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Read the site before the first sketch

9 March 2026

Two visits, a compass and a notebook tell you more about a plot than any survey drawing.

A survey drawing shows boundaries, levels and trees. It does not show where the wind comes from in the afternoon, which neighbour runs a generator at night, or where snow lies longest in spring. Those things decide where a house wants to sit, and they only show up on foot.

Go twice, at different hours

A morning visit and a late-afternoon visit are the minimum. Note where the sun clears the neighbouring roofs, where shadows fall, and which corners stay damp. In a climate with hot summers the late-afternoon sun from the west is the one to plan against; in winter the low southern sun is the one to let in.

What goes in the notebook

• The path of the sun at both visits, sketched on a north arrow
• Prevailing wind and any gaps that funnel it
• Views worth framing and views worth hiding
• Noise sources and their direction
• Water: where it runs after rain and where it stands
• Existing trees, with a rough crown diameter

None of this needs instruments. A phone compass, a tape and a few photographs taken from the same spot at both visits are enough to start drawing with confidence.