You might know this as concrete lifting. Same work, either name. We lift sunken concrete back to grade instead of tearing it out — driveways, walkways, patios, steps and garage slabs. The slab you already have goes back where it belongs, usually in a day, at a fraction of replacement cost.
Establishing why the slab moved. Downspout discharge, a broken drain, uncompacted backfill against a foundation, or a plumbing leak each need addressing or the settlement returns.
How much empty space exists under the slab determines how much material is needed and whether lifting is even the right answer versus stabilizing in place.
Mudjacking uses one to two inch holes; foam uses ports around five-eighths of an inch. Smaller holes are less visible after patching, which matters on a decorative or visible surface.
Material is pumped in stages while the slab is monitored with a level. Lifting is done incrementally across multiple ports rather than forcing it up at one point, which would crack it.
Open joints and cracks are sealed afterwards so surface water stops running straight back under the slab and washing out the support again.
Holes are filled and finished. They remain visible on close inspection; anyone claiming they will be invisible on a weathered slab is overselling.
If you are seeing any of this, call us before it gets more expensive.
| What you are seeing | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Slab sunk but still in one sound piece | Good lifting candidate; replacement not needed |
| Slab broken into several pieces that rock | Structural failure; lifting will not restore it |
| Settlement worst next to a downspout | Water washout; fix the discharge or it repeats |
| Slab settled again within a year of lifting | Underlying cause was never resolved |
Levels taken across the slab, void probed, and the drainage or plumbing cause identified. A contractor who does not ask where the water goes has not diagnosed anything.
Foam or slurry chosen against soil conditions, load, access and how visible the port holes will be. Weak soils favor lightweight foam; cost-sensitive utility slabs favor mudjacking.
Ports drilled in a pattern across the settled area, sized to the method. Pattern spacing determines how evenly the lift distributes.
Material pumped in stages, moving between ports, with continuous level monitoring. Going slowly is what prevents cracking the slab during the lift.
Ports patched, joints and cracks sealed so surface water no longer runs beneath. This last step is what protects the work and is sometimes quoted separately.