Concordia Parish, LA Shrink-Swell Risk

Concordia Parish, LA's soil, for shrink-swell risk

Very High

Concordia Parish, LA: USDA's soil survey rates 73.9% of the county "Very High" for shrink-swell potential (11.62% linear extensibility). This is the reading most likely to explain cracking a homeowner is already seeing. An engineered foundation design, not a conventional footing, is the realistic expectation for new construction.

What Concordia Parish's reading doesn't cover

Two lots a mile apart in Concordia Parish can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide reading. A site-specific soil report, usually $1,000-$5,000, is what an engineer would actually pull before designing a foundation on a lot in Concordia Parish.

What it costs to find out, versus to ignore it

Given Concordia Parish's rating, spending a few thousand now is the way to avoid spending tens of thousands later. The report ($1,000-$5,000) is what tells you whether Concordia Parish's county-level reading applies to your lot; the repair ($5,000-$15,000) is what it costs if you skip that and find out from the cracks instead.

Concordia Parish's rank among Louisiana counties

Nationally, Concordia Parish, LA is the 13-most-constrained of 3,085 rated counties for shrink-swell soil. Within Louisiana alone it ranks 9 of 64. The county spans 696 square miles, home to 17,797 people.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Hancock County, MS and Mesa County, CO are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · The warning signs of expansive-clay damage, explained

More of Louisiana

Every county in Louisiana is on this site, including LaSalle Parish, LA and De Soto Parish, LA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.