What are some common mistakes people make when not using a site plan for landscaping?

Common mistakes include misjudging distances and sizes, leading to inappropriate planting or overcrowded designs, and possible infringements on utility lines or zoning laws.

How often should a site plan be updated?

A site plan should be updated after significant changes to the landscape or built structures, or if the plan is several years old and nearby developments could affect conditions.

Can a site plan help with drainage issues on a property?

Yes, it can identify topographical features to manage rainwater effectively and prevent flooding by suggesting optimal water flow patterns.

What specific elements should be included in a site plan for landscaping purposes?

It should include property boundaries, existing and proposed structures, elevation changes, water elements, paths, driveways, and sunlight exposure for plant placement.

How can a site plan aid in enhancing privacy in a yard?

It helps in placing trees, shrubs, or structures strategically to create natural barriers or privacy screens by visualizing the property layout.

What is the typical cost of obtaining a professional site plan, and what factors influence this cost?

Costs vary based on property size, detail required, and professional rates, typically ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Additional surveys or details increase the cost.

February 19, 2014

5 Ways Site Plans Can Help You with Yard Work and Landscaping

5 Ways to Use a Site Plan for Landscaping and Yard Work Planting trees that will grow significantly in the next few decades? Adding bushes as a windbreak around the edge of your property? Carving out a perfect outdoor haven from an otherwise wild backyard?

Larger scale yard work and landscaping projects like these require a bit of foresight, and a strong knowledge of property boundaries and the location of existing nearby structures.

Base plans can be a useful tool for both professional landscapers and weekend warriors who want to make big outdoor changes to a property. Here are a few of the many ways a site plan can prove useful.

1. A site plan gives you an accurate, scaled view of your property. Site plan give you a bird’s eye view of your property that’s drawn to scale, so you can easily figure out the distance between important spaces like, say, the place you want to plant a tree and your pool (here’s to keeping dead leaves out of the water). Just eyeballing distances while you stand in the backyard isn’t going to give you nearly as good an idea of what you’re working with.

2. You’ll be able to figure out your boundaries. You may think you know where your property boundaries are based on old site plans or property descriptions, but imagine the trouble you’ll be in if you start landscaping based on your assumptions and later find out that you’ve planted a row of bushes four feet over the line of your neighbor’s property.

3. You’ll be able to figure out exactly what you want to do. You may have a grand vision for how you want your outdoor space to look, but the best way to figure out how to carry out your plan is to draw the features you plan to add on your site plan. If you make copies of your site plan, you can easily draw out multiple versions of your landscaping plan and compare them side by side.

4. You’ll be able to show landscapers what you want. If you’re a homeowner who is hiring a professional landscaper to spruce up your yard, you can use a site plan to pinpoint where you want them to work rather than just saying things like, “Plant a willow tree somewhere in that back corner.”

5. You’ll have an easier time getting a permit. Some landscaping activities, such as removing an old tree, actually require a building permit in many cities. To get that permit, you may need to present the city with an accurate and up-to-date site plan of your property. Have a site plan ready to go, and the road to getting your permit will be much smoother.

You don’t need to dedicate hours of your time walking around your yard with a measuring tape or hire an overpriced land surveyor in order to get a high-quality site plan. The professional designers at MySitePlan can create an accurate and easy-to-read simple site plan and mail it to you as a PDF for a reasonable price, allowing you to save both time and money that would be better used on your outdoor beautification efforts.

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