If you want to know how to lift a concrete slab and avoid total replacement, you’re in the right place. This article discusses how experts lift concrete slabs, when you need slab lifting, how much replacing a concrete slab costs, and how much lifting a concrete slab costs. Follow along!
How To Lift A Concrete Slab
If you have a slab that’s sinking into the soil underneath it, it’s probably because the dirt isn’t strong enough to support the weight of the concrete. In this case, experts will pump a polyurethane foam underneath your slab, giving your concrete a stronger foundation to sit on. Here’s how it works.
- First, dime-sized holes are drilled into your concrete. Sometimes, sidewalks can be lifted using a special jack instead of drilling holes.
- Second, the unique polyurethane foam is pumped into the holes until it fills the entire void beneath the slab.
- Lastly, the polyurethane foam will expand under your concrete and harden, lifting up your slab, giving it a stronger foundation to rest on.
Learn more: A Homeowners Guide To Concrete Floor Leveling.
When Should You Lift A Concrete Slab?
Here are a few reasons why your concrete slab needs lifting.
- Your slab is sinking due to poor drainage or a sewer break – If water is draining toward your slab, the soil could be washing out from underneath the concrete. This can also happen if your gutters are dropping water too close to your slab or if a sewer line breaks and wastewater begins leaking into the dirt.
- Your slab is sinking into improperly compacted soil – Before any foundation or slab is poured, the dirt underneath must be properly compacted, decreasing the space between soil particles. If this process was skipped or done incorrectly, your slab could sink into the loose soil.
- Your slab is sinking and rising over expansive soil – Soil that contains a lot of clay is what experts call expansive soil. This type of soil will grow when it absorbs water and contract when the soil dries, causing the slab above to rise and fall.
- Your slab is too close to trees and their roots – Roots can make their way underneath your slab, causing the concrete to lift up. Then, when the roots die or absorb all the water in the soil, they could leave behind voids that cause your concrete to sink.
Read more – Why Are Tree Roots Lifting Your Concrete Slab?
How Much Does Replacing A Concrete Slab Cost?
Replacing a concrete slab is very tedious. It involves breaking apart your old slab, hauling away the old concrete, clearing the area for the new concrete, pouring the new slab, and finally waiting for it dry. All that can take days or even weeks to complete.
On average, a new concrete slab costs between $4 to $8 per square foot. That doesn’t include the cost of materials which can be about $4 per cubic foot, or the cost to break apart your old slab and haul it away, costing around $2 to $6 per square foot. All those expenditures will begin to add up, costing you thousands of dollars.
How Much Does Lifting A Concrete Slab Cost?
Lifting a concrete slab in the Chicago area starts at a base cost of $800. After that, the price rises based on several different factors.
- Sidewalks – The cost to lift a sidewalk depends on the width, length, and how much the slab dropped.
- Driveways and patios – The cost to lift a driveway or patio usually costs around $1,500. It just depends on how large the void under the slab is and how much lift is required.
- Interior concrete slabs – The cost to lift an interior concrete slab is one of the most expensive repair types. This is because the usual cause of interior slab sinkage has to do with sewer breaks. Your slab won’t sink right away, though. It will take a large void to sink your six-inch-thick floor. That means that more foam is required to fill the void, thus, increasing the total cost.
Read more: How Much Does Concrete Leveling Cost?
Benefits Of Lifting A Concrete Slab
Lifting a concrete slab using polyurethane foam comes with many benefits.
- It only takes about 15 minutes for the foam to harden and become usable.
- The foam won’t leech chemicals into the soil or grass.
- The foam is lightweight and won’t contribute to any further sinkage.
- Lifting a slab is cheaper than pouring a new slab.
- The foam is waterproof and won’t erode or shift if it comes in contact with water.
Who Lifts Concrete Slabs Near Me?
Do you live in the Greater Chicago area? Do you have a concrete slab that needs lifting? If so, call The Real Seal. We’ll come out and inspect your concrete slab, find out how much lift is needed, and return your slab back to its normal level. We also provide foundation repair, foundation waterproofing, crawl space repair, and more. Call now!
