Patrick Hayes spends a lot of time explaining just what a company called Superior Slabjacking does.
Slabjacking, also called mudjacking, is a way to raise sunken concrete. People have used the technique since the 1930s but the process is more familiar in the Midwest and East Coast, where seasonal temperature extremes cause concrete to buckle and sink.
Slabjacking can raise porches, pool decks, walkways, basement floors, driveways, garage floors and patios. The process removes the unevenness that creates trip hazards and places where water can pool.
It’s a less expensive alternative to removing damaged concrete and re-pouring it.
Here’s how it works: Holes are drilled through concrete slabs every four feet. A hydraulic pump pushes slurry through a hose inserted in the hole and under the slab. The slurry slowly raises the slab and fills the voids underneath. It takes only about 5 pounds per square inch of pressure to lift slabs as much as 160,000 pounds.
The company patches holes but any cracks in the concrete surface remain.
“We haven’t found a material that blends well with the existing material,” Hayes said.
About 5 percent of homes have problems with sunken concrete, Hayes said. If concrete is going to settle, it usually happens in the first few years.
His company has corrected problems at homes where owners haven’t even moved in yet.
Soil that’s not properly prepared during construction can cause problems. Sometimes runoff from improperly placed downspouts, earthquakes and even animals can create voids under the concrete that cause it to sink.
Hayes, who used to own a mail-order contact lens company, started Superior Slabjacking with three others in 2002. One of his partners has worked in the slabjacking business for 18 years.
Sometimes getting people to understand how slabjacking works is a challenge. Hayes recalls how one man called after his newly poured RV garage sunk 4 inches and the contractor said slabjacking wouldn’t work.
The contractor said he would have to rip out the old concrete and re-pour it at a cost of $26,500. And he wouldn’t guarantee the work.
Hayes said they charged the man $2,500 to fix the problem and they guaranteed the work as long as the man owned the property. Hayes said that’s true for all the company’s work, with the exception of damage that comes from “acts of God,” such as earthquakes.
The cost of jobs vary depending on a number of factors. Prices vary depending on the size and thickness of the slab, how deeply its settled and ease of access to the work site, he said.
On the low end, the company charges a minimum of $500. That price might cover a typical 10-foot sidewalk lift.
The company will assess jobs for free.
Applications usually take about a day or less. Homeowners can walk on the concrete within 30 minutes, although Hayes doesn’t recommend parking on top of slabjacked concrete for three or four days.
Debra Smith 425-339-3197 dsmith@heraldnet.com
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