Concrete defects mean trouble. If you notice a problem right after you’ve had a new structure poured, it’s worrisome.

Problematic Signs

What are some of the initial troubling signs your concrete installation contractor didn’t do the best job on the project?

• No Control Joints

Control joints are impressions made in the concrete that are designed to control cracking. Cracks are inevitable — they’re a part of the natural contraction process after the material dries. Control joints ensure that concrete cracks the way you want it to, instead of the way it wants to. This prevents a spider web of cracks that could ultimately weaken the whole slab.

• Immediate Cracking

Cracking should take place over time — instant cracking is an indication the surface was not compacted enough for the slab. You could eventually see even more cracking and sinking, which will lead to the need for repairs.

• Water Pooling

Surfaces should be even. Any sloping you see should be intentional, to direct water into a drainage area. Pooling water on concrete only weakens the material over time.

Prevention: Find a Good Installation Contractor

The best way to make sure you don’t have any concrete defects is to depend on a reputable installation contractor from day one. Below are some of the signs you’ve found a good company.

• Certifications and Licensing

They are forthcoming about their certifications and their license to work in the state or county. They can provide proof of both.

• Insurance

They have adequate insurance to cover any issues that might come up during the project. Your property is protected and you’re protected from workers’ lawsuits.

• Reviews

Their reputation for excellence precedes them! Ask for referrals from previous customers or check their online reviews.

• Experience

They have many years of experience in the field, specifically with projects of your kind. You want an expert’s touch, not an amateur’s mistakes.

Too Late? Get Repairs Fast.

If your concrete has already been poured and you’ve noticed concrete defects that need to be addressed, don’t wait. Concrete issues don’t get better. When you spot the first problem, get a repair quote from our team.

Lifting Is Better Than Replacement

You just invested in a new concrete structure — do you really want to pay to tear out and replace the entire thing? If you’re like most financially savvy homeowners, the answer is no! Instead, pay for concrete lifting to even out and correct most concrete defects. Lift-Up Concrete can take care of it, and for substantially less than you’d pay for a replacement. Call today for your quote!

A sinking concrete driveway is ugly and dangerous. It compromises your curb appeal and creates trip hazards. It’s an issue you need to address right away, but if you’ve never dealt with this problem before, you may be at a loss.

Why Is Your Driveway Sinking?

First, it’s important to understand why concrete sinks in the first place. Before new concrete is poured, the soil must be fully compacted. If this isn’t done properly, the soil will shift into the air pockets and the ground beneath the concrete will sink. It might not be noticeable at first, but over time, soil compaction can cause major structural issues for the concrete slab.

Another common cause is improper drainage. If your gutters direct water to the edge of your concrete driveway, erosion can wash away the soil supporting the driveway.

Also, if you consistently park a heavy vehicle or dumpster directly on one portion of the concrete, this can lead to sinking as well.

Your First Option

One way to correct the problem is to rip out the concrete and replace it with a new slab.

It’s effective, but it’s expensive. It’s also time-consuming. If you’re looking for quick fix, this is not it. The demolition alone could take multiple days, as concrete is hard to break and heavy to transport away from the site. This job also may damage your landscaping.

The Better Option

At Lift-Up, we always want to present alternatives when our customers have concrete problems. You can use concrete raising to correct the issue.

With concrete lifting, our team drills holes in the slab that’s sinking. We attach our specialized pump and inject grout beneath the surface, filling the void and bringing the driveway back to its previous level. Then we patch the hole, fill the crack and let it cure for a couple of hours. You can start driving on it again the same day!

How We Help

If you don’t have experience in concrete lifting, it can be hard to determine whether the concrete needs to be replaced or if a repair is possible. Our team can help you make this decision when we come to your home and look at the damage.

In extreme cases, we won’t recommend concrete lifting to fix a sinking concrete driveway because we know it won’t deliver the results you want. If the surface is crumbling and cracked and we can tell it’s old, we won’t suggest you spend your money on anything other than a replacement.

When we take on your sinking concrete driveway, we always follow through. At Lift-Up Concrete, we have your best interests in mind.

Concrete void filling is critical to the structural integrity of your living and driving areas. This could include your driveway, patio, walkway, pool deck or any other concrete slab you depend on to support you and your activities.

Many times, customers call Lift-Up Concrete after their concrete has already broken and sunk because of a void, but we recommend void filling before this happens.

Below are five reasons your home (and you) will benefit from this service.

1. Prevent Critters from Building Nests

If there’s a protected, warm hole for critters to take up residence in, you’d better believe they will find it! When animals are allowed to make their home beneath your concrete, it sets the stage for a range of problems. The pests could start getting into your garbage every day. They could find entryways to your home and eat building materials like insulation.

It’s in your best interests to keep all critters away, and it starts with eliminating all potential areas in which they could nest.

2. Stop Erosion in its Tracks

Maybe the void underneath your concrete formed due to improper drainage. Void filling should be one of the steps you take to correct this problem.

But first, assess where the water is coming from and work with a landscaping expert to direct the flow somewhere other than underneath your concrete. Next, use void filling to take care of the empty space under your concrete.

3. Guard Against Concrete Damage

One of the critical reasons void filling should be a priority is because the longer you wait to address the issue of unsupported concrete, the higher the likelihood that the concrete will cave in.

Concrete is strong, but it needs foundational support to keep it stable. Voids allowed to expand unchecked are typically the top cause of concrete damage.

4. Save Money!

Void filling isn’t a major expense — and it can prevent a major expense! When you hire Lift-Up Concrete to take care of the voids that are causing problems, you will save money. We get the job done affordably and you won’t have to pay for critter removal, erosion repair or concrete replacement.

5. Protect Your Curb Appeal

Finally, one of the top reasons you need void filling is to preserve your curb appeal. Your home should look beautiful, and keeping it that way helps retain your home’s value. It’s a preventive measure that can go a long way toward keeping your home looking its best.

How can we detect voids under concrete? How much do we charge for void filling?

If these questions are on your mind, call Lift-Up Concrete today for a free quote.

Slabjacking is a one-day concrete repair solution that can seriously speed up your renovation timeline and get your house ready for guests or prospective buyers — fast. One of the biggest advantages you’ll find with concrete lifting as compared to other repair options, such as a tear-out and replacement, is the speed at which the job is completed. Better yet, the concrete is fully stabilized and ready for use just hours later.

Below are four scenarios in which you should choose one-day concrete repair over other options.

Before Your Pool Party (Or Any Party!)

Concrete lifting of a pool deck is fast and efficient. We drill the necessary holes, inject a grout beneath the surface into the void, and the pool deck is back to its previous, even level immediately.

When you’re gearing up for a pool party, this can be the exact solution you’re looking for. You don’t have the time or the money to re-pour your concrete pool surround at the last minute. Lifting is a one-day concrete repair that works.

It’s not just for a pool deck either. Your patio or any other concrete area is a candidate as well.

Before You List Your Home

When you decide to list your home for sale, the pressure is on for you to take care of that maintenance and repair list. Your realtor might have pointed out that your driveway or walkway isn’t looking its best. There’s a quick way you can handle that: one-day concrete repair.

Call our team in to take care of any issues that threaten your curb appeal before your open house!

When There’s a Risk of Injury

Your homeowner’s policy is there to protect you from lawsuits filed by anyone who might be injured on your property. But if they can prove negligence on your part, you might have a problem on your hands.

Talk to your insurance agent if you’re concerned about your coverage. But better yet, talk to us about ways we can reduce injury risk by evening out the walkways and driveways your guests (or the mail carrier) walk on every day! Get a fast solution with an instant repair.

When it’s Holding up Construction

What if you want to build a garage on your concrete driveway, but it’s not as level as it needs to be? You don’t have to pour a new driveway and wait for it to cure — you can just repair the one you have with a fast fix from Lift-Up Concrete.

Ready to resolve your sinking, cracked concrete issues? Your one-day concrete repair is just a call away. Get Lift-Up Concrete on the job!

Slabjacking is a method of concrete repair that’s fast, efficient and long-lasting. There are too many quick fixes that leave your home or business better for a while, but quickly disintegrate so you’re back where you started. Slabjacking is a long-term repair that’s done quickly — in one day or less. It’s an investment that pays off.

Avoid Dangerous Structural Issues

Is your garage built on a concrete slab? What happens when this slab or just a portion of it begins to sink? What if the garage is also connected to your home?

This isn’t just an aesthetic issue. It threatens the structural stability of your garage and home.

When you opt for slabjacking, you’re addressing the problem at the root. Injecting grout into the chasm under the concrete lifts it back into its proper position.

Avoid Expensive Replacement Projects

When concrete starts to sink, the problem only gets worse. Besides the structure that sits on top of the concrete, the concrete itself can be expensive to replace.

The cost of concrete replacement, even if you’re just ripping out some steps or a walkway, is much higher than slabjacking. You’ll save by slabjacking now, before the problem worsens and replacement is the only option left.

Keep Your Home or Business Looking Good

Slabjacking is a great way to preserve curb appeal. For both a home and business, aesthetics are key. If you plan on selling your home anytime soon, slabjacking will pays off. For a business, slabjacking helps when prospective customers notice you when they’re driving by and decide to stop in. Cracked, sinking concrete can potentially cost you a home sale or a customer.

Trust Lift-Up to Lift it Up!

Lift-Up Concrete specializes in raising sunken concrete that you may think at first glance has no chance of revival. We take on the tough jobs and we deliver, successfully restoring concrete surfaces. Lift-Up Concrete offers free quotes and professional recommendations for home or business owners who need a fast resolution to their sinking concrete problems.

Slabjacking pays off when you trust the pros!

Once concrete lifting has been completed, your responsibilities to your concrete are fulfilled. Or are they?

It’s not ideal to have cracked and sinking concrete, but luckily, with conscientious concrete lifting, your surface can be restored so it’s smooth and even. This is ideal, especially because the costs are so much lower than if you had to replace the concrete.

However, it’s not going to be a long-lasting fix unless you take the time to understand why it happened in the first place.

What Caused the Problem?

In some cases, one concrete lifting job fixes all your concrete problems right away, such as when the sinking has occurred only due to settlement. These problems are likely not as severe, but the concrete may be pitched just enough so that you aren’t comfortable with it the way it is, and you’re willing to pay for a reasonable fix.

But when the concrete has dramatically cracked and shifted, you need to find out why. If you don’t, the problem may recur.

What Can You Do to Prevent It?

Two of the most common causes for extreme movement are inefficient drainage and critter habitation. Landscapes that don’t have good drainage systems may direct the flow of water toward your concrete, and this can quickly wash away the soil, leaving a hollow underneath that jeopardizes its stability. In this case, a redesign might be in order.

If it’s not drainage, maybe it’s a field mouse or groundhog issue. When they burrow underneath the slab, they too create hollows that could cause a collapse. Utilize pest eradication services as necessary to take care of this issue, if you suspect it’s the cause.

Aesthetic Enhancements to Improve Appearance

Of course, besides dealing with the underlying problem, there are plenty of additional aesthetic enhancements you can make to further improve the look of your concrete.

First, deal with the cracks. Use a high-quality, exterior-grade caulk to fill any gaps left by concrete shifting and sinking. Next, resurface the concrete, either by staining or painting it. This is a great way to enhance curb appeal and hide any lingering reminders of your recent concrete repair.

Remember, concrete lifting can be permanent if you deal with the cause of the problem. So once you’ve remedied poor drainage or pest infestation, these aesthetic repairs are worth it!

Get a Professional Recommendation

What’s truly at the root of your concrete shifting and sinking, causing you to call for concrete lifting? There is no better person to ask than a professional. At Lift-Up Concrete, our goal is to make it so you never have to call us again.

That’s why we give all our customers a full explanation for our opinion on why and how the issue cropped up in the first place. When you know what you need to do to prevent concrete problems, you’re ahead of the game. Depend on us for quality, long-lasting concrete lifting and our best recommendations on how to permanently correct the problem.

Concrete lifting is your best option when it comes to slab repairs. Even if it seems like replacement would be the better choice, you’d be surprised at what concrete lifting can do, and the lower cost always is a big plus.

What’s also positive about slabjacking is the fact that it’s eco-friendly. When you compare this method to the alternatives, you’ll see why homeowners who are concerned about their carbon footprint choose concrete lifting.

What Is Concrete Lifting?

Concrete lifting (also called slabjacking and mudjacking) is how trained technicians raise a sinking slab without the property owner having to rip out and replace the entire structure. Concrete is a durable building material, but over time, erosion and settlement can compromise the foundation beneath it. When too many air pockets develop under the concrete, sinking can occur.

With concrete lifting, a technician drills a hole into the sunken surface and injects enough material to fill these air pockets and lift the slab back to its original position. Then the cracks are filled and the surface is sealed, and your concrete is just as even and functional as the day it was poured.

What Is the Alternative?

The only real alternative to slabjacking is slab replacement. Tearing out concrete, especially if it’s a driveway, patio or pool deck, is a tough job. You’ll have to haul away the remnants and prepare the underlying surface again, and only then will it be ready for a new slab.

No Chemicals Necessary

One of the main reasons slabjacking is the most environmentally friendly choice is that the grout used to stabilize the sinking slab is chemical-free. It is made of natural materials: aggregate, water and Portland cement.

No Waste Recorded

Another reason mudjacking is eco-friendly is because all materials are perfectly measured so as not to waste any resources. Only just enough grout is used to lift the slab — there is no excess to dispose of.

Minimal Energy Expended

Finally, concrete lifting saves energy. It only takes a couple of tools and minimal fossil fuel to power the machines. Contrast this with the energy costs of an excavator to tear out old concrete and you’ll see why mudjacking is the eco-friendly choice.

Lower Your Carbon Footprint While Lifting Your Slab

At Lift-Up Concrete, we take your concrete lifting needs seriously — just as seriously as we take our responsibility to protect the environment. You can depend on us for strategic, thoughtful service that delivers maximum results with minimal negative environmental impact. We are in the business of helping you live in harmony with your environment.

Call us today to get a free quote for your project.

Concrete raising can be a vital part of property maintenance. It can be difficult to keep up as the seasons take a toll on your commercial property, but concrete raising is not an expense you should put off until next year.

Specifically, inspect the integrity of your company’s concrete surfaces, such as the sidewalks and parking lot. Water drainage and soil settlement can work together to increase sinking, cracking and crumbling, plus the general wear and tear that the repeated Utah winter freeze/thaw cycles will create.

Don’t worry — even concrete damage that looks too severe to salvage may be helped by concrete raising. Below are four advantages of making the repairs right away.

1. Reduce Customer Injury Risks

Your customers are what enable your success, so it’s important that their well-being is high on your priority list. And a cracked concrete entryway isn’t safe — it’s a trip-and-fall hazard. By making concrete-raising repairs now, you’re proactively keeping injuries away, and that’s the best way to deal with them.

2. Reduce Employee Injury Risks

Your employees are what keeps your business going, so make sure the environment they’re in every day is a safe one. Accidents can be disastrous, and the responsibility is on the business owner to ensure that a lack of maintenance on their part is not the cause.

3. Lessen Liability Concerns

You have business insurance, but you don’t want to have to use it. Customers who are injured could successfully sue for damages. Even if you’re covered, you could be forced to pay much higher premiums when your policy is renewed, which could devastate your finances.

From an employer’s perspective, workers’ compensation claims are expensive and time-consuming. When the employer is liable, you could pay thousands in legal fees and fines, and you’ll still have to pay to fix the broken concrete as well. It’s not worth waiting for an accident to happen.

4. Improve Curb Appeal

Concrete damage isn’t appealing — it makes your business look run-down. What does this say about your products or services? With concrete raising, you’re giving your commercial property the face-lift it needs to attract more business and raise your profile in the community.

Here When You Need Us

An effective concrete-raising repair job starts with hiring a contractor that knows how to fully assess the damage. You deserve a clear quote, with both labor and materials itemized so you know what to expect. Then, the company needs to show up on time and get the job done on schedule. The team you want? Lift-Up Concrete. We are here for you when your business needs concrete raising — give us a call.