Concrete Repair & Leveling in Norfolk, VA

Concrete repair and leveling can bring back a sunken walk, a driveway panel that tips toward the garage or a patio that holds water, often for a fraction of the cost of replacement. In Norfolk, most of that damage traces back to water: rain washing out the soil under a slab, downspouts dumping beside it, or wet ground that settles over time. A repair that does not deal with the water just buys a few years.

Finding the cause

At the visit we look at where the downspouts go, which way the ground slopes, whether a tree is nearby and how the slab was built. A slab that sank because a downspout emptied beside it needs the downspout moved. A slab that cracked because a root pushed under it needs the root handled. A slab that was poured too thin over soft soil may not be worth lifting at all.

Repair options

• Mudjacking: a cement-based slurry pumped through holes in the slab to lift it back into place. HomeGuide lists it at $4 to $9 a square foot.
• Polyjacking (foam leveling): expanding foam injected through smaller holes. It weighs less and cures faster, and HomeGuide lists it at $8 to $25 a square foot.
• Resurfacing: a thin overlay on a sound slab with surface wear, shallow flaking or stains.
• Crack sealing: flexible sealant in cracks to keep water out of the base.
• Section replacement: breaking out one or two broken panels and repouring them to match.

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When to replace instead

HomeGuide's leveling guide points to replacement when cracks are wider than 1/4 inch, when there is significant spalling or surface damage, or when the slab is badly deteriorated. Its resurfacing guide adds that an overlay should not be used if the repair would need a layer more than 2 inches thick. In practice:

• Lift it if the slab is in one piece, has dropped evenly and the cause can be fixed.
• Resurface it if the slab is solid and level but the top is worn or flaking.
• Replace it if it is broken into pieces, sloped the wrong way across its whole surface, or crumbling.

How long repairs last

HomeGuide says professionally leveled concrete lasts 5 to 10 or more years depending on the method and the soil, with mudjacking and stone slurry at 5 to 7 years when drainage is kept up. Resurfaced concrete lasts 8 to 15 years before needing work. Those are the honest numbers, and we put them next to the cost of a new slab on the quote so you can compare.

Keeping it fixed

After a repair, keep gutters clear, keep downspouts pointed away from the concrete, and reseal cracks as they open. Water getting under the slab is what started the trouble, and keeping it out is the best way to stop it coming back.