Sinking foundation repair across Florida.

It depends entirely on the cause. Sand washout from a single major storm can drop a slab ½″–1″ in days. Karst-driven settlement is typically slower — measurable in months. Sinkhole activity can be either, with no warning. The rule we use: if you’ve measured more than ½″ of drop in less than 12 months, treat it as accelerated and call us this week, not next month.

A long level or a laser level across the slab in 8–10 ft spans will tell you whether floors are out of level. To confirm active movement (not just pre-existing), mark a couple of crack widths with a pencil and a dated note — if they widen over 30–60 days, it’s active. Bring those readings to the inspection and the PE can move faster on a fix.

Helical piers carry full design capacity in saturated soil — the helical flights engage dense bearing strata below the saturated zone, and the galvanized shaft isn’t affected by groundwater. Push piers and concrete drilled shafts struggle here because they rely on shaft friction in soil that’s lost cohesion. This is why our Jacksonville and SW Florida designs are almost always helicals.

Usually yes, partially or fully. After helicals are seated to bearing, hydraulic jacks at each pier location lift the structure in controlled ½″ increments. We can typically recover 60–95% of original elevation depending on how long the structure has been settled and how brittle the framing materials are. The PE makes the call on lift target based on structural condition — sometimes “stop the movement at current elevation” is the right answer.

If the cause is sinkhole activity, generally yes — sinkhole coverage is required to be offered on Florida policies. If the cause is normal settlement, drainage failure, or tree roots, generally no. We document the cause with our PE and the engineering report is what insurers accept for coverage determination.

Most residential helical pier scopes run $1,200–$2,500 per pier installed, depending on depth and access. A typical 6–10 pier job covers a single failing wall or slab corner. Whole-house pier scopes for severe settlement are bid by scope, not per pier. The free inspection includes a written quote so you can compare directly.