How to measure your yard or project area for a contractor
A few useful measurements, an access width and the right photos can let a contractor give you a meaningful preliminary price without driving out first. Here's exactly what to measure, photograph and send — no surveying required.
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IntroGetting a contractor a few useful measurements before they visit can save you both a lot of time. They don't need to be survey-grade. They just need to show what you're working with — because "Need patio, how much?" is hard to price. Twenty-four by eighteen, a forty-two inch gate, six photos and a quick video? That's a project someone can actually quote.
What you'll needHere's what you'll need: a tape measure, your phone, and somewhere to jot things down. A laser measure is handy, but it's optional. And for anything longer than your tape, grab a helper to hold the other end.
Sketch the areaStart with a quick sketch from above. It doesn't have to be pretty. Mark the house, the fence, the patio, and anything else that isn't going anywhere. Then shade the area you're asking about — not just "my backyard," but something like "the lawn from the patio to the back fence."
Length and widthNow measure the length and the width. Say it's twenty-four feet by eighteen feet. That's four hundred and thirty-two square feet. But here's the important part: send the dimensions, not just the total. Four hundred and thirty-two square feet could be a neat rectangle — or a long, skinny strip down the side of the house. The shape changes the job.
Odd shapesGot an odd shape? No problem. Split it into rectangles and measure each one — A, B, and so on. If the corners aren't square, a diagonal or two helps your contractor rebuild the real shape.
AccessNext, access — and this one matters more than most people think. Measure your gate opening, and the narrowest spot on the way to the back. That tells your contractor whether materials come in by wheelbarrow, by a small machine, or something bigger, which can change the plan, the crew, and the price. You don't need to know what fits. Just send the narrowest measurement.
SlopeYou don't need to survey the yard. If it clearly slopes, take a photo from the side, so the slope actually shows, and add a note — something like "the back fence looks about two feet lower than the patio."
PhotosPhotos next. Close-ups of grass don't tell anyone much. Instead, take wide shots: one from the house, one looking back at the house, the left side, the right side, the way in, and anything you're worried about.
Walkthrough videoThen record a short walkthrough. Start at the driveway and walk the route a crew would take — through the gate, into the yard, and around the area. Go slowly, and talk as you go.
The project briefPut it all together and you've got a real project brief: what you want, the size, the access, the existing surface, the slope, and your photos and video. That's a lot more useful than "how much for a patio?"
Before you send itOne last thing. These measurements help your contractor understand the job and give you a preliminary price. They may still want to confirm things on site before the final number — and that's a good sign. Better information means better quotes.
What you'll need
- A tape measure — a 25′ or longer tape is easiest.
- Your phone — for photos, a short video and notes.
- Something to write on — paper or a notes app.
- A laser measure, if you have one. Optional, but handy for long runs.
- A helper, for anything longer than your tape — someone to hold the end.
1. Define the exact area
Before you measure anything, decide where the work starts and stops. “My backyard” could mean anything; “the lawn from the rear patio to the back fence” means one area a contractor can picture and price.
2. Start with a simple sketch
Draw the space from above, like a map. It doesn't need to be neat or to scale — boxes and arrows are fine. Label what's there so the contractor can orient themselves:
- the house, and which side is which
- fences and gates
- patios, decks, stairs and walkways
- the shed, trees, garden beds, the AC unit
- the project area — shade or outline it
3. Measure the length and width
Measure the two sides of the area and write them on your sketch. For a rectangle, the area is length × width: 24 ft × 18 ft = 432 sq ft.
4. Odd shapes: split them into rectangles
Most yards aren't perfect rectangles. Split the area into simple rectangles — A, B, C — and measure each one separately. Add them up for the total, but keep the separate sizes on your sketch so the contractor can rebuild the shape.
If the corners aren't square, measure one or two diagonals — corner to opposite corner. It helps a contractor work out the true shape. For a curved edge, measure the straight line across it and note how far the curve bulges out at its widest.
5. Mark the fixed objects
Add anything in or right beside the area that won't move — the house wall, fence, shed, deck, stairs, AC unit, trees, the pool, garden beds, utility boxes. A distance from one or two of them (“patio starts 3′ from the house”) is plenty.
6. Measure the access
This is one of the most useful things you can send, and it's the one people most often forget. How does a crew — and their equipment — get to the work area? Measure:
- the gate width, measured clear between the posts
- the narrowest point on the way in — often between the house and the fence
- any stairs on the route, and roughly how many steps
- low overhead obstacles — branches, eaves, a deck above
Whether materials arrive by wheelbarrow, a compact machine or something larger changes the plan, the crew and the price. You don't need to know which machine fits — just send the narrowest measurement and let your contractor decide.
7. Note any obvious slope
You don't need to survey your property. If the ground clearly slopes, take a photo from the side so the slope is visible, and write down your best estimate — for example, “the back fence looks about 2 feet lower than the patio.” If you have a level or a laser, a measurement is a bonus, not a requirement.
8. Take photos a contractor can actually use
Five close-ups of grass don't tell anyone much. Take wide shots that show the whole area and what's around it:
From the house
Stand at the house and shoot out across the whole area.
Toward the house
Stand at the far end and shoot back, so the house wall and doors are in frame.
Left side
Show the left edge and whatever's beside it.
Right side
Same for the right edge.
Access route
The gate and the path a crew would take in.
Problem areas
Anything you're worried about — wet spots, cracks, roots, a sagging section.
9. Record a short walkthrough video
Start at the driveway or street, and walk slowly along the route a crew would take — through the gate, into the yard, around the work area. Talk as you go: what's staying, what's changing, anything awkward. One or two minutes is plenty. Hold the phone steady and don't rush.
10. Send it as one clear message
Put it all together in one message or request. Here's a format contractors love:
| Project | Remove the lawn and install an interlock patio |
| Area | Rear lawn between the patio and the back fence |
| Size | Approx. 24′ × 18′ (about 432 sq ft) |
| Access | 42″ side gate; narrowest point 38″ beside the house |
| Existing surface | Grass |
| Grade | Slopes toward the back fence — about 2′ lower than the patio |
| Media | 6 photos, 1 walkthrough video |
Worksheet
Your project measurements
Fill in what you have — it writes the brief for you. Saved in this browser only.
Before you send it
- The area is described in one sentence (where it starts and stops)
- A sketch with the house, fixed objects and the area marked
- Length and width of each section — not just the total square footage
- Gate width and the narrowest point on the way in
- Any obvious slope noted, with a side-on photo
- Six wide photos: from the house, toward it, left, right, access, problem areas
- A one-to-two-minute walkthrough video
- What you want done, in a sentence
Updated October 2, 2026 · Landscaping & sod · Interlock & hardscaping · Decks · Fences
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