The geotechnical report is the cheapest risk you will ever buy

Soils here are variable, often soft, and frequently wet. The geotechnical report is the document that tells you what your foundation will actually cost.

What it tells you

• Bearing capacity and whether shallow foundations work
• Whether pilings, ground improvement, or surcharge is required
• Groundwater depth, which affects everything below grade
• Settlement expectations for slabs, drives, and utilities
• Compaction and fill requirements for site work

When to order it

During due diligence, before the land closes, and always before the structural design starts. A structural engineer designing without soils data will design conservatively — you pay for that conservatism in concrete and steel.

What owners get wrong

• **Too few borings.** Coverage should reflect the footprint, not the invoice.
• **Ordering it after design.** Redesign is more expensive than testing.
• **Ignoring the recommendations section.** It is the part that costs money and the part most often skimmed.
• **Assuming the neighbor's conditions apply.** In marsh-adjacent soil, conditions change across a single parcel.

The Lowcountry specifics

Organic and compressible soils near marsh edges, high groundwater, and old fill on redevelopment sites are all common. Any one of them can turn an assumed slab into a pile-supported structure. That is not a surprise if you tested — it is a budget line.