720-802-4055 Should you do it yourself concrete raising? The short answer is…probably not! The longer answer will explain why it may not be the wisest idea to do so.
First, yes you may save some money doing it yourself compared to hiring a professional concrete lifting company. However, saving that money comes with potential risk of not doing it properly, wasting time searching and learning how to do it, and wasting money on tools you many not need more than one or two times in your life. And you’ll have some decisions to make. Decisions like do you use a pump, or a jack? How about polyurethane foam or mud? What about using a set kit that includes a hose? So many options and questions that arise for each option.
But we’ll lay out the tools needed, the steps to take, and the clean up and you can decide for yourself if you’d like to embark on the DIY adventure, or give a pro like us a call to set up a free consultation.
Tools needed to lift a concrete slab
If you don’t have all the necessary tools to raise your concrete driveway slab, you’ll need to either buy or borrow any tools you don’t have to get the job done.
- First you’ll need some chalk to mark the spots on the concrete where you will drill the holes
- A Concrete Drill with enough power to drill holes into the concrete (non chord options work the best)
- A 5/8th inch masonry bit for the drill to be able to drill holes the size you need.
- Shop Vac to make sure and clean up as you go. Make sure it’s strong enough to suck up all the dust this job is going to throw out.
- Mask for all the dust and respirator for any fumes.
- Concrete Jack to lift the concrete or pump to pump in the foam or mud into the surface.
- Foam or mud filling that you will need to pump or fill under the slab to level it out.
- Measuring bucket
- Carpenters level to make sure that you do not overfill the concrete slab, making it too high which could cause it to crack and give you more problems than you started with.
- Concrete that is fast setting that you will use to fill the holes you drilled after you’ve raised the slab.
- Steel finishing trowel to smooth out the filled in holes at completion.
- Last but not least, safety goggles, gloves, and clothes that you are ok with getting filthy as working with concrete can be messy.
- And you may need a second or third person. Working with heavy concrete and doing concrete raising can put your body in some interesting positions if you are doing it alone.
Steps to raise your concrete slab
No matter which way you choose to raise your concrete slab, there are some standard steps you’ll need to take to get this job done. You have three options of how to attack your concrete raising project.
- With a pump
- Without a pump
- With a kit that includes a hose extension.
Costs for each of these options are:
- $1200-$2000 with the pump. This is because you’d have to buy the pump.
- $600-$1100 for DIY without the pump.
- $450-$950+ for a 2 tank secure set kit with hose extension.
First step is to remove everything from the surface that you will need to raise and clear away any debris that is on it. You want a clean surface to do that work on. Next you will drill the 5/8th inch holes into the slab. Then you jack up the slab. Depending on the way you are doing it, you will either use the hose and pump foam in, or mix it yourself and pour it in if you do not have a pump. Once the slab is level (and you’ve checked that with a carpenters level), you fill in the holes with the quick setting concrete and let it dry. Let it all set for a bit and you’ll be good to go.
Go with a pro
If the costs, the equipment, and the steps laid out here sound like more than what you want to bite off and chew, give us a call at 720-802-4055 and set up your free estimate. And remember, you’re not just paying for materials and labor when you hire a professional concrete raising company. You are paying for the knowledge and expertise that we bring to every job we do. And with our #1 customer service team ready to answer any of your questions and walk you through the process, it’s worth it to at least check with us first. We’re ready to be your go to concrete lifting contractor for any concrete raising project.
