What the sinkhole statute says about a cracked foundation
Section 627.706(2) defines the terms separately. A catastrophic ground cover collapse needs an abrupt collapse of the ground cover, a depression visible to the naked eye, structural damage to the building including the foundation, and a structure condemned and ordered vacated, and the statute adds that damage consisting merely of settling or cracking does not qualify. Sinkhole loss is structural damage to the covered building, including the foundation, caused by sinkhole activity.
To find out which one applies, a professional engineer and a professional geologist perform tests sufficient, in their professional opinion, to determine the presence or absence of sinkhole loss or another cause of damage within reasonable professional probability. A written report and certification then states the cause and, where a sinkhole is verified, the engineer's recommended methods for stabilizing the land and building and repairing the foundation.
Foundation crack repair in Florida: our estimate and the wages behind it
A crack repair is modeled at $220 to $700 per crack repair, built from national published ranges (3 counted) and the Florida cement mason wage ratio (0.87). That's an estimate, not a quote. The figure describes sealing a crack; stabilizing a building after a verified sinkhole loss follows an engineer's recommended method and is outside it.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $220 to $700 per crack repair | Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida cement mason wage ratio (0.87). One Florida foundation company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Concrete finisher pay, Florida mean | $25.26 an hour | BLS May 2025 mean hourly wage in Florida for the occupation behind most crack-repair work; pay, not a price. |
| Concrete finisher pay, US mean | $28.87 an hour | The nationwide figure from the same release, used as the divisor for the wage ratio. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (3 sources), adjusted by Florida's cement mason wage ratio to the US (0.87, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. One Florida foundation company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
Who assesses a crack, and where the Sinkhole Helpline fits
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says it does not inspect possible sinkholes. Its Florida Geological Survey points callers to the Sinkhole Helpline at 850-245-2118 and, for an assessment, to a certified home inspector or foundation specialist in your area. The Survey's page also lists things that can mimic sinkhole activity: clay or organic layers that compress as water is removed, broken sewer and drain pipes, broken septic tanks, poorly compacted soil after excavation, and buried trash, logs and debris.
The Survey keeps a database of reported subsidence incidents and says most of those reports haven't been field-checked and the cause isn't verified. So a report in that database doesn't confirm a sinkhole at an address, and for your own house the Survey's advice is still a home inspector or foundation specialist.
If you file an insurance claim: the 2-year notice and the neutral evaluation
Section 627.706(5) bars a sinkhole claim, including supplemental and reopened claims, unless the insurer received notice within 2 years after the policyholder knew or reasonably should have known about the sinkhole loss. Insurers must provide coverage for a catastrophic ground cover collapse, and sinkhole loss coverage must be made available for an additional premium.
If the insurer denies the claim on the test results, or you cannot agree on the repair method, the policyholder may request a neutral evaluation by a professional engineer or geologist through the Department of Financial Services program. Where the insurer denied without testing, you send a written demand for geological testing within 60 days of the denial and pay 50% of the actual testing cost or $2,500, whichever is less. A confirmed sinkhole loss means the insurer reimburses the testing cost.
Cracks that shouldn't wait
- A crack is wider at one end or has stepped so one side sits higher than the other.
- A door that never stuck now binds, and the gap above it is uneven.
- A depression has opened in the yard beside the house; keep people away from the edge.
- A thin crack that has not changed since you photographed it, with no water coming through.
Record the crack first
- Lay a ruler beside the crack, photograph it, and repeat on the same date each month.
- Write down when you first noticed it and any recent plumbing leak or excavation near the house.
- Ask any company you call to put its diagnosis and the repair method in writing.
Permits for a crack repair in Florida
Section 553.79 requires a permit to repair a building, and its $7,500 exemption excludes structural work and flood hazard areas. The city pages in our sources don't say whether sealing a crack alone counts, so call your building office, describe the crack and where it runs, and ask.
DBPR has no foundation repair license category, so ask which state contractor license the company holds, look the number up on myfloridalicense.com and get its certificate of insurance before you sign anything.
Questions people ask
Does a cracked foundation mean I have a sinkhole in Florida?
Not on the crack alone; the statute leaves that call to testing by an engineer and a geologist. Section 627.706 says settling or cracking by itself is not a catastrophic ground cover collapse, and section 627.7072 sends the cause question to tests.
Who do I call about a possible sinkhole?
The state's geology office does not inspect, so start with the Helpline or a foundation specialist. The Florida Geological Survey Sinkhole Helpline is 850-245-2118. For insurance questions the Survey points to the Department of Financial Services Division of Consumer Services.
How long do I have to report a sinkhole loss to my insurer?
Notice must reach the insurer within 2 years of when you knew or should have known. Section 627.706(5) applies the same limit to supplemental and reopened claims.
How much does it cost to repair a foundation crack in Florida?
Our model puts one crack repair at $220 to $700 per crack repair, an estimate, not a quote. A crack that traces to a verified sinkhole loss is repaired under the engineer's recommended method, which this figure does not model.
- Florida Statutes s. 627.706 Sinkhole insurance; catastrophic ground cover collapse; definitions Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7072 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7073 Sinkhole reports Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DEP Florida Geological Survey: Sinkholes Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DEP Florida Geological Survey: Subsidence Incident Reports (+ SIRS Disclaimer) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS Consumer Services: Mediation and Neutral Evaluation Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS: Sinkholes and Catastrophic Ground Cover Collapse (consumer guide) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- FoundationMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s. 553.79 Permits; applications; issuance; inspections Read Oct 24, 2026.