On Wilmington's sandy ground, slabs do not always stay where we put them. Heavy rain can wash sand out from under a walk. A high water table can soften the base under a driveway. The slab drops on one side. Now you have a trip hazard, a puddle that stays after a storm and a gap along the house.
Concrete leveling lifts that slab back to where it belongs, often for far less than a tear out. Coastal Concrete Wilmington handles concrete leveling in Wilmington NC for driveways, patios, walkways, steps and garage floors. We look at the slab and the ground first and give a free written estimate.
What concrete leveling is and when it works
Concrete leveling, sometimes called slab lifting or mudjacking, fills the empty space under a sunken slab and lifts it. We drill small holes, pump a lifting material under the slab and watch it rise in small steps until it matches the concrete around it.
It works best when the slab is solid and in one piece, and has simply settled. It does not work on a slab that is broken into many pieces or crumbling, or on ground that is still washing away.
- A driveway or walk that has dropped on one side
- A patio that tilts toward the house
- Steps or stoops that have sunk away from the door
- A garage floor that has settled near the door
Why slabs sink in Wilmington
Water is the usual cause. Roof runoff, sprinklers and storm rain soak into the sand, and the sand moves. A high water table can leave the base soft. Poor compaction when the slab was first poured makes it worse. Once a void forms, the slab sags into it.
Fixing the cause matters as much as lifting the slab. We look at gutters, downspouts, sprinklers and slopes, because a lifted slab will sink again if the water keeps coming.
Leveling versus replacing a slab
Leveling costs less than replacement and finishes faster, usually in a few hours. You keep your existing concrete, color and landscaping. Replacement is a better choice when the slab is cracked into pieces, when the surface is failing or when the ground needs major work.
We tell you which fits. Related pages include concrete repair, concrete driveway replacement and foundation repair.
Concrete leveling cost, timing and next steps
Price depends on the size of the slab, how far it has sunk and how much material is needed. Most jobs take a few hours, and you can usually use the surface soon after. We give you a free written estimate after we look at the slab and the drainage.
Call us any day from 5 AM to 10 PM or use the contact page. Send a photo of the sunken area if you like.
Concrete Leveling questions answered
What is concrete leveling and how does it work?
Concrete leveling lifts a sunken slab back to its original height by filling the empty space beneath it. We drill small holes in the slab, pump a lifting material under it and raise the concrete slowly until it is level with the slab around it. Then we fill the holes and clean up. The goal is to restore support under the slab, not just to push it up.
It works well on solid slabs that have settled in one piece. If the slab is badly broken or the ground is still moving, lifting will not last, and replacement is smarter. We look at the slab and tell you which path makes sense.
Ask for photos of the holes after the work, since a neat patch shows care, and we are glad to send them so you can see the result. Ask for a written note on how far each slab has dropped, so you can see the change after the lift.
How do I know if my slab can be leveled or must be replaced?
Look at the slab. If it is mostly in one piece, with a few cracks but a solid surface, and it has simply dropped on one side or near the house, concrete leveling is often possible. If it is crumbling, broken into many pieces or has a failing surface, replacement is the better choice. A hollow sound when you tap the slab means there is a void underneath.
The ground matters too. If water keeps washing out the sand, any fix will fail until the water is controlled. We check the drainage, explain your options and give a free written estimate for each one.
A hollow sound under a tapped slab often means a void, and a photo of the low spot with the date helps us plan the concrete leveling. Tell us if a tree stands near the slab, since roots that pulled water from the sand can leave a void that we need to fill.
How long does concrete leveling take, and when can I use the slab?
Most concrete leveling jobs take a few hours, depending on the size of the slab and how far it has dropped. The lifting happens in steps, and we check the level as we go. After the holes are filled, you can usually walk on the slab right away and use it for light traffic soon after.
Heavy vehicles may need a short wait, and we tell you exactly how long. Compared with tearing out and pouring a new slab, leveling is much faster and does not leave you with weeks of curing and a torn up yard. If you have a deadline, tell us when you call.
Plan to keep sprinklers pointed away from the slab for a few days, and tell us if any heavy delivery is coming soon after the job. A short sketch of the sunken area, with a few measurements, helps us estimate the amount of lifting material before we even visit your property.
Will the slab sink again after leveling?
It can, if the cause is not fixed. Most sinking comes from water washing out or softening the ground under the slab. If roof water, sprinklers or poor grading keep sending water there, a void can form again. We look at gutters, downspouts, slopes and sprinkler heads and tell you what to change.
When the cause is handled, a leveled slab can stay in place for many years. We cannot promise that any slab will never move, because coastal sand and water are unpredictable, but good drainage gives you the best chance. We also check the slab after the work and answer questions if anything seems off.
We also check the joints and edges after lifting, because a slab that sits level but leaves gaps can still trap water or trip a foot. Ask us about sealing the holes and the joints after concrete leveling, since a sealed joint keeps water from running back under the slab.
Can you level steps, walkways and patios, not just driveways?
Yes. Many sunken slabs are walkways with raised edges, patios that tilt toward the house, steps that have dropped away from the door and garage floors that have settled. Each one is lifted in small steps until it is level and drains the right way. Trip hazards in walkways are one of the most common jobs.
Steps and stoops attached to the house need extra care so we do not damage the wall. We look at the slab, the connection and the ground before we start. See concrete walkways and concrete patio installation for related work.
Because lifting is so much quicker than a tear out, many people find concrete leveling a calm, low stress way to fix a trip hazard. Ask us how we protect your lawn, plants and walls from the lifting material, and how we clean the slab when the job is done, so nothing is left behind on your property.
How much does concrete leveling cost compared with replacement?
Leveling usually costs much less than tearing out and replacing a slab, because there is no demolition, no hauling and no new pour. The price depends on the size of the slab, how deep the voids are and how much material is needed. Replacement costs more but gives you a new slab with a better base.
We give a free written estimate for leveling and, when it makes sense, for replacement, so you can compare. If leveling is not a good fit for your slab, we tell you why. We do not sell work that will not last, and we are happy to explain our reasons.
If you want a second opinion, we are happy to share our measurements and photos, so you can compare us fairly with any other bidder. Ask us to compare leveling and replacement on one page, so you can see the cost and the time for each choice.
Ready for a free estimate? Call (910) 981-2124 any day from 5 AM to 10 PM, or use the estimate form. Coastal Concrete Wilmington is locally owned and gives clear written estimates for patios, driveways and slabs.