Houston County, AL Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Houston County, AL

Low

Soil across 97.3% of Houston County, AL comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.34% linear extensibility. That's the easiest starting point on this site's scale - a standard foundation is the reasonable default here, though any one lot can still differ.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Houston County, AL - never a reading for one specific parcel. 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 Houston County.

Houston County: the real numbers

Houston County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Houston County, AL ranks 2,666 most-constrained nationally, and 61 of 67 within Alabama. The county spans 580 square miles, home to 109,366 people.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Schuylkill County, PA and San Miguel County, NM are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Alabama

Every county in Alabama is on this site, including Wilcox County, AL and Barbour County, AL. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.