Leveling is priced by the area lifted and the material pumped. Foam costs more per square foot than mud slurry and cures faster with smaller holes; both are a fraction of replacing a slab that's only sunk, not broken.
About the numbers. The ranges on this page are published national figures from HomeGuide, quoted with each page's date because they change. They are not our prices. Our price for your job is written after an estimator measures it, and it lists thickness, base, reinforcement, finish and the apron separately.
Published ranges, 2026
| Job | Mudjacking | Polyurethane foam |
|---|---|---|
| Per square foot | $4 to $9 | $8 to $25 |
| Sidewalk, about 100 sq ft | $400 to $900 | $800 to $2,500 |
| Driveway, partial, about 200 sq ft | $800 to $1,800 | $1,600 to $5,000 |
| Driveway, full, about 450 sq ft | $1,800 to $4,100 | $3,600 to $11,300 |
| Patio or porch, about 150 sq ft | $600 to $1,400 | $1,200 to $3,800 |
| Full slab replacement, for comparison | $6 to $15 per sq ft | |
HomeGuide, concrete leveling page dated November 2025.
Why foam costs more and is usually still the pick
Foam is a two-part chemical product injected through dime-sized holes, cures in minutes, weighs almost nothing and fills voids completely. Mud slurry is sand, cement and soil, cheap by the yard, pumped through bigger holes, heavy, and slower to cure. For a sidewalk panel, a stoop or a patio, foam's small holes and same-day use usually outweigh the per-foot premium. For a large area of driveway on firm ground, mud's lower rate can win. The estimator says which, and why.
When replacement is cheaper
When the slab is broken into pieces, when the surface is spalling, when a void keeps returning because a drain or a sewer lateral is failing underneath, or when a lift would cost more than half of a new panel. A City sidewalk panel is the classic case: a sound panel sunk at one joint is a one-hour foam lift; a cracked, crumbling one is a new panel, and we'll price both.
What's on our leveling price
The area, the method, the number of injection points, the patch, and the drainage fix that keeps it from sinking again. For right-of-way work in Cincinnati, the permit and the licensed street contractor are included.
Questions
Is there a minimum charge for leveling?
Yes; the equipment and the crew cost the same to arrive for one panel as for ten. Small jobs are quoted when you call.
Foam or mud, which lasts longer?
Both last as long as the ground under them does. Foam doesn't break down and doesn't add weight, which matters on soft ground; mud is heavier and can settle again on it.
Can a City sidewalk notice be answered with leveling?
Often, where the panel is sound and only offset at a joint. It's much cheaper than replacement and we'll say when it qualifies.
How long does a lift take?
An hour or two for a few panels; a morning for a driveway.
Will it sink again?
Not if the cause is fixed. Extend the downspout, seal the joint, correct the grade; otherwise the water washes out the base beside the foam.
Do you offer mudjacking?
Where it's the right method and the crew has the equipment that day. The estimate names the method.
Get a written price
Tell us the job and where it is. Someone calls back the same day, an estimator measures it in person, and you get a written price with the thickness, the base and the finish spelled out. Nothing is poured on a verbal.