A new dip in the yard or cracks that grow fast? Get a free inspection from a local foundation crew, find out if sinkhole testing is the next step, and get a written price.
⚠If a hole is opening or growing right now, keep everyone and every car away from it, call 911, and call your insurer. A contractor comes out after the area is safe.
Local to Tallahassee
✓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
✓Lake Jackson drains through a sinkholeNorth of town, Lake Jackson drains every so often through a sinkhole called Porter Hole Sink. A big part of the lake drained away in 1999. It happened again in 2021.news.wfsu.org
✓A sinkhole took a home in 2020In January 2020, a sinkhole opened at a mobile home park on Capital Circle Southwest in Tallahassee. Within a day it swallowed a home. Two families lost their homes.news4jax.com
✓What sets sinkholes offThe Florida Geological Survey lists drought, heavy rain, heavy groundwater pumping, blasting, heavy loads and big earth-moving jobs as triggers. Sinkholes are most active when rain returns after a long drought.floridadep.gov
✓Florida sinkhole insurance lawEvery Florida property policy must cover a catastrophic ground cover collapse. Insurers must also offer sinkhole coverage for an added cost. The deductible can be 1, 2, 5 or 10 percent of the dwelling limit.flsenate.gov
✓Who pays for sinkhole testingIf you have sinkhole coverage and the damage looks like a sinkhole, Florida law says the insurer must hire an engineer or geologist to test. The insurer generally pays for it.flsenate.gov
What it costs
Typical published ranges for Tallahassee. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
Work
Typical range
Foundation inspection
Free
Typical sinkhole repair, national cost guide
$10,000 to $20,000
Structural engineer report
$300 to $2,000
Steel or helical pier
$1,000 to $3,000each
Full piering job
$10,000 to $40,000
Average Florida subsidence sinkhole insurance claim, 2006 to 2010About. Includes house, land and engineering costs.
Sinkholes are part of life in the Tallahassee area. Rainwater is slightly acidic. Over a very long time it dissolves the limestone under north Florida and leaves hollow spaces in the rock. The Florida Geological Survey explains that a sinkhole forms when the soil above one of those spaces drops into it.
Most foundation problems in Tallahassee are not sinkholes. They are caused by settling, soft fill or water. But when the ground near your house drops or opens up, you want to know which one you are dealing with, fast.
The contractor we connect you with will look at the house and the yard, check floor levels, map the cracks and tell you if what they see points to a sinkhole. If it does, the next step is testing by a professional engineer or geologist. Then you get a written repair plan and price.
What we help with
A round dip or hole in the yard that was not there before
Cracks that grow fast in walls, floors or the driveway
A corner of the house that dropped suddenly
Doors and windows that started sticking all at once
Trees, fence posts or a shed that started to lean
A pool deck or patio that cracked and sank
Ground near the house that feels soft or hollow
A past sinkhole claim on the house that needs a second look
How sinkhole repair works
Testing first. A sinkhole repair starts with finding out what is under the ground. An engineer or geologist may use ground-penetrating radar, other ground surveys and soil borings to look for loose soil and hollow spots. The state notes these tests are not always conclusive, so the report matters. Their report shows where and how deep the problem is.
Compaction grouting. This is a common fix for sinkholes under a house. Small holes are drilled around and under the house, and steel pipes are set into them. A thick grout is pumped down under pressure, in stages, to fill gaps and pack the loose soil. The pipes come out and the holes are sealed.
Chemical or foam grouting. A liquid or foam that hardens is pumped into the soil closer to the surface. It helps bind loose sand and fill small gaps, often under the slab.
Piers. Steel piers are driven or screwed down to firm ground and hold up the house. Piers are often used with grouting, and they can lift a slab that dropped. See foundation repair.
Cosmetic repairs. After the ground is stable, cracks in walls, floors and brick can be fixed. See foundation crack repair.
Water control. Keeping roof water spread out and away from the house cuts down the water feeding into the ground in one spot. See drainage correction.
What it costs
Sinkhole costs vary more than any other foundation job, because no one knows how big the problem is until it is tested. These are typical ranges from published cost guides by Angi and Fixr, plus state claim data. They are not a quote. Large insurance claims include the house, the land and the engineering, so they run much higher than a small repair. See the Tallahassee foundation repair cost guide.
What to do right now
Stay safe. Keep people and pets away from any open hole. If the house or anyone's safety is at risk, call local law enforcement.
Take photos. Photograph the hole, the cracks and the date. Measure crack widths with a coin or ruler.
Call your insurer. Ask if you have sinkhole coverage and how to file. Florida has time limits for sinkhole claims.
Get it looked at. Call (850) 988-3375 for a free inspection by a local foundation crew.
Get your free sinkhole inspection
You do not have to guess. Call (850) 988-3375 or send the short form. A local foundation crew will call you back, usually the same day, to look at the house and the yard and tell you plainly what they see.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a sinkhole or just settling?
You often cannot tell by looking. Settling tends to be slow and shows up as cracks and sticking doors. A sinkhole may show as a new round dip or hole in the yard, fast-growing cracks, or damage that spreads quickly. Testing by an engineer or geologist is the only way to know for sure.
What should I do if a hole opens up near my house?
Keep people and pets away from it. If there is any risk to the house or to anyone's safety, call local law enforcement. Then call (850) 988-3375 to get a local crew out, and call your insurance company.
Does the state inspect sinkholes?
No. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says it does not inspect possible sinkholes. It points homeowners to a home inspector or foundation specialist for an assessment.
Does homeowners insurance cover sinkholes in Florida?
Every Florida property policy must cover a catastrophic ground cover collapse, which is a sudden collapse that leaves the home condemned. Insurers must offer broader sinkhole coverage for an added cost, often with a deductible of 1, 2, 5 or 10 percent of the dwelling limit. Check your policy.
Who pays for sinkhole testing?
If you have sinkhole coverage and the damage looks like it could be a sinkhole, Florida law says the insurer must hire an engineer or geologist to test, and generally pays for it. Without that coverage, you would pay for testing yourself.
Is Tallahassee in a sinkhole area?
Parts of it are. South of the Cody Escarpment, the Woodville Karst Plain has thin sand over limestone and many sinkholes and springs. North of the escarpment, the limestone is covered by thicker layers of rock and soil, so sinkholes are less common there.
Can a house be saved after sinkhole damage?
In many cases, yes. Grouting fills and firms up the ground, and piers can hold up the house. The plan depends on what testing finds.
Could it be something other than a sinkhole?
Yes. The state notes that broken sewer or drain pipes, broken septic tanks, poorly packed soil after digging, and buried trash or debris can all make the ground sink and look like a sinkhole.