How to Survey a Piece of Land

Visit your town council or look online for the property records and available maps of the land you intend to survey.

Make copies of the maps and any other documents, such as the property deed, that could be of use to your land survey.

Locate the property boundaries. The property boundaries are usually located at the beginning and end of your street and are often marked by something that looks like a small cement column or iron rod. If the markers are buried underground, you might need to use a metal detector to locate them.

Determine the surveying method that was used to establish the property boundaries. Typically, property boundaries are established using either the public land survey system or the metes and bounds method.

Use the same system of measurement (meters, inches, feet, yards) that was used to establish the boundaries.

Determine the distance between each of the property markers by running a length of string between them. If there are obstacles blocking the direct path between the markers, shift the whole string to the side so you can lay it flat. Use a measuring tape to measure the length of each portion of string. Normally, development lots are measured in acres. If the entire development area is 10 acres and there are 10 equal lots on it, each lot should be 1 acre.

Run the string around the entire perimeter of the lot and make notes of all the markers. When you are finished the string will give you a visual representation of the property boundaries so you will know where you are able to build and plant trees.