Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
156 Section 1 Preparing to Build
Be sure to observe proper setbacks and clearances. To
ensure compliance, carefully check the local code, then
follow these steps:
1. Locate the lot corners, marked by the surveyor’s stakes.
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 measurement must be perpendicular (at a
right, or 90°, angle) 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.
4. If the building lines involve more than a
simple rectangle, lay it out as multiple separate
rectangles, Figure 8‑4.
Building lines
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 8‑4. Irregularly shaped buildings can usually be
treated as separate rectangles added together.
Rotate second building line
until distance between marks
is exactly 10uni2032–0uni2033
When distance between marks
is exactly 10uni2032–0uni2033, the building
lines form a right angle
New building line marked
8uni2032 from corner
Established
building line
marked 6uni2032
from corner
8uni2032
6uni2032
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 8‑5. To check whether a corner is square, mark 6′
along one building line and 8′ on the intersecting building
line. If the distance between the marks is 10′, the corner is
square.
P R O C E D U R E
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. Follow these steps
to establish building lines:
1. Drive a 2×2 stake marking one corner of the building.
The exact location of the stake 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 8‑5 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. Move the building line as needed until the
diagonal line measures 10′. 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.
156 Section 1 Preparing to Build
Be sure to observe proper setbacks and clearances. To
ensure compliance, carefully check the local code, then
follow these steps:
1. Locate the lot corners, marked by the surveyor’s stakes.
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 measurement must be perpendicular (at a
right, or 90°, angle) 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.
4. If the building lines involve more than a
simple rectangle, lay it out as multiple separate
rectangles, Figure 8‑4.
Building lines
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 8‑4. Irregularly shaped buildings can usually be
treated as separate rectangles added together.
Rotate second building line
until distance between marks
is exactly 10uni2032–0uni2033
When distance between marks
is exactly 10uni2032–0uni2033, the building
lines form a right angle
New building line marked
8uni2032 from corner
Established
building line
marked 6uni2032
from corner
8uni2032
6uni2032
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 8‑5. To check whether a corner is square, mark 6′
along one building line and 8′ on the intersecting building
line. If the distance between the marks is 10′, the corner is
square.
P R O C E D U R E
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. Follow these steps
to establish building lines:
1. Drive a 2×2 stake marking one corner of the building.
The exact location of the stake 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 8‑5 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. Move the building line as needed until the
diagonal line measures 10′. 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.