As I sit here waiting for my shift at a local trade show we are doing and having just come from an estimate this morning that also needed to have backfill added to their foundation. I realized that I get asked this question A LOT, why does the ground settle around the foundation? I will do my best to answer without the need for diagrams. First when a house is being constructed it generally has to be dug out for the foundation/basement walls to be installed. When doing this the ground needs to be dug out 2’ to 5’ deep, depending on the contractor, in order to be able to have the necessary room to work. Once the walls are constructed they are waterproofed and drain tile put in around the outside perimeter, then back filled with some of the dirt that was excavated. When this soil gets placed back in...

This is the most common question asked when reviewing a project and whether the process works. My response is, how long did the original concrete last and what was or has been done to help prevent what happened to it in the first place? If the issue isn’t fixed the symptom will remain. The process absolutely works and works well but it depends on if the ground below is stable or keeps moving which will determine how long. It also depends on the installer knowledge of support holes. Most any slab can be lifted with 1 to 2 lift holes but is mandatory to have support holes properly located to have a lasting chance. You can help eliminate some of the guesswork by doing a couple of things either before the concrete settles, and these are a must after lifting if you want to have success with the concrete staying lifted....

First of all, let’s explain the difference between the two. The Mudjacking Process The traditional mudjacking process has been in existence since the early 1900’s and has evolved into material forms but has remained the same general process since the beginning. Holes are drilled, anywhere from 1” to 2” in diameter and placed according to the type of lift necessary, the hole size is about equivalent to a golf ball or a little bigger. The “material” or “slurry” is then pumped through the holes and fills the void space under the dropped concrete. Once the void is filled hydraulic pressure then builds up and starts to lift the concrete that has lowered. Often times a free floating concrete slab only takes 10 psi of hydraulic pressure to lift. All of the holes that are drilled will get material pumped into them to ensure that there are no voids remaining under the...

I get the question often this time of year, “can you work when it’s cold outside?” The short answer is, yes as long as the ground is not frozen and the day temps are going to get above freezing for the day, much the same requirements that placing concrete would be, but there are some other considerations to keep in mind during the winter months. The last few years the weather has held out for most outdoor work with temperatures being the main influence, in the Kansas City area anyway. The patterns of weather have changed as far as the really cold temperatures don’t arrive until later in the season now and the cold season hasn’t lasted for extended periods of time. For example, the last 3 days were supposed to be a winter ice storm at 32 degrees and the next 5 days is a high of 55 degrees with...