Best land clearing pros near Benton, LA

Measure from zero on a measuring tape by placing the metal hook right up against the edge of what you need to measure. You can also latch the hook onto an open edge—of, say, a table—to accurately measure as well. If you begin at the 1-inch mark, you'll need to subtract an inch from your total.

Permit requirements to clear land vary by municipality, so whether or not you need permits depends on where you live and what you’re removing from the land. Some building departments will require permits for any underground work or excavation, meaning grinding down tree stumps on your property would require permits. Others mandate individual permits for each tree you remove. You can contact your local building department or a land-clearing specialist near you to see if permits are necessary for your job.

There are a couple of ways you can determine the depth of your well. One method is to use a device called a well sounder. This tool has a long measuring tape containing a sensor to alert you once the end reaches the water. 

Or you can DIY it by using a long tape measure with a half-filled bottle of water attached to it. Lower the tape measure into your well. Once you feel tension on the tape, you’ll know the bottle has reached your static water level. This will give you an approximate idea of your well’s depth.

A land survey includes the layout of a single property, including precise measurements and to-scale drawings of boundary lines, land improvements, and sometimes other features, like topography and drainage information. A plat map includes the layouts and boundary lines of several adjacent plots and basic structure measurements. Surveys are normally more valuable for homeowners and buyers, and plat maps are for governmental use.