Why Sioux Falls concrete sinks
It is not your concrete — it is what is underneath it. Minnehaha County's frost line runs 42 inches deep (county building handbook, 2021 IRC), and every winter the freeze-thaw cycle heaves the soil and spring snowmelt washes it out from under slabs. Add the glacial-till and clay soils of the Big Sioux River valley and the fresh, settling fill under the new subdivisions in Tea and Harrisburg, and sunken concrete is a Sioux Falls fact of life. Read the full explanation →
Frost heave
Water in the soil freezes, expands, and lifts the slab — then thaws unevenly, leaving voids and a slab that never quite settles back level.
Spring snowmelt washout
Meltwater and roof runoff carry fine soil out from under driveways and patios. The slab looks fine until the first warm week, when it drops.
Settling fill
New subdivisions are built on fill that keeps compacting for years. Driveways, sidewalks and garage floors on fresh fill are the first to sink — and the easiest to lift.
What we lift
Every slab type, one assessment: we inspect, measure the drop, check for voids, and recommend mudjacking or polyurethane foam — whichever fits the slab, not whichever we prefer to sell.
Driveway Raising
Sunken driveways that pool water at the garage door — lifted back to grade, usually in a day.
Learn more →Sidewalk & Steps
Trip hazards, tilted walkway sections and front steps that have pulled away from the porch.
Learn more →Patio Raising
Sunken patios and pool decks that tilt toward the house — lifted, levelled and sealed.
Learn more →Garage Floors
Interior garage slabs that have settled or cracked — lifted year-round, even in winter.
Learn more →Basement Floors
Interior basement slabs — the winter-capable job, done while outdoor work waits for thaw.
Learn more →Commercial & Warehouse
Warehouse floors, loading docks, municipal sidewalks and commercial slabs, with minimal downtime.
Learn more →How concrete raising works
Inspect & measure
We visit, measure how far the slab has dropped, and check for voids underneath. Photos you send ahead speed this up — many first estimates come from your pictures.
Drill small ports
Small holes are drilled through the slab — about 1–2 inches for mudjacking, as little as ⅜ inch for foam — placed to lift evenly, not in a row.
Lift in controlled stages
Slurry or foam is pumped under the slab in stages, raising it back to grade a little at a time while we watch the level. No jackhammers, no demolition.
Patch & seal joints
Ports are patched and the joints sealed, so water stops getting back underneath. Foam jobs are usually ready to use within about 15 minutes.
Mudjacking or foam — the short version
Both methods lift the slab. The differences are weight, hole size, cure time and cost. The full side-by-side is on our comparison page.
| Mudjacking | Polyurethane foam | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | About $3–$8 per sq ft | Higher per sq ft (nationally up to ~$25) |
| Material weight | ~100 lbs per cu ft (dense, stable) | ~2–4 lbs per cu ft (light) |
| Hole size | About 1–2 inches | As small as ⅜ inch |
| Ready to use | Hours to a day of cure | About 15 minutes |
| Best for | Large slabs, deep voids, budget-first jobs | Stamped/decorative concrete, light loads, speed |
What it costs — honest ranges
No Sioux Falls operator publishes prices. We do, as ranges from national cost guides, because a homeowner should know the ballpark before the estimate: mudjacking about $3–$8 per square foot; typical residential jobs roughly $500–$3,400, averaging near $1,200; lifting usually runs about half the cost of replacement. See the full cost guide with per-surface prices →
Before & after
Lifting is a visual trade — a slab either sits level or it does not. The pairs below are illustrative examples of the kind of work we do; they are labelled as such until real Sioux Falls project photos from the partner's jobs replace them.
A two-car driveway section that had dropped 3 inches at the garage threshold, raised back to grade.
Illustrative example — real Sioux Falls project photos replace these as partner jobs are completed.
Tilted walkway panels creating a trip hazard at a front step, lifted and joint-sealed.
Illustrative example — real Sioux Falls project photos replace these as partner jobs are completed.
A patio slab tilting toward the house after snowmelt washout, lifted and re-graded away from the foundation.
Illustrative example — real Sioux Falls project photos replace these as partner jobs are completed.
Concrete raising questions, answered
How much does concrete lifting cost in Sioux Falls?
Most residential mudjacking jobs run about $3–$8 per square foot, and typical jobs nationally land between roughly $500 and $3,400, with an average near $1,200 (published cost-guide ranges — no Sioux Falls operator publishes local prices). Polyurethane foam costs more per square foot than mudjacking. Either way, lifting a slab costs about half of tearing it out and replacing it. Your exact price is a free estimate after we see the slab — call or send photos and we will give you a first number.
Can you lift concrete in winter in South Dakota?
Outdoor slabs generally cannot be lifted in a Sioux Falls winter: mudjacking slurry needs unfrozen ground to set, and foam needs ground temperatures above roughly 40°F to bond. Frozen ground also hides a slab's true resting height, so the best lifts happen after the spring thaw. Interior floors — garage and basement slabs, warehouse floors — can be lifted year-round. In winter we take interior work and build the spring booking list, so April and May slots go to callers who reserved early.
Mudjacking or foam — which lasts longer?
Both methods lift the slab; what lasts is the fix underneath. Mudjacking uses a dense cement slurry — heavy, stable, and the right tool for large slabs and deep voids. Polyurethane foam is light (about 2–4 pounds per cubic foot versus roughly 100 for slurry), cures in minutes, and uses smaller holes, which suits stamped and decorative concrete. The honest answer is that the right method depends on the slab, the soil and the void — our estimate recommends one after the inspection, not before. See the full comparison on our mudjacking vs foam page.
How long does a concrete lifting job take?
Most residential jobs are done in a day, often in a few hours. Foam-lifted slabs can usually be used within about 15 minutes of the lift. Mudjacking needs more cure time before heavy loads cross the slab — your crew will tell you the wait for your specific job before they leave.
Will my slab sink again?
Lifting fixes the slab; drainage fixes the cause. Most Sioux Falls settlement comes from frost heave, spring snowmelt washing out the soil under the slab, or poorly compacted fill under new construction. We fill the voids and, where it helps, recommend sealing the joints and improving drainage so water stops undermining the slab. A slab lifted onto a filled, sealed base holds — and we will tell you plainly when a slab is too far gone to lift and replacement is the honest answer.
How do estimates work — do I need to be home?
No. Call us, or send photos of the sunken slab through the contact form with your address, and we will call you back with a first price. A short on-site visit confirms the exact quote — we measure the drop, check for voids, and recommend mudjacking or foam. The estimate is free and there is no obligation.
Do you lift concrete in Tea, Brandon and Harrisburg too?
Yes — we serve Sioux Falls and the whole metro, including Tea, Brandon, Harrisburg, Dell Rapids, Lennox, Beresford, Canton, Hartford, Baltic, Colton, Crooks and Worthing. The fast-growing suburbs are where much of our work is: new subdivisions built on fresh, settling fill produce the driveways and sidewalks that drop first.