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Mudjacking in Des Moines, Iowa

We lift sunken driveways, sidewalks, steps, patios, porches, garage floors and slabs back to level by pumping a limestone slurry beneath them through 1-inch holes, without tearing the concrete out.

Get a free estimate 515-402-7848

A driveway slab sitting well below its neighbour, before mudjacking — Before

The same driveway slab lifted flush with its neighbour after mudjacking — After

A driveway slab from the gallery, before and after.

What mudjacking is, and how we do it

Mudjacking and concrete leveling are two names for the same work: lifting a sunken slab by pumping material underneath it. When the soil under a slab settles, erodes or washes out, the slab drops and leaves an empty space, a void, beneath it. We can't lift a slab without filling the void; it needs a stable base to lift from.

1
Drill

Holes about 1 inch across, roughly the size of a quarter, through the sunken slab.
2
Pump and lift

A mix of crushed limestone and water goes in under low pressure, filling the void and raising the slab to level.
3
Clean and seal

We clean the area and seal the drill holes. Caulking the joints is a separate, optional service, quoted alongside the leveling.

A lower-pressure process, about 5 psi
A concrete-free AgLime slurry, with over 500,000 jobs completed nationwide
A call-back rate for resettling of less than 1 percent
The job is complete in hours instead of days, and sidewalks can be used immediately afterwards

A-1 Concrete Leveling Des Moines is a locally owned franchise of A-1 Concrete Leveling, run by owners Dan and Cathy Bishop. We are fully insured, and every job carries a warranty.

Why we use limestone and not foam

Some contractors lift concrete by injecting polyurethane foam. We have never used it, and we are not going to start. Healthy soil is the best support for concrete, and a soil-friendly material builds a more stable base than a chemical reaction does.

What we pump: crushed limestone and water

A natural, concrete-free AgLime slurry, injected at low pressure, about 5 psi.
It fills the whole void and becomes a full underlayment beneath the slab, not a set of separate pockets.
The grout flows predictably and hardens quickly, so the concrete is often ready the same day.
Rock lasts. It is stronger, it fills complex voids better, and it outlives foam.
Natural materials that clean up easily, with no cleanup cost after the job.
It lifts heavier slabs and reaches hard-to-access areas.

What polyurethane foam is

A petroleum-based chemical mixture that sticks to any material it touches, including skin.
Its ingredients include substances listed as toxic by the EPA, OSHA and NIST, which is why we keep it away from our crews.
Injected into a void, it can create dangerous and damaging temperatures from the chemical reaction.
It expands into pockets rather than a continuous base, and air carried in with it can leave channels that weaken the fill and let the slab sink or crack again.
Foam that escapes can stain siding, windows, doors and landscaping, and it does not come off.

One thing is true of both: no method keeps a slab level if the soil beneath it gives way. The lifting material does not erode, but the ground under it can.

Cost compared with full replacement

Repairing concrete saves up to 80% over replacement cost. There is no disposal and removal of old concrete, and no forms, no new concrete and no steel. Where a permit is needed, we take care of it for you.

What sets the price

How large the void is. A void can add significant cost, so we always contact you before going ahead.
Whether one slab can be lifted alone. Tree roots, twisted slabs and manhole covers can make that impossible.
Whether you add caulking, which is quoted separately.

We can't give estimates over the phone; we need to see the concrete. Estimates are free.

"Was told by several people we had to replace sidewalk to front steps. This company fixed them, did it for 1/3 of the price and you can't even tell there was ever anything wrong."

Emily Bakker, Urbandale