Plot Size Visualiser: See a Decimal or Acre
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
A decimal is a square of about 6.4 metres a side, a 50 by 100 foot plot is 15.2 by 30.5 metres, and an acre is a square of about 63.6 metres a side. Use the visualiser on this page to draw any of them to scale, add a house footprint, and see how much room is left. It shows area only, not what planning rules allow.
- 1 decimal
- 435.6 sq ft, about 40.5 sq m, a square of about 6.4 m a side
- 50 x 100 ft plot
- 15.24 m by 30.48 m, about 464.5 sq m
- 100 x 100 ft plot
- 30.48 m by 30.48 m, about 929 sq m
- 1 acre
- 43,560 sq ft, about 4,047 sq m, a square of about 63.6 m a side
How does the plot size visualiser work?
The visualiser draws a plot to scale on a grid, so you can see what a size on paper looks like on the ground. Pick a preset, or type a length and width, and the plot appears with its sides labelled. You can switch the labels between metres and feet at any time.
- Presets: one decimal, 12.5 decimals (one eighth of an acre), 50 by 100 feet, 100 by 100 feet and one acre.
- Your own size: enter the area in decimals, acres, square feet or square metres, and the tool shows a rectangle of that area.
- House footprint: add a rectangle for a building, for example 10 m by 12 m, and drag it around the plot. The tool shows the area left over.
Buyers abroad often judge a plot badly from a number, because an acre and a quarter of an acre both sound small. A scale drawing fixes that. It is a visual aid for area. It is not a survey, and it does not show road frontage, slope or boundaries.
How big is a 50 by 100 plot, a decimal and an acre?
Start from two facts. The international acre is exactly 43,560 square feet, or about 4,046.86 square metres. A decimal is one hundredth of an acre, so 435.6 square feet or about 40.47 square metres. The table turns them into sides you can picture.
| Size | Area | Rough shape |
|---|---|---|
| 1 decimal | 435.6 sq ft, about 40.5 sq m | A square of about 20.9 ft, or 6.4 m, a side |
| 50 x 100 ft | 5,000 sq ft, about 464.5 sq m, about 11.5 decimals | 15.24 m by 30.48 m |
| 12.5 decimals (one eighth of an acre) | 5,445 sq ft, about 506 sq m | About 22.5 m by 22.5 m if square |
| 100 x 100 ft | 10,000 sq ft, about 929 sq m, about 23 decimals | 30.48 m by 30.48 m |
| 25 decimals (a quarter of an acre) | 10,890 sq ft, about 1,012 sq m | About 31.8 m by 31.8 m if square |
| 1 acre | 43,560 sq ft, about 4,047 sq m | A square of about 63.6 m, or 208.7 ft, a side |
The figures come from the standard definitions of the acre and decimal (Wikipedia, "Acre" and "Decimal (unit)"). The decimal explainer, what is a decimal of land in Uganda, covers the unit in more detail. The visualiser works from the same factors as the land size converter, so the two always agree.
Why do sellers say 12.5 decimals for a 50 by 100 plot?
By arithmetic a 50 by 100 foot plot is 11.5 decimals. Many sellers treat it as one eighth of an acre, which is 12.5 decimals. The gap is about 445 square feet, or 41 square metres, roughly the floor of a small room. In our own listings (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026), one Kira Nsasa advert calls a 50 by 100 ft plot "12 decimals", and a Kyanja advert calls a 100 by 100 ft plot "25 decimals", when 10,000 square feet is about 23.
Put the 12.5 preset beside the 50 by 100 preset in the visualiser and the difference is visible: one outline is slightly larger. When you are buying, do not argue over the label. Ask which size the price covers, and write the length and width in feet or metres into the agreement. Our page on 50 by 50 and 100 by 100 plots in Uganda compares the common shapes.
How many houses fit on an acre?
On area alone, a lot. A house footprint of 10 m by 12 m is 120 square metres, and an acre is about 4,047 square metres, so the raw sum is about 33 footprints. That number is a trap. It ignores access roads, boundaries and drainage, and the planning rules that decide where a building may stand and what use is allowed.
The 120 square metre footprint is only an example we chose so the sum is easy to follow. It is not a standard house size. Your own plan will differ, so enter the real footprint from your architect. A 50 by 100 plot of 464.5 square metres with the same 120 square metre footprint leaves about 344 square metres before roads, parking, a septic tank and soakaway, and any setbacks are taken out.
Setbacks and the buildable share vary by area and are decided by the local planning office, so the visualiser does not draw them. Read what you can build on a 50 by 100 plot for the permit steps, and ask the planning office for the rules on your plot before you pay.
What should I do after I have seen the plot on screen?
A drawing is the first check, and the ground is the last. Take the next steps in this order.
- Compare the size in the advert with the area on the deed plan. If they differ by more than a decimal or two, ask why.
- Convert any odd unit with the land size converter.
- Compare prices on one basis, using price per decimal vs price per acre.
- Visit the plot with a surveyor, walk the corners and measure. Our escorted site visits are paid and escorted, so you can have the plot checked with someone on the ground.
To see what is on offer now, browse plot listings, or return to the land buyer's guide for the wider picture.
Listings available now
Live from Land & Property on 4 November 2026. Prices are the sellers' asking prices.
-
25 Decimals in Bunga at Ugx820m
UGX 820,000,000
-
1 acre for sale in Kololo at $2,500,000
UGX 9,250,000,000
-
Plot For sale in Masoli kitetika at 80m
UGX 80,000,000
-
33 Decimals in Bukoto Town at Ugx1.4bn
UGX 1,400,000,000
-
53 decimals commercial Plot in Bukoto
UGX 3,500,000,000
-
71 decimals in Kira Bulindo at Ugx500m
UGX 500,000,000
Frequently asked questions
How big is a 50 by 100 plot?
A 50 by 100 foot plot is 5,000 square feet, which is 15.24 metres by 30.48 metres, about 464.5 square metres. By arithmetic that is about 11.5 decimals, although many sellers call it 12 or 12.5. Ask the seller which they mean and write the size into the agreement.
How many houses fit on an acre?
On area alone, an acre of about 4,047 square metres holds about 33 footprints of 120 square metres. In practice far fewer fit, because roads, setbacks, drainage and planning rules take space, and the local planning office decides what is allowed. Use the real footprint from your architect.
How big is one decimal in metres?
One decimal is about 40.47 square metres, or 435.6 square feet. If it were a square, each side would be about 6.4 metres, or 20.9 feet. One hundred decimals make one acre.
Is the visualiser accurate enough to buy by?
No. It draws area to scale, which helps you judge size, but it cannot show boundaries, slope, road frontage or the true size of a particular plot. Check the deed plan and have a registered surveyor measure the plot on the ground.
Sources
- Acre, Wikipedia (accessed 2026-11)
- Decimal (unit), Wikipedia (accessed 2026-11)