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Section 1  Preparing to Build
them with stakes. Building lines are the lines
marking where the walls of the structure will be.
These lines must conform to code requirements
on distance of the structure from boundary
lines of the property.
Once the property lines are known and
marked by the surveyor, the building lines can
be found by measuring distances with a tape. See
Figure 6-3. Be sure to observe proper setbacks
and clearances. Carefully check the local code
to ensure compliance. To start:
1. Locate the surveyor’s stakes marking the lot
corners. Often, these are 2 × 2 wood stakes
driven flush with the surface of the ground.
A small nail driven in the top of the stake
marks the exact corner of the property.
2. Measure the setback to locate the front
building line. Use a tape to measure the
distance. To be accurate, the tape measure-
ment must be perpendicular to the building
line. String a line from stake-to-stake as
needed.
3. Locate and mark the setbacks on the other
three sides of the lot. Building lines must
always be within these boundaries.
Using measuring tapes to
establish building lines
In the absence of optical instruments (which are
described later), it is possible to lay out building lines
for small structures with measuring tapes. To start:
1. Drive a 2 × 2 stake marking one corner of the
building. The exact location should never be
closer to the lot lines than the intersection of
two setback lines. Drive a nail in the top of the
stake to mark the building line.
2. With a tape, measure off one side of the
building dimension along the setback.
3. Drive another corner stake at this point and
drive a nail in the top to mark the dimension.
This establishes the beginning point of the
second side of the building.
4. From the second stake, take a measurement for
the intersecting building line. Use the 6–8–10
method shown in Figure 6-4 to establish a
square corner.
5. In the 6–8–10 method, measure and mark 6′
along one building line already established. Next,
measure 8′ on the intersecting building line and
mark that location. Then, measure the diagonal
distance from one mark to the other. Adjust the
building line as needed until the diagonal line
measures 10′ long. At that point, the corner
formed by the intersecting lines is square.
6. Establish the remaining two building lines by
measuring the length and squaring the corners.
7. Test the accuracy of the layout by diagonally
measuring from corner to corner. If these
measurements are equal, the building lines are
laid out square.
6.4 Laying Out with
Leveling Instruments
In residential construction, it is important that
building lines be accurately established in relation
to lot lines. It is also important that footings and
foundation walls be level, square, and the correct
size.
Street
10' 10'
10'
20'
Figure 6-3. A simple rectangular structure can be laid
out by taking measurements, using lot lines as refer-
ence points.