Polyjacking, Mudjacking & Slab Lifting
Concrete Leveling in Wayne County, MI: Polyjacking & Mudjacking
(313) 367-4564Lifting for sunken front stoops, sidewalks, patios, driveway sections and garage floors in Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Canton and across Wayne County. If a slab has dropped, tipped toward the house or left a trip edge, call to describe it and get it quoted by a local contractor.
Question 01
What Is Concrete Leveling and When Does It Work?
Concrete leveling lifts a sunken slab back toward level by drilling small holes through it and pumping material into the gap underneath. It works on slabs that sank in one piece, such as a front stoop, a driveway section, a sidewalk square, a patio or a garage floor. It does not fix a slab that has broken apart.
Slabs sink when the soil under them gives way. Around Wayne County houses the usual causes are backfill next to the foundation that was never compacted well, downspouts and roof runoff washing fine soil out from under the edge, and clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet springs. Frost works on the same soil every winter.
Common signs include a front stoop that has pulled away from the house or tipped toward it, water pooling against the foundation, a sidewalk square with a trip edge, a driveway section that dropped at the garage apron, or a garage floor that sounds hollow when you tap it.
Question 02
Polyjacking vs Mudjacking: Which Is Better for My Slab?
Polyjacking pumps expanding polyurethane foam through holes about 5/8 inch wide and adds very little weight to the soil. Mudjacking pumps a cement and soil slurry through larger holes and is much heavier. Foam usually costs more per job, while mudjacking can make sense for large slabs on firm soil.
Ask what material the quote uses and how many holes the job needs. A contractor who offers both methods can tell you which fits your slab after seeing it.
Trade Comparison: Polyjacking vs Mudjacking vs Replacement
| Comparison | Polyjacking (Foam) | Mudjacking (Slurry) | Tear-Out and Re-Pour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hole size | About 5/8 inch | About 1 to 2 inches | None; the slab is removed |
| Weight added to the soil | Light | Heavy | Full weight of a new slab |
| Patch marks | Small and easy to blend | Larger and easier to see | None; new surface |
| Use after the work | Usually soon after; ask for the wait time | Longer wait while the slurry sets | Several days before driving on new concrete |
| Best fit | Stoops, walks, garage floors and slabs over soft or wet soil | Large slabs on firm soil where weight is not a concern | Slabs that are broken, crumbling or heaved by roots |
| Typical cost | Higher per job | Lower per job | Highest; includes removal and a new pour |
Question 03
How Much Does Concrete Leveling Cost in Wayne County?
Concrete leveling in Wayne County typically runs $600 to $1,500 for a front stoop, $1,200 to $3,500 for driveway sections, and $1,500 to $4,000 for a garage floor. The price depends on slab size, how far it sank, and how much material the hollow underneath takes.
Two stoops that look the same can price differently if one has a large washout under it. The ranges below are typical for Wayne County homes.
Foam jobs are usually priced by how much material goes under the slab, so a deep washout costs more than a shallow one. Mudjacking is often priced by the slab or by the hole. When comparing quotes, check whether joint sealing, patching the drill holes and moving downspouts are included or billed on top.
Typical Concrete Leveling Price Ranges in Wayne County
| Slab | Typical Scope | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Front stoop or porch steps | Lift the landing and steps back toward the house and seal the gap at the wall | $600 – $1,500 |
| Sidewalk or walkway squares | Lift one to three squares to remove a trip edge | $400 – $1,200 |
| Patio slab | Lift and re-pitch so water drains away from the house | $800 – $2,500 |
| Driveway sections | Lift settled sections at the garage apron or along the walk | $1,200 – $3,500 |
| Garage floor slab | Fill voids and lift a sunken floor section | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| Joint and gap sealing after a lift | Flexible sealant in control joints and the gap at the foundation | $250 – $650 |
Ranges are typical and quoted per job after the slab is measured.
Question 04
Can Concrete Leveling Fix a Sinking Foundation?
No. Leveling is made for flat slabs that carry light loads. A foundation wall or footing that is sinking carries the weight of the house and needs piers driven down to firmer soil. If cracks run up your walls or doors start sticking, ask for a foundation stabilization assessment instead of slab leveling.
A search for foundation leveling can mean either job. If the problem is a slab outside or a garage floor, leveling is the right call. If the house itself is settling, with stair-step cracks in the brick, diagonal drywall cracks from window corners, or doors that stick, the footing needs foundation stabilization with push piers, and lifting the stoop alone will not stop it. Walls that lean inward are a third problem, covered on the bowed wall repair page.
Question 05
Will a Leveled Slab Sink Again?
It can if the cause is left in place. Most slabs sink because water washes soil out from underneath, so the job should include sealing the joints and the gap at the foundation and pointing downspouts away from the slab. Leveling over soil that is still washing out only buys time.
After a lift, the joints between slabs and the gap where a stoop or walk meets the house should be sealed with a flexible sealant so rain cannot run underneath. Downspouts that empty onto or beside the slab should be extended or redirected. If the basement also takes on water along that wall, the same runoff may be part of the problem, and the sump pump installation page covers the inside of the house.
Question 06
Should a Sunken Slab Be Leveled or Replaced?
Replace the slab instead of lifting it when it is broken into several loose pieces, crumbling at the surface, or pushed up by tree roots. Leveling fits when the slab is still in one or two solid pieces and the surface is sound. A contractor can tell you which applies after looking at it.
A slab with one clean crack can usually still be lifted, with the crack sealed afterward. Replacement costs more and takes longer, but it is the only fix for concrete that has lost its strength.
Lifting also keeps the original concrete, which matters on a stoop or walk that matches the rest of the house. If only one square of a sidewalk is broken, replacing that square and lifting the ones beside it is a sensible middle path.
Concrete Leveling Across Wayne County
Front stoops on older brick homes in Detroit, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights sit on backfill right against the foundation wall, which is why so many of them tip toward or away from the house. Driveway aprons and garage floors in Livonia, Westland and Canton subdivisions are another frequent call, along with patios and walks Downriver in Taylor and Wyandotte after a wet spring.
Call (313) 367-4564 to describe the slab: what sank, roughly how far, and whether water collects there after rain.
Other Wayne County service lines
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