier option for your project may be utilizing user-friendly tools and software.
Today, there is a lot of software that simplifies plot plan design, which you can read about more on our software for site plans page.
Nevertheless, here are the three most common online programs for drawing a plot plan.
AutoCAD (Professional / Expensive)
AutoCAD is one of the most popular tools for drafting and construction projects, making it a solid choice for creating plot plans. However, learning to draw plot plans in AutoCAD can be complex, and the software comes with a significant price tag.
Here’s an example tutorial on how to accurately map out property boundaries in AutoCAD, demonstrating its capabilities for precise plot plan drawings.
Chief Architect (User-friendly Interface / Complex)
Chief Architect is a professional-grade software widely used in the industry. It allows you to sketch highly accurate plot plans but requires both a significant time commitment and a $199 monthly subscription, making it more suited for professionals.
SketchUp (Cheap / Limited Features)
SketchUp is a user-friendly option that is ideal for beginners. However, it may lack the technical precision needed for official construction or architectural plans.
The free version has limited features, so you might find yourself needing to upgrade to a paid subscription to complete your project.
Who Draws a Plot Plan – DIY or Hire a Pro?
As a homeowner, you have several options when it comes to creating a plot plan. It can be done yourself or by hiring professionals like surveyors, architects, or engineers.
While professionals ensure precise measurements and comprehensive inclusion of all site features, this option can be quite costly due to the need for fieldwork, specialized equipment, and expertise.
On the other hand, while drawing a plot plan yourself is a free option, it requires time to measure the property and attention to detail when drawing lines and other elements.
Even though software tools can simplify the process, there is still a learning curve involved.
Luckily, there’s a third option.
Professional Redraw Service – Alternative for Plot Plan Drawing
With this option, you can have your plot plan professionally drawn online, often within 24 hours.
A professional redraw service is especially useful when you need a plot plan for permit applications and ensures professionalism through an accurate representation of property boundaries and a clear, detailed layout.
These services are typically performed by experienced professionals using advanced software, ensuring you get a blueprint-quality plot plan with precise measurements.
Select a Method That Suits Your Requirements and Preferences
If you’re confident in your skills and have the time, creating a plot plan yourself can be a great option to learn something new and spare money.
However, if you need it quickly, ordering a simple plot plan online may be more efficient, saving both time and money compared to hiring costly professionals or learning design software.
References:
https://scrantonpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Plot-Plan-Instructions.pdf
