Mudjacking vs polyurethane slab lifting: Cincinnati costs in 2026

A sunken driveway slab, a garage floor that dips at one corner, a front walk with a trip edge, a stoop that has dropped away from the door: around Greater Cincinnati these are everyday concrete complaints, and most can be lifted instead of torn out. There are two ways to do it, mudjacking and polyurethane foam. Both work. They are not interchangeable, and the choice should depend on the slab, the soil, and why it sank.

Same goal, different fill

Both methods drill through the slab and pump material underneath to fill the void and raise the concrete.

Mudjacking, also called slabjacking, pumps a cement-based slurry, typically cement with sand or soil and water, through holes usually an inch or more across. The slurry fills the void, and pressure floats the slab back up.

Polyurethane foam injects a two-part liquid through much smaller holes. It expands as it cures, fills the void, and lifts the slab.

Side by side

• Weight added to the soil. Slurry is heavy and foam is very light. On soft or poorly compacted soil, the same soil that let the slab sink, a lighter fill adds less new load.
• Holes and appearance. Foam's small ports are easier to patch so they nearly disappear. Mudjacking leaves larger patched holes.
• Back in service. Foam cures fast, and a lifted walk or driveway is typically usable the same day. Slurry needs longer to set before heavy loads.
• Cold weather. Cement-based slurry, like other concrete work, needs protection from freezing while it sets, which limits late-season mudjacking. Foam work generally continues later into the fall, though each maker's temperature limits still apply.
• Cost. Mudjacking is usually the cheaper method per square foot; foam costs more for the material.

Which slabs are good candidates, and which are not

Good candidates:

• Slabs that sank as a unit and are still in one or two pieces.
• Walks and patios that tilted toward the house, where lifting restores drainage.
• Garage floors and driveway sections with a void under one area.
• Stoops and steps that dropped but are otherwise sound.

Poor candidates:

• Slabs broken into many pieces, which lift unevenly.
• Slabs that heaved up rather than sank. Lifting cannot lower concrete.
• Slabs over an active void, such as soil washing out under a downspout, until the water is fixed.
• Anything that is really a foundation problem, such as a porch whose footings are settling. That needs piers, not fill.

When you lift a slab next to the house, lift it to drain away. The Residential Code of Ohio asks hard surfaces within 10 feet of a foundation to slope at least 2 percent away from the building, about a quarter inch per foot. A lift that leaves a patio flat or pitched toward the wall just sends the next storm into the basement.

Why it sank matters more than what lifts it

Lifting treats the symptom. Before either method, find the cause:

• Downspout water undermining the base, a very common cause at stoops and walks.
• Backfill settling beside the foundation, typical where a garage slab or walk sits over the soil dug out when the basement was built.
• Subdivision fill that was not well compacted, a known issue in newer neighborhoods in Mason and West Chester. Our answer on settlement in newer subdivisions explains it.
• Freeze and thaw cycling under shallow slabs.

2026 costs around Greater Cincinnati

Slab and concrete leveling typically runs $500 to $1,800 for a common job such as a garage floor section, a walk, or a set of steps. A national cost guide puts a lift of about 100 square feet at roughly $500 to $1,700 and notes that foam costs more than cement slurry per square foot. Large driveways, basement floors, and several separate sections cost more. Many companies also set a minimum charge per visit, so grouping several small lifts into one appointment usually saves money.

A five-minute self-check

Before you call anyone, gather what an estimate will need:

• Measure the drop. Lay a straight board or level across the joint between the sunken slab and its neighbor, and measure the gap at the low end.
• Check whether it rocks. Step on each corner. A slab that tips or thumps has a void under it.
• Tap it. A hollow sound when you tap with a hammer handle often marks where the void is.
• Look at the edges. Soil washed out from under a slab edge, especially beneath a downspout, points to the cause.
• Count the pieces. Note every crack that runs all the way through. Fewer pieces make a cleaner lift.

Photos of each of those, with a tape measure in the frame, let someone tell you a lot before visiting.

Questions to ask before anyone drills

• Which method, and why this one for this slab?
• How many holes, how large, and how will they be patched?
• What caused the settlement, and what will stop it from happening again?
• What slope will the slab have after lifting, especially next to the house?
• What happens if the slab cracks during the lift?
• How soon can I walk or drive on it?

Next step

Measure how far the slab has dropped at its lowest point, and photograph it with a level laid across the joint. Our slab leveling page and our answer on how leveling works cover the process. Then call or text us with the photos, and we will tell you whether it is a leveling job, a pier job, or a water problem to solve first.