Driveway and garage floor lifting
Get rid of the lip at the garage door, the puddle that turns to ice, and the slab that's tipping toward the house.
Driveways take more abuse than any other concrete at a house: vehicle weight, plow blades, deicer, and meltwater running off the roof. The slab right outside the garage door is usually the first to go, because it was often poured over soil that was disturbed when the foundation went in. As that fill compacts, the slab drops and a step forms at the door.
What are the warning signs?
- A lip between the garage floor and the driveway
- Water or ice collecting in the same spot every year
- A slab tipping so water runs toward the garage
- Joints that have opened wide enough to see dirt
- A garage floor with a low corner or a crack that keeps widening
Can a garage floor be lifted?
Often, if it's a separate slab with room underneath to inject. Foam is popular inside garages because it adds little weight and the holes are small. The contractor will look at how the floor meets the foundation wall and where any floor drains run before drilling.
Lift, resurface or replace?
Lifting fixes height. It won't fix surface scaling, the flaking that comes from freeze-thaw and road salt. A driveway that is solid but low is a good lifting candidate. One that's broken into many pieces or crumbling across its surface usually needs replacing.
Does the part by the street need a permit?
The strip between the sidewalk and the street is usually in the city right-of-way, which the city owns. In North Mankato, a right-of-way permit is required for new or replacement private driveways and sidewalks, and for any work on curb, gutter or street pavement. Rules differ by city, so have the contractor check with Mankato, St. Peter or your town before working near the street.
What affects the cost?
- The number of slabs and their size
- How far the apron has dropped at the door
- Inside work on a garage floor versus outside work
- Sealing joints after the lift
Pricing comes from the contractor after an on-site look, because the size of the void and the reason the slab dropped drive the cost. We don't quote prices, and a phone estimate is only a rough guess until someone has measured the concrete.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Why does my driveway sink right at the garage?
That slab often sits on backfill from when the house was built. As it compacts, or as water washes it out, the slab drops. Lifting fills the space and brings it back up.
Will lifting fix flaking on my driveway?
No. Flaking, or scaling, is surface damage from freeze-thaw cycles and deicers. Lifting only changes the slab's height.
Related services
- Polyurethane foam lifting
- Mudjacking (slabjacking)
- Sidewalks, steps and patios
- Joint sealing and crack repair
More background: Mankato concrete lifting guide.
Slab dropped, tipped or pulling away from the house?
Call and a Mankato-area lifting contractor will come look and give you a quote.