Clients ask us this question every day here at ConcreteMedic. Why not concrete replacement? Interestingly, there are many times that our client has already assumed their concrete will need replaced, until we speak with them. It’s frequently thought that if your concrete has any cracking, it must need replaced. We actually lift concrete every day that has cracks running through it, so cracks don’t necessarily mean it can’t be lifted. The best way to know is to simply call us to come take a look at the concrete. At that point, we can tell you if it’s a good candidate for our polyurethane foam mudjacking process.
Compared to Lifting or Mudjacking, the Price of Replacement is Very High
Probably the main reason that our clients want to lift their concrete, versus replacing it, is to save money. When we say it’s cheaper, we mean it’s generally a lot cheaper, like 50% to 75% less expensive. We see a lot of 3 car driveways being installed every year and it’s not unusual to see the price tag above $10,000 for the project. Many are even more than that. If saving money is something that you’re interested in, we’re certainly here to help. We’re seeing pricing for concrete installation anywhere from $7 to $9 per square foot. We’re also hearing about a lot of “minimum charge” levels set around $1500. Folks, we can do quite a bit of lifting for $1500. In fact, that’s quite a bit more than our average total project amount.
Selling Home
Another reason that many folks want to lift their concrete is because they’re in the process of moving to a new home. Home sellers and buyers and their realtors call us every week, asking us to take a look at their concrete. Generally it’s because a home inspector has noted a few items in need of repair on an inspection report. We do a lot of this work and enjoy the opportunity to help home buyers and sellers in this way. We’ve worked with all of the Omaha Real Estate brokerage firms and look forward to helping out more in 2019 as well. Now, this reason still mostly boils down to it being less expensive, especially given many of the other costs associated with moving.
Consistency of Look and Color
One more reason that many prefer to have their concrete lifted is continuity of color. When you have a single slab replaced on your driveway, it will always look like the odd man out on your driveway. Concrete changes color, much like copper patinas. The slab you replace will never be the same color as the other slabs on your driveway. A much smaller issue, but something that detail people recognize, is different tooling marks. Different contractors tend to use different trowels and tools, resulting in a slightly different finished look.
If your concrete is sinking and you’d like to save some money and maintain the consistent look you have now, give us a call at 402-619-6116 or send us a message.