Disclaimer
Limits on the soil, climate and cost information published by Lafayette Foundation Co.
General information only
Everything here is general information about foundations and soils in Acadiana. It is not an engineering opinion, a geotechnical assessment, or advice about a specific property.
Soil survey references
Horizon depths, clay and silt percentages, saturated hydraulic conductivity and linear extensibility values reference the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey for Lafayette Parish, Louisiana (survey area LA055), obtained through Soil Data Access, with East Baton Rouge Parish (LA033) used for comparison. Soil surveys describe typical components of mapped units at a published scale and do not establish conditions beneath an individual parcel.
Climate figures
Precipitation and cooling degree day figures reference the NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals for station USW00013976, Lafayette Regional Airport.
Termite references
Statements about the Formosan subterranean termite — its status as the most destructive structural pest in Louisiana, its presence in 42 of the state's 64 parishes, and colony sizes — reference the LSU AgCenter. We are not a pest control operator, we do not identify species or confirm whether an infestation is active, and nothing here is pest control advice.
Drainage outcomes
Subsurface drainage addresses perched water. Where a site has a genuinely high regional water table rather than water perched on a dense horizon, drainage has considerably less to offer, and results vary with soil, discharge options and maintenance.
Cost figures
Ranges reference regional contractor pricing and are illustrative rather than quotations. Pier costs depend on depth to refusal, a property of the individual site not known before installation begins.
No guarantee of outcome
Repair addresses conditions present at the time of the work. Ground conditions change with weather and no repair guarantees that no further movement will occur. Warranty terms, where offered, appear in the written scope and are the only commitments that apply.