Richmond County, VA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Richmond County, VA

Low

Soil across 90.3% of Richmond County, VA comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.87% linear extensibility. That's as favorable a county-level reading as this dataset produces - standard foundation practice, pending one lot's own geotechnical report.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Richmond County, VA - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Richmond County will actually do.

Richmond County: the real numbers

Richmond 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.

Richmond County's rank among Virginia counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Richmond County, VA ranks 2,113 most-constrained nationally, and 91 of 114 within Virginia. The county spans 191 square miles, home to 9,215 people.

See how another county compares

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Allen County, IN and Lincoln County, WV 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 Virginia

Every county in Virginia is on this site, including Lexington city, VA and Nottoway County, VA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.