FIELD NOTES
Understand the signal. Ask better questions.
Short, source-led explanations that connect to tools you can actually use.
10 field notes
Expansive soil: what a map can tell you
Clay is a clue, not a diagnosis. Learn which soil properties matter, where the map stops, and what to ask before making a repair decision.
Read the field noteDrought and foundations: keep the scale in view
A dry county and a moving foundation are not the same measurement. Use the weekly trend as context, without mistaking it for a sensor under your house.
Read the field noteHow to read your GroundShiftCheck report
Five distinctions make the report more useful: location accuracy, map-unit composition, depth coverage, data age and observed building symptoms.
Read the field noteA homeowner’s drainage walkaround
Build a useful record of where water goes. This checklist is for observation, not a drainage design or a reason to dig near a foundation.
Read the field noteBefore you accept a foundation repair quote
An informative map should help you ask better questions, not pressure you into a repair. Take an evidence-first inspection brief to the appointment.
Read the field noteMake a useful crack observation log
Consistent records can be more helpful than one dramatic photograph. Document what changes without diagnosing the cause yourself.
Read the field noteSoil map vs. geotechnical report: what is the difference?
Use the right evidence for the question. A regional soil survey and a site investigation do not describe a home at the same level of detail.
Read the field noteNo soil rating? Missing data is a result worth understanding
An empty cell, an urban-land component and an unavailable provider need different next steps. None should silently become a low rating.
Read the field noteLinear extensibility, clay and plasticity: do not mix the numbers
Three soil properties, three different meanings. Learn what an LE percentage can tell you, and why it is not a percentage chance of damage.
Read the field noteHow to compare soil and drought reports without comparing the wrong thing
A newer download, a different point and a different drought week can each change a report. Find out which comparison is meaningful.
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