Article: Building a wall this size is a potentially significant construction project, and some localities will require a permit. Investigate local laws and see if you need a permit for this project. If so, go through all the steps of obtaining the permit before starting construction to avoid fines or other legal trouble.  Checking with your local building department is a good place to start. If you know a local contractor or engineer, they are likely aware of regulations in your area. You can also ask them if there are certain regulations you have to meet. The stem wall should form part of the foundation on your structure, so build it along the planned structure perimeter. Start by measuring out that perimeter. Then mark that border on the ground. If you’re planning a 10 feet (3.0 m) x 10 feet (3.0 m) shed, measure out these dimensions and mark them in the ground. Plan on starting your stem wall on this perimeter. After you've planned the perimeter for your wall, you can calculate the amount of materials you need. First, calculate the cubic feet of the wall you’re planning. The formula for cubic feet is length x width x height. Use this formula for each section of your stem wall. Then, find out the volume of the brick type you plan on using. Divide the volume of each pack of bricks into the volume of your wall to find out how many packs you need.  For example, if you’re building a rectangle structure and your wall will be 6 feet (1.8 m) long, 1 foot (0.30 m) thick, and 4 feet (1.2 m) high, you need 96 cubic feet (2.7 m3) of material for that section. Then multiply that by 4 to get 384 cubic feet (10.9 m3) for the whole wall. Use a different formula if you are calculating the volume of a circular structure. If a pack of bricks has a volume of 20 cubic feet (0.57 m3) and the total volume for your wall is 384 cubic feet (10.9 m3), then you need 20 packs of bricks. If you’re having the stones delivered, ask the drivers to place the stones as close to your building site as possible so you don’t have to carry them long distances. Remove any grass, bushes, trees, or other natural obstructions inside the planned perimeter of the structure. Pull up grass until you expose the dirt underneath. This trench should follow the planned outer walls. It forms the rubble layer that you’ll stack the stem wall on top of. Make the bottom of this trench as level as possible. If you encounter any stones or obstructions, remove them to they don’t get in the way of your wall. Gravel forms the foundation for the stem wall and assists with drainage. Cover the bottom of the trench with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of gravel. Push the gravel down with your foot or a shovel to make sure it’s tightly packed.  Then, lay out landscaping fabric so it covers the gravel and both sides of the trench. Leave some fabric remaining at the top so you can wrap the fabric around the top of the drainage system. Finally, pour gravel into the trench until it fills 1/3 of the way to the top. You can buy bags of drain-grade gravel at a local hardware or garden supply store. To prevent water from settling in your foundation, you can build a simple drainage system. First, dig a path extending from the wall's trench to a drainage area. Lay a perforated pipe in the trench and extend it into the drainage path. Then wrap the remaining landscaping fabric over the pipe. Fill the trench with gravel until it is 6 inches (15 cm) from the top.  If you plan on connecting your drainage pipe to a local storm drain or sewer, make sure you receive permission from the local government. If you have water on your property, you can extend the drainage ditch so it empties here.

What is a summary?
Obtain any necessary construction permits. Measure and mark the perimeter of your structure. Calculate how many bricks you need. Clear the building site. Dig a 9 in (23 cm) deep trench around the perimeter of your structure. Fill the trench with 2 layers of drain-grade gravel with landscape fabric in between. Install a drainage pipe in the trench.