Concrete Leveling in Oklahoma City
Most sunken driveways, patios, sidewalks and steps can be lifted back into place for far less than replacing them, usually in a few hours. The catch on Oklahoma City clay is making sure the slab is the whole problem, not a symptom of water or foundation movement.
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The short version
Concrete leveling (also called concrete lifting, slabjacking or slab raising) means pumping material under a sunken slab to fill the empty space and lift it back toward level. It works on driveways, patios, porches, sidewalks, garage floors, pool decks and steps, as long as the concrete itself is still in one reasonably solid piece.
Published cost guides put a typical residential job at roughly $500 to $1,700, with large driveways and garage floors running higher. Leveling is usually far cheaper than tearing out and pouring new concrete, but it only lasts if whatever washed out or shrank the soil underneath is dealt with too.
If a slab next to your house has dropped, it is worth having someone look at both the slab and the house in the same visit. A local foundation specialist can tell you whether it is a simple leveling job or a sign of something bigger.
Why concrete sinks in Oklahoma City
Much of the metro sits on expansive clay: soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Soil scientists measure this as LEP (linear extensibility percent), roughly how much the soil changes length between wet and dry. The USDA calls 3 to 6 moderate and 6 to 9 high. Our ZIP-level data, built from the USDA NRCS soil survey, puts south and west-central Oklahoma City (73159, 73139, 73119, 73120 and 73162) at the top of the metro, with 69 to 84% of the land on high shrink-swell clay.
That matters for flatwork (the industry's word for driveways, patios and sidewalks). When clay under a slab dries and shrinks, it pulls away and leaves a void. When rain or a leaking downspout soaks one edge, water can carry soil out from underneath. Either way, the slab loses support and settles, cracks or tilts.
Dry years make it worse. As of October 20, 2026, all of Oklahoma County was in severe drought (D2) or worse, per the US Drought Monitor, and 2026 has had 34 weeks with at least half the county in D2 or worse, the most since 2011. More on that in drought and your foundation.
The east side is different. Choctaw (73020), Midwest City (73130) and east Edmond (73034) sit mostly on sandy Stephenville and Harrah soils with low shrink-swell. There, a sunken slab more often points to a specific water source, like a downspout or poor grading. You can check your own street below.
Your three options
Mudjacking
Mudjacking is the traditional method. A contractor drills holes in the sunken slab and pumps in a slurry, typically water, soil, sand and cement, under pressure until the slab rises. The holes are patched afterward. HomeGuide describes the holes as about 1.5 to 2 inches across and says the surface is ready for light foot traffic within 24 hours and vehicles in 2 to 3 days.
- Pros: the lowest cost per square foot; well suited to large areas like driveways.
- Cons: bigger, more visible patches; the slurry is heavy and adds weight to the soil; HomeGuide notes it can wash away over time.
- Lifespan: HomeGuide says properly done mudjacking lasts 5 to 10 years or longer, depending on soil and drainage.
Polyurethane foam leveling (polyjacking)
Polyjacking, also called foam jacking or poly leveling, injects a two-part foam that expands under the slab, fills the void and lifts the concrete. HomeGuide lists injection holes of about half an inch to five-eighths of an inch and a cure time of around 15 minutes.
- Pros: very light, so it adds little load to weak soil; small holes; quick return to use; HomeGuide describes the foam as waterproof and resistant to erosion.
- Cons: HomeGuide says premium fills like foam can double or triple the per-square-foot price of mudjacking.
- Lifespan: sources tend to describe foam as longer lasting than mud, but we could not find a reliable published number of years. Treat any lifetime claim as something to get in writing.
Tear out and replace
Replacement means breaking up the old slab, hauling it away, fixing the base and pouring new concrete. It makes sense when the slab is badly cracked, crumbling or broken into many pieces. Leveling a slab that is falling apart just lifts a broken slab.
- Pros: brand new surface; a chance to fix the base, slope and drainage properly.
- Cons: the most expensive option, with days of curing before you can drive on it.
What concrete leveling costs
These are published ranges from national cost guides, not quotes, and not what any one contractor will charge you:
| Method | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mudjacking | $4 to $9 per sq. ft. | HomeGuide |
| Polyurethane foam | $8 to $25 per sq. ft. | HomeGuide |
| Polyurethane foam | $5 to $25 per sq. ft. | Bob Vila |
| Full slab replacement | $6 to $15 per sq. ft. | HomeGuide |
For a whole job, Bob Vila (citing Angi and HomeAdvisor data) puts concrete leveling at $630 to $1,723, with a national average of $1,174. Fixr gives $500 to $1,700. HomeGuide notes that most mudjacking contractors charge a minimum fee of $300 to $700, so small jobs cost more per square foot.
HomeGuide's mudjacking prices by project:
| Project | Approx. size | Mudjacking range |
|---|---|---|
| Porch or entry steps | 40 sq. ft. | $300 to $500 |
| Sidewalk section | 100 sq. ft. | $400 to $900 |
| Patio or porch | 150 sq. ft. | $600 to $1,400 |
| Partial driveway | 200 sq. ft. | $800 to $1,800 |
| Garage floor | 360 sq. ft. | $1,400 to $3,200 |
| Driveway | 450 sq. ft. | $1,800 to $4,100 |
On the leveling versus replacement question, HomeGuide says mudjacking often costs 30% to 50% less than replacing concrete, and Fixr says a new slab usually costs 50% to 70% more than leveling. Foam narrows that gap. For a sense of what bigger foundation work costs, see our foundation repair cost guide.
When leveling is a band-aid
Lifting a slab treats the void. It does not treat what made the void. If water or soil movement caused the sinking, HomeGuide warns the same thing will affect the repaired slab unless it is corrected. Watch for these signs that something more is going on:
- The slab keeps dropping. If it was leveled before and sank again, the cause is still there.
- Water pools against the house. A patio or driveway that tilts toward the foundation sends rain right where you don't want it.
- A downspout empties onto or next to the slab. This is one of the most common causes of washed-out soil.
- The gap is at the house, not just the slab. A porch or stoop pulling away from the wall, or a garage floor crack that lines up with cracks in brick or drywall, can mean the house is moving too.
- Signs inside. Sticking doors, gaps over windows or sloping floors near the sunken area. Our list of signs of foundation problems covers what each one usually means.
In those cases, fixing gutters, extending downspouts, regrading, or in some cases foundation repair should come first or alongside the leveling. Otherwise you may pay to lift the same slab twice.
Not sure whether your crack or gap is the slab or the house? A photo is a quick, no-pressure way to get a second opinion.
Trip hazards and safety
A sidewalk or step that has dropped even a little creates a lip that catches toes, especially for visitors who don't know it is there. Uneven steps are particularly risky because people tend not to look down. HomeGuide lists uneven surfaces that create tripping hazards among the common signs a slab needs lifting.
If you can't get it fixed right away, mark the edge so it is easy to see, keep the area well lit at night, and steer foot traffic around it.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Mud or foam, and why? Ask what they recommend for your soil and slab, and the price for each.
- What caused the settling? A contractor who can't answer this is only selling the lift.
- How many holes, how big, and how will they be patched? Patches can be visible on a driveway you see every day.
- How much lift, and to what tolerance? Will the slab end up sloping away from the house?
- Are the joints and cracks sealed afterward? Open joints let water back under the slab.
- What happens if it settles again? Get any guarantee in writing, with its length and conditions.
- Is drainage work included or recommended? Get it priced separately so you can compare.
For more on vetting contractors, see choosing a foundation repair company.
Get the slab and the house looked at together
The cheapest outcome is a slab that only needed lifting. The most expensive is lifting a slab twice because the real problem was water or the foundation next to it. A free on-site inspection lets a local foundation specialist look at the sunken concrete and the house beside it, tell you which one you are dealing with, and put what they recommend in writing.
Questions homeowners ask
How much does concrete leveling cost in Oklahoma City?
National cost guides put a typical job at about $500 to $1,700. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot and polyurethane foam at $8 to $25, with minimum job fees of $300 to $700.
Is mudjacking or polyjacking better?
Neither is right for every slab. Mudjacking costs less and suits large areas; foam costs more but is lighter, uses smaller holes, and cures in minutes. Ask a contractor to price both for your slab.
How long does concrete leveling last?
HomeGuide says properly done mudjacking lasts 5 to 10 years or longer. How long any lift lasts depends mostly on whether the drainage or soil problem that caused the sinking is fixed.
Can a cracked slab be leveled?
Often, if it is still in a few solid pieces. Slabs that are crumbling or broken into many pieces are usually better candidates for replacement.
Does a sunken patio or porch mean I have a foundation problem?
Not necessarily. Many slabs sink from washed-out or shrinking soil under the slab alone. If the porch is pulling away from the house or you see cracks or sticking doors inside, have the foundation checked too.