Concrete Leveling Services in Chicago, IL
Our team at Perma-Seal offers professional residential and commercial concrete leveling services in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
How Settlement Causes Uneven Concrete
Concrete is often poured over recently backfilled soil around a home after construction. This loose soil settles over time, creating a void under the concrete. Another common occurrence is soil erosion under the slab. As water runs down through the cracks and joints in the concrete, it washes the soil out, creating voids. Poor drainage can also contribute to soil instability and concrete settlement, making the problem worse for property owners.
These voids cause your concrete to shift and settle, creating cracked, uneven concrete and dangerous tripping hazards. Uneven concrete poses significant safety hazards, increasing the risk of trips and falls. Property owners may have concerns about the safety, appearance, and value of their property due to these issues.
Does Concrete Leveling with PolyLevel® Really Work?
Concrete leveling has been around for decades, but not all methods are created equal. At Perma-Seal, we use PolyLevel®, a state-of-the-art expanding polyurethane foam system designed to lift and stabilize sunken concrete quickly, cleanly, and permanently. PolyLevel® works by undergoing a chemical reaction that causes the foam to expand rapidly, filling voids and lifting the slab with precision.
The short answer is—yes, concrete leveling works. As long as the slab is still in good condition, PolyLevel® can restore it to its original level without causing additional damage. The process results in minimal disruption to your property and is typically completed within a few hours. Even better, PolyLevel® cures fast, which means you can safely walk or drive on the surface within about 15 minutes of installation.
Other methods, such as mudjacking or full concrete replacement, may sound like solutions but come with drawbacks. Mudjacking uses heavy materials that often sink again over time, and replacement is disruptive, messy, and expensive. PolyLevel®, on the other hand, is lightweight yet incredibly strong. Since its introduction, it has quickly become the preferred solution for long-lasting concrete leveling, thanks to its ability to lift slabs with precision and keep them in place for years.
Fixing Uneven Concrete Gives Peace of Mind, Quality of Life, And Property Value
Imagine your home when it was new. Picture everything working exactly the way it was designed. The original owner—maybe it was even you—didn’t have to worry that their largest investment was losing value due to concrete settlement issues. They didn’t lose sleep at night, wondering if a floor might buckle or a wall might cave in. These are all good reasons why it makes sense to schedule concrete leveling now rather than wait.
And, as we said earlier, you’ll have to address your concrete problems eventually. So, wouldn’t you rather fix them now, when it’s much less expensive?
Concrete Leveling Methods
At Perma-Seal, we use PolyLevel® as our modern approach to slabjacking, also known as slab jacking or concrete lifting and leveling. Slab jacking is a process that involves injecting materials beneath a sunken or uneven concrete slab to lift and stabilize it. Concrete lifting and leveling is a cost effective alternative to traditional concrete replacement, offering a less invasive and more affordable solution for repairing uneven surfaces. While there are different methods available for raising and leveling concrete, the two most common you’ll hear about are mudjacking and polyjacking (PolyLevel®). Each has its place, but it’s important to understand the key differences before deciding which is right for your home or business. Learn more about the key differences in our article: Mudjacking vs. PolyLevel®: What’s the Best Way to Level Your Concrete?
Polyjacking
The superior choice for long-lasting concrete repair is PolyLevel®. Instead of using a heavy slurry, PolyLevel® relies on a lightweight, high-strength polyurethane foam. This two-part mixture is injected through small, dime-sized holes, making the process far less invasive.
Once injected, the foam expands 30–50 times its liquid volume, filling any voids, improving soil stability beneath the slab, and lifting the existing concrete back to its original position with precision. This method restores sunken or uneven slabs without the need for full replacement, preserving the existing concrete and saving time and cost. Unlike mudjacking, PolyLevel® cures quickly—most surfaces are ready for use within just 15 minutes.
Mudjacking
The mudjacking process involves drilling large holes into the concrete surface. Mudjacking uses a heavy slurry mixture that includes mud, soil, sand, and cement, which is then pumped beneath the concrete slab to fill voids and push the slab back into place. This method is often used to lift sunken slabs and stabilize uneven concrete slabs. While this method can lift a concrete slab, it comes with several downsides: the holes are larger and more visible, the material is heavy and prone to resettling, and the curing time can take up to a full day before the slab is ready for normal use. Results are often temporary and harder to control.
Concrete Replacement Doesn’t Address the Real Problem
Maybe you’re putting off addressing cracked and sunken concrete because you think the only answer is a disruptive, noisy, messy concrete replacement. However, concrete leveling avoids the need for replacing entire slabs, offering a less invasive solution. You picture old concrete being jackhammered out and hauled away. New concrete is being poured and left to cure for up to a week or more. This traditional concrete replacement process is not only time-consuming but also comes with high replacement costs. And, when it’s all said and done, the soil issues that caused your concrete to fail in the first place are still there, lurking beneath the slabs. There is a better way to lift, level, and stabilize concrete permanently and have it ready for use within 48 hours. Our team at Perma Seal offers concrete crack repair and concrete leveling services for homeowners across the Chicagoland area.
Why DIY Fixes Won’t Cut It
With a big-box DIY store around just about every corner, trying a quick fix for your cracked or sunken pavement is tempting. You could seal the cracks with cheap polyurethane caulk. (Of course, it will likely peel and crack over time.) You might even try a driveway resurfacing kit to hide the flaws in your concrete, but that won’t address the soil beneath your slabs that’s causing the problem. Plus, let’s face it, a DIY surface never looks as good as one professionally installed. If you want professional results, you need to hire a professional team with experience, equipment, and a guarantee that you will do the job right.
Contact us For Concrete Leveling Near You in Chicago, Il
hen it comes to protecting your home, you can trust our company, Perma-Seal Basement Systems, to provide the highest-quality concrete leveling service in Chicago and throughout the surrounding suburbs. We take pride in delivering professional service and ensuring customer satisfaction with every project. With decades of experience, our team has helped customers across Illinois and Northwest Indiana with foundation stabilization, concrete crack repair, and our advanced PolyLevel® concrete lifting system. We are committed to serving our customers with high-quality service and completed repairs, always leaving no mess behind.
Getting started is simple—just fill out our online form or give us a call at 800-421-7325 to request your free quote or free estimate for your concrete leveling repairs, and one of our concrete repair specialists will respond quickly. Thousands of homeowners have already trusted Perma-Seal to restore safety, stability, and peace of mind to their homes with efficient, professional service. We look forward to helping you, too.
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Concrete lifting
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Concrete lifting
Frequently Asked Questions
What is concrete lifting and leveling?
Concrete lifting and leveling is a process that raises sunken or uneven concrete slabs back to their original position. This is typically done using polyurethane foam injection or a technique called mudjacking. It’s a fast, cost-effective alternative to full concrete replacement.
What types of surfaces can be lifted?
We can lift and level a variety of concrete surfaces, including sidewalks, driveways, patios, garage floors, pool decks, and even interior slabs. If the concrete is structurally sound but uneven, it’s usually a good candidate for lifting.
How long does concrete lifting take?
Most jobs can be completed in just a few hours, depending on the size and number of areas being treated. The foam cures quickly, meaning you can typically walk or drive on the surface the same day.
Is concrete lifting permanent?
While no repair is truly permanent, polyurethane foam lifting is a long-lasting solution. It’s water-resistant, doesn’t shrink, and provides stable support to prevent future settling—especially when drainage and soil conditions are also addressed.
How much does concrete leveling cost compared to replacement?
Concrete leveling is typically 50–70% less expensive than tearing out and replacing the slab. Costs vary based on the size of the area and the amount of material required, but it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to fix uneven concrete.
