Hi,
Am new here. I see the powerful tool this website could be and am very impressed. In the area am looking at some houses are mapped and some are not. I was told they could be added manually. I am not sure how to go about it and would be to scared to mess up the map for others… is there anyone who wouldn’t mind to map out a certain area with houses, it would be much appreciated!
(I hope this is the right area to post)
All the best,
Mat
Hi Mat,
welcome to OpenStreetMap, and great to hear you’re interested in contributing!
No need to worry about “messing things up” - everyone starts somewhere, and the community is very supportive. Mapping buildings is actually one of the most common and beginner-friendly things you can do.
A good place to start is this beginner guide, which walks you through everything step by step: LearnOSM
You can also follow along with this video tutorial, which shows how to map buildings in practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1YJV6I_rhY
And please don’t hesitate to ask questions here if you’re unsure about anything.
Happy mapping!
mcliquid
Thank you very much!
Am looking more for a one time project just to have my neighborhood filled out correctly, that’s why am looking for a pro to help me, who would not mind mapping out a couple blocks in my area.
From my online research it sounds like it would take a beginner a while to do it to get the rhythm vs. an experienced pro who could do it all in a matter of minutes.
Is that something you would be able and willing to help with?
Thank you
Hi,
I understand the idea, but in practice it doesn’t really work that way. Even experienced mappers don’t just “fill in” an area in a few minutes - most of the time is spent checking imagery, aligning buildings correctly, and making sure everything is mapped properly. A beginner would take roughly the same time for a small area once they get started.
If you’d like help, the best next step is to share the exact location (e.g. a link or coordinates). That way people can see what’s missing and decide if they can contribute.
Also, you’re currently posting in General talk. Depending on where your area is, there are regional or local OSM communities in Communities where you’ll have a much better chance of finding someone nearby who might help or guide you.
That said, even for a one-time project, it’s definitely worth trying it yourself - mapping a few blocks is a great way to get started, and you’ll quickly get the hang of it.
I am looking in the penn Wynne area in Wynnewood (19096) Pennsylvania USA.
okay I will take a look to see if there are any communities near me.
Thank you for your help!
Thanks for the location. I’ve moved your thread into the Communities > United States sub forum.
For others - the location in OSM: Node: Wynnewood (158259515) | OpenStreetMap
Thank you!!
Hi Mat1212,
That area looks like there are lots of mature trees which makes tracing house outlines a bit more difficult. It would be better to have imagery taken in winter. The ESRI World imagery in JOSM was taken when most of the trees were bare but it is not as sharp and clear as some others.
It looks like your area is a “TIGER Desert” as far as streets are concerned: Nearly all are tagged with tiger:reviewed=no which indicates that they are from a long ago import of poorer quality that we’d like today. But at the same time, many of the roads have been aligned to imagery. So what is missing is local knowledge verifying names, etc.
All this is to say that a local mapper would be best qualified to do the work you’d like done. So, please jump in. Start by adding a house or two. You may find that it is fun and that you’d like to do more.
Thank you so much mcliquid I see that houses have been added to the map and it says it was last touched by you! You don’t understand how grateful I am for you doing this!!!
I see some of the houses even have the addresses on it! Thank you so much! Do the rest of the houses get the address added as well automatically?
Thank you so very much!!
You’re more than welcome!
It’s easy to trace the outlines of buildings using aerial photos from apart, but unfortunately not the addresses. Those have to be recorded on-site. 
Even just the houses, I am very appreciative of it!
Is there any way to add the addresses in bulk or is it all one by one?
As far as I can see, there is an open dataset of addresses in Montgomery County: Parcels
However, I am not specifically familiar with U.S. law regarding whether this data is freely available for OpenStreetMap. Permission from the institution is required for this.
I don’t believe there are any legal issues with it. How would I or someone else go about adding the address for 19096? Is there a way to bulk transfer?
Thank you so much!
You’re a real life saver in this case!
As far as I can tell, that data has not been approved: Contributors - OpenStreetMap Wiki
That question should be answered by someone from the US.
For an import, the import guidelines must be followed: Import/Guidelines - OpenStreetMap Wiki
Someone from the U.S. community should also offer some advice on this.
I’m from the same township as him, and I’ve already began an import (see here) of the addresses in the township and I’d say I’m ~30% done. I have little knowledge of JOSM and whatnot so I’m taking it slow.
@Mat1212 I am currently checking what addresses are still missing in the township. Most of the eastern half is complete, and other parts have been partially done by others. I’d be glad to help you map the houses around you, as I’ve already mapped houses (and driveways, paths, fences, etc.) for my neighborhood and beyond.
Yes, you are the exact type of person am looking for, I replied to your personal message.