⚠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.
Why houses move in Gainesville
✓Gainesville sits on karstKarst is ground made of limestone with holes in it. Water dissolves the rock slowly. Sand and clay above it can drain down into the gaps. Alachua County says sinkholes form most in the west and center of the county, where less than 25 feet of sand covers the rock.alachuacounty.us
✓Sinkholes you can visitDevil's Millhopper in northwest Gainesville is a sinkhole about 120 feet deep and 500 feet wide. South of town, Paynes Prairie drains mainly through Alachua Sink. These are old, natural sinkholes. They show what the rock under Gainesville is like.en.wikipedia.org
✓The Westwood collapseIn fall 2020 a sinkhole opened in Westwood, near NW 13th Place. It grew to more than 100 feet wide and pulled in a pool. Three houses were condemned and torn down, WUFT reported. A local geologist said Gainesville's clay-heavy soil points to a cover-collapse sinkhole.wuft.org
✓Repeat holes in Haile PlantationIn 2019 two small sinkholes opened in a retention area in Haile Plantation, WUFT reported. Residents said holes in the area have reopened after being filled. A county engineer said the limestone there sits closer to the surface than in other parts of the county.wuft.org
✓More common than beforeThe county says sinkholes have grown more common in recent decades. It points to pumping groundwater, moving storm water and building ponds. It adds that sinking soil is common in very wet spells after dry ones.alachuacounty.us
What it costs
Typical published ranges for Gainesville. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
Work
Typical range
Inspection and written estimate
Free
Your share of sinkhole testing, if you demand it after a denialFlorida Statute 627.707 caps it at 50 percent of the cost
$0 to $2,500
Underpinning a home with piersAngi
$15,000 to $50,000
Compaction or chemical grouting under a homeFlorida engineers quoted by WTSP
Living in Gainesville means living on limestone with holes in it. So a new crack, a door that sticks or a soft spot in the yard can feel scary. You may wonder if the house is sitting over a hole.
Most of the time, it is not. Settling, leaks and water from the roof cause far more cracks than true sinkholes. But some homes here do sit over gaps in the rock. The only way to know is a careful look, then testing if the signs point that way.
That is where a free inspection helps. A local crew checks the house and the yard. They tell you what they see and what the next step is.
Signs that can point to a sinkhole
The Alachua County sinkhole fact sheet lists these warning signs. Any one of them can have another cause. Two or more together are worth a call.
Doors and windows that suddenly stop closing right.
New cracks in walls, floors, the driveway or the ground.
Slumping or sagging in part of the house.
Fence posts or poles that start to lean.
Rain pooling where it never pooled before, or no longer pooling where it used to.
Sand or mud in well water, or water that turns cloudy.
If a hole opens and grows fast, keep everyone back. Call your insurer. If anyone is in danger, call 911.
Sinkhole or settling? How the answer is found
A crew can see damage, but they cannot see under the ground. When signs point to a sinkhole, an engineer or geologist runs tests. They may drill borings and use ground radar to look for gaps in the soil and rock.
The Florida Geological Survey says no state agency inspects private homes for sinkholes. So the testing comes from your insurer's expert, or from one you hire.
Testing tells you three things. Is there a sinkhole? How deep are the problem soils? What repair will hold? The repair plan comes from that report.
How sinkhole damage gets fixed
Sinkhole repair has two parts. One part works on the ground. The other part supports the house.
Grouting
Crews pump grout down through pipes into the ground. Compaction grout is a thick mix that packs loose soil and fills gaps near the rock. Chemical grout is a thinner mix that seals and firms up soil closer to the surface. Many repairs use both.
Underpinning
Steel piers are driven down to firm ground under the house. The house is then lifted and held on the piers. This supports the house even if the soil above stays weak.
Finish work
After the ground and house are stable, cracks get sealed and floors may need leveling. Patching drywall, stucco and tile comes last.
Florida sinkhole insurance in plain words
Florida has two state laws on sinkhole claims. Here is what they say, in short. Your policy and your agent have the final word.
Two kinds of coverage. Every Florida home policy must cover a catastrophic ground cover collapse. That is a sudden collapse with a hole you can see, damage to the house, and the house condemned. Wider sinkhole coverage is optional and costs extra.
Settling is not a collapse. The law says cracks and settling alone do not count as a ground cover collapse.
Deductibles. A sinkhole deductible can be 1, 2, 5 or 10 percent of the home's coverage amount.
Two years to report. You must tell your insurer within 2 years of when you knew, or should have known, about the damage.
Testing. If damage may be from a sinkhole and you have sinkhole coverage, the insurer must hire an engineer or geologist to test.
Your right to ask. If the insurer denies the claim without testing, you can ask for testing in writing within 60 days. You pay half, up to $2,500. You get it back if a sinkhole is confirmed.
The repair contract. You have 90 days after coverage is confirmed to sign a repair contract. Repairs should be done within 12 months after that, in most cases.
No rebates. The law bans repair contractors from offering you a rebate. Taking one can void your coverage.
About these prices
Sinkhole repair costs vary more than any other foundation job. The cost table above shows typical ranges from cost guides and news reports, not quotes. A small job with a few piers costs far less than deep grouting under the whole house. The engineer's report and your written estimate set the real number. See the cost guide for more.
Questions to ask before you sign
Is there an engineer's or geologist's report, and does the plan follow it?
Is the job grouting, piers or both?
How deep will the grout or piers go?
What is your Florida contractor license number?
What does the warranty cover, and does it transfer if I sell?
How do you bill when an insurance claim is paying for the work?
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if it is a sinkhole?
You cannot know for sure by looking. Cracks, sticking doors and low spots can come from many causes. An engineer or geologist confirms a sinkhole by testing the ground, often with borings and ground radar.
What should I do if a hole opens in my yard?
Keep people and pets away, and mark the spot. Do not pour water into it. Call your insurance company right away. If the hole threatens the house or anyone's safety, call 911.
Does my insurance cover sinkholes?
Every Florida home policy must cover a catastrophic ground cover collapse. That means the ground suddenly gave way and the home was condemned. Wider sinkhole coverage is optional and costs extra. Read your policy to see which one you have.
How long do I have to file a sinkhole claim?
Florida law gives you 2 years from when you knew, or should have known, about the damage. Do not wait to report it.
Who decides how a sinkhole gets fixed?
For an insured sinkhole loss, Florida law says repairs follow the plan from the insurer's engineer. You sign a repair contract with a contractor. The insurer pays as the work gets done.
Is grouting or underpinning better?
They do different jobs. Grouting fills gaps and firms up the ground below. Underpinning sets piers down to firm ground to hold up the house. Many sinkhole repairs use both. The engineer's report should say which one your house needs.
Can I sell a house that had a sinkhole repair?
Yes. Florida law says a seller who got a paid sinkhole claim must tell the buyer before closing. The seller must also say if all the money went to repairs. Keep every report and receipt.
Will the sinkhole come back after repair?
A good repair aims to stop the settling under the house. The ground in Gainesville keeps changing over time, so ask what the warranty covers and get it in writing.
Get your free sinkhole inspection
If you see cracks, sticking doors or a low spot near the house, do not wait. Call (352) 724-7728 or send the short form. A local crew will call you back, usually the same day. They will tell you what they see and what comes next.