Georgia's humidity is relentless. We're talking 80% or higher most of the year, and that moisture finds its way into everything, including your drywall. Mold growth behind walls is common enough that most Georgia contractors automatically use moisture-resistant drywall in bathrooms and exterior walls.
Then there's the red clay. That distinctive Georgia soil expands when wet and shrinks when dry, creating a constant push and pull on foundations. The result shows up inside as diagonal cracks at window and door corners, nail pops along ceiling joints, and that unsettling gap between baseboards and floors that opens and closes with the seasons.
Most Georgia homes sit on either slab foundations or crawl spaces. Full basements are rare because the high water table makes them impractical in much of the state. Crawl spaces create their own drywall challenges, with moisture wicking up through the floor system and affecting walls from below.
The building styles range from antebellum homes in Savannah with original plaster walls to 1970s ranch houses in the suburbs to modern construction in Atlanta's expanding metro area. Each era brought different materials and methods, but all of them have to contend with Georgia's unique combination of heat, humidity, and soil movement.
Common Georgia Considerations
- Humidity and mold growth
- Red clay soil causing foundation movement
- Nail pops and corner cracks
- Crawl space moisture problems
- Storm and flooding damage
Local Requirements: Georgia follows International Residential Code; state residential contractor license required for projects over $2,500