Tensas Parish, LA Shrink-Swell Risk

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

Very High

Tensas Parish, LA: USDA's soil survey rates 84.2% of the county "Very High" for shrink-swell potential (11.63% linear extensibility). That's the range most associated with real foundation cracking - stair-step cracks in mortar joints, sticking doors, gaps around window frames - and it typically needs an engineered foundation (post-tension slab, drilled piers), not a standard footing.

What Tensas Parish's reading doesn't cover

Two lots a mile apart in Tensas Parish can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide reading. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

What it costs to find out, versus to ignore it

With Tensas Parish, LA rating "Very High", the gap between finding out early and finding out late is the whole decision. The report ($1,000-$5,000) is what tells you whether Tensas 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.

Where this sits nationally

Nationally, Tensas Parish, LA is the 12-most-constrained of 3,085 rated counties for shrink-swell soil. Within Louisiana alone it ranks 8 of 64. Tensas Parish, LA is 603 square miles with a population of 3,844.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Harlan County, NE and Walworth County, SD 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 St. Bernard Parish, LA and Ascension Parish, LA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.