Sinking Driveways Lifted Back to Grade With Polyurethane Foam Injection

A sinking driveway is moderate severity in most cases and structural in some. The immediate concerns are tripping hazards at any offset over 1/4 inch, water drainage reversing back toward the house foundation, and the void below the slab continuing to grow until the slab breaks. The structural concern shows up when the same water that voided the driveway subgrade is also reaching the house foundation. About 25 percent of the sinking-driveway calls Epp Foundation Repair inspects in eastern Nebraska have an accompanying foundation settlement issue we need to address first. Free on-site inspection tells you which category yours is.

Driveway leveling through polyurethane foam injection runs $800 to $5,000 across our four-state region depending on area and severity. A typical residential driveway with one or two settled panels and a step-down at the garage runs $1,200 to $2,500. Larger driveways, multiple problem zones, or severe settlement of 4 inches or more can reach $5,000. The pricing covers the lift, the foam, the drill-port patching, the crack sealing, and the 30-day verification visit. Written estimate after on-site inspection reflects your scope.

No. Epp Foundation Repair is a foundation and concrete-leveling contractor, not a flatwork contractor. We diagnose, lift, and seal existing concrete driveways. When a driveway is past the point where lifting makes sense. Typically when the slab is broken into pieces smaller than 3 by 3 feet or when surface deterioration is severe. We recommend reputable flatwork contractors in your area. About 8 percent of the driveways we inspect fall into the replacement-only category.

Because lifting a driveway over an active water source guarantees the settlement returns. Polyurethane foam fills the current void, but the same downspout that washed out the original subgrade will wash out the soil around the foam within 12 to 24 months. Epp Foundation Repair's warranty depends on the water source being addressed. We tell every homeowner this on the first visit and put it in writing on the estimate. About 30 percent of homeowners need to do that downspout work or sprinkler repair before we will schedule the lift.

No. Epp Foundation Repair does not extend downspouts, regrade lawns, or repair sprinkler lines. Those are separate trades and we refer you to landscapers, gutter contractors, or plumbers. What we do is identify exactly what needs to be fixed and where, in writing, on the estimate. Some homeowners do the drainage work themselves with a $40 downspout extension from the hardware store. Some hire a landscaper for $300 to $1,500 to regrade. Either way, the work comes first, and the lift comes after.

When the water source is fixed and the lift is done correctly, Epp Foundation Repair warranties the lift against re-settlement. Polyurethane foam itself does not deteriorate. It is the same material used in marine flotation and roadway voiding repair by state DOTs. Real-world performance across the four-state region: lifts done in the mid-2000s are still holding 20-plus years later when the homeowner kept water away from the slab. The single biggest predictor of lift longevity is whether the homeowner fixed the downspout.

Let's take the first step toward a healthy home.

A local specialist will inspect your foundation, walk you through the findings, and send a clear estimate. no cost, no pressure.