Documenting your property: what to record and how
Published:
A property silently accumulates information: where the pipes run, which tree was planted when, where the boundary exactly lies. Record it and you benefit for years. Postpone it and it is gone.
What it gets you
Planning becomes easier: a new border, a shed, a pond — you immediately see what is already there. Maintenance gets faster: no more hunting for the tap or the inspection pit.
And professionals get cheaper: a gardener or contractor who receives a map up front quotes tighter and hits fewer surprises. At sale time, a documented property is simply worth more in trust.
What to record
Below ground: water, power, sewer, drainage, internet, gas — with depth where known. Above ground: trees and major planting, buildings, terraces, boundaries, taps, pits, and valves.
The golden rule: record at the moment something is open. One photo of an open trench, with something beside it for scale, is the best documentation there is.
The practical approach
Paper works, but gets lost and outdated. A map on your phone goes into the garden with you and grows with every job. Measure from fixed points that will not disappear — facades, pits, boundary markers.
ErfPlan is built for this: draw on the map, walk lines outside with GPS, attach photos and notes per object, and export (PDF, PNG) to share with whoever comes to work. Stored locally, no account needed.
ErfPlan is a reference map for personal use — not a replacement for an official KLIC report and not a legal survey tool. Digging without a report where one is required remains at your own risk.