Construction
How Much Does Concrete Lifting Cost
How many times have you tripped on that stubborn raised section of the sidewalk leading up to your porch? Or you keep breaking your snowblower on that section of driveway slab that has sunken 2/3 of an inch that buts up to all the nice and level slabs, nearly knocking you head over heels. Like many of us, we just put up with it because we don’t know how simple and cost-effective raising and leveling that piece of concrete can be.
Your big questions is “How much does concrete lifting and leveling cost?” Although there isn’t a simple cookie-cutter answer, on average, the cost of lifting and leveling your concrete is between $7.00 and $12.00 per pound of polyurethane foam depending on a few additional factors:
- Scope of Work
- Size of the Void
- Access to Work Area
- Weather
Let’s take a look at the average price of concrete lifting and leveling and examine the factors that could impact your price.
Costs of Leveling Concrete
HomeAdvisor states the average cost to have a property owner’s concrete leveled is between $548 – $1,341. Other sources state the average cost is $2 – $5 per square foot. While you might have a good idea where your costs might fall, let’s dig into it a little deeper.
The cost of lifting and leveling your concrete is based upon volume. Meaning, the cost is mainly based on the cubic feet or cubic yards of material that will be required to level your concrete. This can be a bit more confusing than simply calculating square footage, because as well as the area, we need to consider the depth.
For example, a typical sidewalk section is 5’ x 5’, equaling 25 square feet. Now think about how deep the sidewalk section has settled. Say it has settled 1” on all four sides of the section in question. Multiple the 25 square feet by the 1” (0.083’) of depth and you will get 2.075 cubic feet or converting that into cubic yards (divide by 27) equals 0.077 cubic yards.
Dependent on the density of polyurethane foam the contractor is using, they will convert the cubic yards required into the required pounds of polyurethane foam needed to fill the space to level the concrete. An average density of polyurethane foam is 120 pounds per cubic yard. Multiplying the cubic yards required by the material density will tell you how many pounds of foam are required.
So, 120#/cy x 0.077cy = 9.24 pounds of polyurethane foam needed. Most contractors will base their cost to you on a range of $7 – $12 per pound of foam required. So, this section of sidewalk slab would cost between $64.68 – $110.88. Yet, there are other factors that contribute to the cost of leveling you concrete.
How the Size of Your Concrete Affects Cost
It would be impossible for companies and contractors to survive if they went out and installed a whole bunch of $64.68 projects. Therefore, some companies have a minimum price regardless of the amount of work or material required.
Successful contractors will be able to cover the costs the minimum service cost by grouping multiple projects in your area that will be done on the same day so they can service the small and large projects without minimum costs.
On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also true, meaning that there are economies of scale for the larger projects. Every project has a minimum amount of set up and tear down time. Larger projects will have a lower cost per pound as the costs for setting up and tearing down are spread over a larger volume of work.
How Concrete Void/Gaps Affect Cost
Again, the main cost driver is volume. The greater the elevation of lift that is needed, the higher the price will be. A project with a bunch of slabs that only need lifted ½” will be far less than a project that needs the same number of slabs lifted 3”.
Further consideration outside the distance in elevation between the slabs is if there is a void under the area in need. Some slabs may only settle 2” and get hung up on something but there will be a 4” void under the slab that may have been caused by flooding or water overflow. The entire void must be be filled to lift and level the slab in question successfully. In this example, the number of pounds required would be based on a total of 6”.
Experienced contractors can understand the need to consider the additional void fill. Although, there are some times where the void is completely unforeseen. At this point, concrete lifting company would need to discuss the additional requirements prior to proceeding with the work.
How the Access To Your Concrete Area Affects Cost
A smaller size project might be a sidewalk slab immediately next to the road, making set up and access very easy. The same size project could be at the rear of the house, down steps and around the pool. The contractor will have to take into account the additional time it is going to take to reach the work site. Others projects might be limited next to a wood deck making it difficult to access the slab, requiring more time to complete the project.
How Weather Conditions Can Affect The Cost of Your Project
The climate and time of year will have an impact on your cost.
If you live in southern and southwestern temperate climates, contractors work year- round and can defray their operating costs over more projects and reduce their price per pound of material compared to contractors in the northern climates where most can only work 9-10 months per year.
The temperature of the soil can also have an effect on your costs. As the soil temperature declines in the northern regions, the yield of the polyurethane foam decreases, requiring contractors to use more material to accomplish the same work during the warmer months, which means they have to increase the cost per pound charged to the client.
When you take into consideration the pounds of foam required, the size of the project, additional voids, weather and access to the worksite, the average cost of lifting and leveling your concrete is between $7.00 and $12.00 per pound of polyurethane foam. Keep in mind that these prices will vary based on your contractor, location, and age of concrete.
