Pooler: fast growth, flat lots and a lot of standing water

A town that doubled down on new houses

Pooler was first settled in 1838 and incorporated in 1907, named for railroad man Robert William Pooler. Its population went from 19,140 in 2010 to 25,711 in 2020, and an estimated 32,744 in 2025 (Wikipedia, read 2 November 2026). Most of that growth is production subdivisions. Savannah Quarters is the big master planned community, with homes from about $250,000 up to custom houses (South Magazine, undated). Homes this new are commonly built on slabs, though you should confirm yours.

Water is the common thread

During Tropical Storm Debby the National Weather Service recorded 10 inches over two days, and water entered homes on Tappan Zee Drive around 5 August 2024. Some of those homes also flooded in Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, and residents say the street flooded again in 2020. One owner had no flood insurance because his insurer said he was outside a flood zone (News4JAX, 7 August 2024; WTOC, 6 August 2024). Chatham County soils are mostly in the highest runoff group, with a shallow water table, so water has few places to go.

What that means for a slab

When a lot stays wet, soil near the edge of the slab can soften and the slab can settle unevenly. Look for cracks that run diagonally from door corners, brick veneer cracks, and doors that stick after rain. Check the grading first: the ground should fall away from the house, and downspouts should end well beyond the slab edge. See the foundation guide.

Where permits go

Pooler has its own building department at City Hall, 100 US Highway 80 SW, phone (912) 748-7261. The city has posted a notice that storm and flood repairs may need a permit depending on damage. Houses outside the city limits fall under other offices, so confirm your address first. See the permit guide.

Roads you know

Interstates 95 and 16 meet US 80 here, and Pooler Parkway and Jimmy DeLoach Parkway carry most local traffic. Tanger Outlets, the Mosaic Center and Gulfstream by the airport are the usual landmarks.

Questions to ask before a slab repair

If a company recommends piers, ask how many, where they go and how deep, and ask who designs the plan. If the plan does not mention water, ask why not, because on a lot where Debby put water inside homes the drainage is part of the answer. Ask whether a builder warranty or a homeowner warranty from the original sale might still apply, since many Pooler homes are recent. Ask whether the work needs a city permit, and who pulls it. Keep every written answer together in one folder.

Where these facts come from

Read on 2 November 2026.

• Wikipedia: Pooler, Georgia.
• News4JAX, 7 August 2024; WTOC, 6 August 2024.
• South Magazine on Savannah Quarters.
• MPC Natural Resources draft, soils.