re: conventional vs post tension slabs?

quote:

---

However, that being said, ensuring a properly compacted subgrade and avoiding expansive soils are more critical in most cases.

---

Avoiding expansive soils is a pretty difficult task to do here in Louisiana, but residential PT slabs are still very common regardless. I would think the most critical thing to do is for the owner to spend the money to have a soils test done to confirm the sub-surface conditions and provide the results to the engineer so he can design a site-specific foundation system accordingly. Having this information will decrease the chances of having foundation issues down the road.