✓Red clay hills to the northMost of Tallahassee sits north of the Cody Escarpment, in the Red Hills. The main soil there is sandy on top with sandy clay below. Some nearby soils have deep layers that let water through slowly.soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov
✓Sand over limestone to the southSouth of the Cody Escarpment lies the Woodville Karst Plain. A thin layer of sand covers limestone. Rain slowly dissolves the rock and leaves hollow spaces. The plain is full of sinkholes, springs and caves.blog.wfsu.org
✓Close to 60 inches of rain a yearTallahassee gets close to 60 inches of rain in a normal year. In 2014 it got 68.47 inches. That was 9.24 inches above normal, the National Weather Service says.weather.gov
✓Hurricane Hermine, 2016Hermine came ashore near St. Marks in September 2016. It was the first hurricane to hit Tallahassee since 1985. It knocked down trees and power lines across the city.news4jax.com
✓Hurricane Michael, 2018During Hurricane Michael in October 2018, about 89 percent of City of Tallahassee utility customers lost power. That is from a Florida Public Service Commission report.floridapsc.com
What it costs
Typical published ranges for Tallahassee. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
Work
Typical range
Inspection and written estimate
Free
Foundation repair in Tallahassee, small to major jobs
Foundation repair that fixes the cause, not just the crack
A crack is a symptom. The real question is why the house moved. In Tallahassee the answer is almost always water, soil or both. A good repair lifts and supports the part of the house that dropped, then deals with whatever made it drop.
That is what the free inspection is for. The contractor we connect you with walks the whole house, takes floor level readings in every room, maps the cracks inside and out, and looks under the house or around the slab edge. Then you get a written plan and a price.
What the crew can fix
Tell us what you see. These are the problems people in Tallahassee call about most:
The house sank on one corner or one side, so doors and floors feel off
Cracks over doors and windows that come back after you patch them
Stair-step cracks in brick or block outside
Floors that slope, sag or bounce in an older home
Gaps between the wall and the ceiling, or trim pulling away
Doors and windows that stick in summer and loosen up in winter
Chimneys or porches pulling away from the house
Rotted or wet wood under the floor in a crawl space
How the fix works
Every house is different, but most Tallahassee foundation jobs use one or more of these:
Steel push piers. Steel pipes are driven down under the footing until they reach firm soil or rock. The house is then lifted back toward level and set on the piers. Push piers use the weight of the house to drive them down.
Helical piers. These look like giant screws. They are turned into the ground with a machine. They work well for lighter parts of a house, like porches, and where the house is too light to drive push piers.
Concrete piers. Pre-made concrete pieces are pressed into the ground and stacked. They cost less in some cases but usually do not go as deep as steel.
Crawl space supports. For homes with a crawl space, the crew may add new steel or concrete supports, swap rotted wood, add shims, or put in a new beam. See pier and beam repair for more.
Drainage fixes. Gutter extensions, regrading and French drains move rain away from the house so the ground stays steady. See drainage correction.
Sinkhole work. When testing points to a sinkhole, the fix is different. It often means pumping grout deep into the ground to fill and firm up loose soil, sometimes with piers too. See sinkhole repair.
Why Tallahassee homes move
Clay that dries and swells. Florida sinkhole research notes that some ground sinking comes from clay layers. They shrink in dry times and swell in wet times. That slow movement is one of the most common reasons Tallahassee homes crack.
Water at the walls. A clogged gutter or a downspout that empties next to the wall can soak one spot over and over. On sloped lots, runoff can wash soil from under the low side.
Big trees. Large oaks close to a home can pull water from the soil on one side. When they fall in a storm, they can tear up the ground at the foundation edge.
What it costs
These are typical ranges from published cost guides by Fixr, HomeBlue and Modernize. They are not a quote. What moves the price most is how many piers you need, how deep they must go, and whether drainage or plumbing work is part of the fix. Your written estimate should show every pier on a drawing. See the Tallahassee foundation repair cost guide for more.
What a good written estimate includes
Whoever you hire, the estimate should show:
Floor level readings across the whole house, not just one room
A drawing with every pier or support marked
The type of pier and how deep they expect to go
Any drainage, plumbing test or crack patching included
Who pulls the permit, if one is needed
The warranty in writing, and whether it transfers if you sell
Ask for the contractor's Florida license number and check it on the state DBPR license search. Ask for proof of insurance too.
Get your free foundation inspection
The sooner you know what is going on, the cheaper the fix tends to be. Call (850) 988-3375 or send the short form. A local foundation crew will call you back, usually the same day, to set up your free inspection and written price.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I need foundation repair?
Several sticking doors, cracks that run from the corners of doors and windows, stair-step cracks in brick, and floors that slope are the most common signs. A floor level check at the free inspection shows if the house really moved.
What is the most common foundation fix in Tallahassee?
For slab homes it is usually piers under the part that sank. For older homes with a crawl space it is usually new supports, shims and sometimes new wood under the floor. Many jobs also need a drainage fix so the problem does not come back.
How long does foundation repair take?
Many pier jobs take one to three days once the work starts. Crawl space jobs depend on how much wood needs replacing. Permits and scheduling add time before the crew arrives.
Will my house go back to perfectly level?
Often it gets much closer, but not always perfect. Older houses may have been built a little off. Your crew should tell you before work starts how much lift is safe and what to expect.
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Tallahassee?
Many structural repairs need a building permit. Inside city limits that comes from the City of Tallahassee Growth Management Building Division. In unincorporated Leon County it comes from the county. The contractor normally pulls it.
How do I check the contractor is licensed?
Ask for their Florida license number and look it up on the state DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com. Also ask for proof of insurance and the warranty in writing.
Can a sinkhole cause foundation damage?
Yes, but most foundation cracks in Tallahassee are caused by settling, soft fill or water, not a sinkhole. If the inspector sees signs that point to a sinkhole, they will tell you a test by an engineer or geologist is the next step.