Concrete Lifting vs Replacement? (Here’s How to Decide)

Matt Wallace
May 13
3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

If your concrete driveway is sinking or it’s uneven in some areas, then you might be asking yourself...

"Should I replace it or can I just lift the concrete?"

Well… the answer is: it depends.

Most companies only offer one of these services, so they tend to promote the one they do. But the truth is—both have their place.

So in this article, you’re going to learn 3 things…

How concrete lifting works
How full replacement works
A simple way to help you decide which is right for you.

Let’s take the most common situation: 2 main sections of a concrete driveway in front of a garage has been sinking over time.

Let’s start with concrete lifting

This method keeps your existing concrete in place. Small holes are drilled into the slab, and material is injected underneath to raise it back to its original height.

There are actually two main types of lifting

Mudjacking: This method uses a heavier, muddy mixture to lift the slab. It’s more affordable, but it requires larger holes, takes longer to cure, and typically lasts 2 to 5 years.
Foam lifting: This method uses lightweight, expanding foam. It’s quicker, more precise, requires smaller holes, and typically lasts 5 to 10 years or more.

Both of these jobs take about 2 to 4 hours, and you can use your driveway within 24 hours after mudjacking, and immediately after foam lifting is done.

The cost in this example (where you need to raise the two driveway sections in front of a garage) is somewhere around $2,000, maybe a bit more or a bit less.

Now let’s look at concrete replacement.

Obviously, this is when the old concrete is completely removed. This fully addresses the underlying issue that caused the concrete to sink in the first place.

The contractor digs out the base, puts in a new compacted gravel foundation… they add rebar reinforcement, and then pour brand-new concrete. The process does take longer, and you need to wait about 7 days before you can use your driveway.

The cost for replacing concrete (using the same example) would be somewhere near $4,000.

As a rule of thumb, replacing concrete costs about twice as much as lifting it. So if cost is the biggest factor, lifting is the cheaper option—but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice.

So how do know which one to go with?

While we're not here to tell you what you should do, here are 3 questions that can help you make the decision easier…

Question #1: How much has the concrete settled? If it’s dropped just a few inches, lifting could work great. But if it’s settled 6–8 inches or more, that usually points to deeper problems like poor soil or erosion — and replacement may be the best choice.
Question #2: Is the slab cracked in multiple places, or is it still mostly intact? If the concrete is just uneven but still in one solid piece, lifting can work well. But if there are deep or widespread cracks, especially running in different directions, lifting won’t fix them. In that case, replacement is usually the better option.
Question #3: Has this area had issues before—or been lifted already? If it’s already been lifted once, or the problem keeps coming back, it may be time to fix it the right way with a brand-new base and slab.