# Using google earth to find SQFT



## Stinson Landscp (Feb 7, 2010)

Any one use google earth to help find the SQFT? If so how? I can see the ruler icon just cant make it work.

Thanks


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

Click and drag. or on a laptop hold down your left button and move about on the pad.


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## Stinson Landscp (Feb 7, 2010)

I have tried that. Guess I wasnt clear in my original post. Is there a way to make it follow the curve of the pavement? Looking to get the most accurate number possible before going to measure.

Received a call to bid on a property, but I am away on vacation. Just looking to get a head start on it.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Just use the toolbar ruler... If your off by 100 sf so what.....whats that an extra $3 worth of salt?... Its all marginal if you bid it correctly

Good luck as i've tried to do what your attempting while on vacation...the wife killed me!....LOL


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## Stinson Landscp (Feb 7, 2010)

thanks mick.


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## ANA Proscapes (Jul 14, 2011)

Been doing the same thing on vacation. The wife hates it. But, when bids are do you have to get them done. She might cry now but when the moneys coming in she is a happy girl.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

I print the picture of the property and then I break it into sections. I then write down all of the measurements down on the paper. You can generally guesstamate pretty good on the curved places by adding a little to one side or subtracting. I bet on larger properties you are actually closer on sq footage then doing it by hand.


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## bsmitty (Jun 27, 2010)

I have used it then gone out and measured it by hand. It is really accurate as long as you have a clear bird's eye view of the lot. I now trust it and it saves a lot of time.

Brian


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## Stinson Landscp (Feb 7, 2010)

thanks for the info guys! should make things easier.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

You really can't trust what you see on google earth. Always visit the site. "Trusting" what you see leaves you open to submitting a foolishly high or low bid


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## CGM Inc. (Dec 15, 2008)

JD Dave;1297424 said:


> I print the picture of the property and then I break it into sections. I then write down all of the measurements down on the paper. You can generally guesstamate pretty good on the curved places by adding a little to one side or subtracting. I bet on larger properties you are actually closer on sq footage then doing it by hand.


exactly how I do it too


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## Stinson Landscp (Feb 7, 2010)

i am very familiar with this site. i still plan on going and measure it out.


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## forestfireguy (Oct 7, 2006)

If you wan to follow contours you need to go to Goilawn or goisnow...... their measuring tools are much better than the google earth ones. But it's not free. I use google earth for every bid, then I visit every site. Google earth is really pretty good, but it's very possible that if the image is a year or two old there's something different.

Example, if you look at the image of my house, you'll see an excavator in the yard, and some obviously torn up turf and work going on, the work was done at least 3.5 years ago. Imagine what could change on a commercial lot in 3 years....They tag a date in lower corner of the image, but really better safe than sorry. It's hard to judge how far over tree cover is into a lot, how tight or time consuming loading docks may be, and countless other possible complications. Gotta have eyes on it before entering the bids.


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## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

I use it alot. Its not exact to the ft but it gets close. From there always measure on the highside of things and you should be fine.

JD Dave how do you print from google earth? I cant seem to print the images.


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## CGM Inc. (Dec 15, 2008)

i use the snipping tool and select the area I want and save it into my costing file.
You find it in the accessories


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## snow4me (Oct 8, 2008)

I can't get the polygon measuring tool to show up...all I see is line and path???


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## fsnowguy (Mar 8, 2011)

Goilawn orGoisnow is great. But, If you just want a quick and free idea of square footage try findyourlotsize.com. It's a good way to preview the property, I would still visit the property before bidding though.


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## TwoBrosLawn (Sep 10, 2009)

if its a new construction site or remodeling has been done in the last year google earth does not always show the most up to date site...just ran into that problem tonight....there was a site, measure from outterspace, that was better than google earth, but i can not find the site anymore. it allowed you to select 4 points and it gave you the square footage of the selected area, or sq ft of a triangle for non square lots.


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## TwoBrosLawn (Sep 10, 2009)

http://www.findlotsize.com/ uses Google maps


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## caitlyncllc (Oct 26, 2010)

TwoBrosLawn;1310809 said:


> http://www.findlotsize.com/ uses Google maps


That rocks. Me likey. I have been trying to figure out how to do this, and that is a great tool, at least to get the quote started with! Thanks dude.


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## rv4jesus (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks for the info and happy bidding. There is also another calculator at http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm


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## R.J.S. SNOWPLOW (Dec 9, 2009)

New to google earth how do you out line a lot or print in landscape


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## fci (Sep 7, 2008)

TwoBrosLawn;1310809 said:


> http://www.findlotsize.com/ uses Google maps


Now that is a great! site added it to my favorites.


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## PrimoSR (May 15, 2010)

fci;1319634 said:


> Now that is a great! site added it to my favorites.


I just bookmarked it as well.


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