Mudjacking in Milwaukee, WI
Mudjacking is the original concrete-raising method — and still the word most Wisconsin homeowners use for it. Here's the honest breakdown: what it is, what it costs, how it compares to modern foam lifting, and why SureStep uses foam instead.
What is mudjacking?
Mudjacking (also called slabjacking) raises settled concrete by pumping a slurry of cement, soil, and water underneath it. The crew drills 2-inch-plus holes through your slab (think hockey puck, not pencil eraser), pumps the heavy mixture in until the slab rises, then tries to patch the craters. Our foam? Tiny 5/8-inch holes — your best chance at the least visible repair. How much they show depends on your concrete's color and age, but they'll never look like 2-inch craters.
2.5-inch holes
Thick slurry needs big openings — each hole is about the size of a tennis ball, spaced across the slab.
Heavy material
Cement slurry adds significant weight to soil that may already be weak — a real consideration on Wisconsin clay.
Lower sticker price
Industry guides put mudjacking at roughly $3–$8 per square foot; typical residential jobs run $600–$2,500.
Longer cure
Slurry needs time to set before the slab takes full load — slower turnaround than foam's minutes-long cure.
Mudjacking vs. polyurethane foam
Same goal — a level slab — different century of technology. This is the comparison we walk Milwaukee homeowners through:
Hole size
Mudjacking: 2.5-inch holes. Foam: holes about 5/8 inch wide, patched the same day and barely visible.
Weight on your soil
Mudjacking: heavy cement slurry adds load to already-settling ground. Foam: high-density polyurethane weighs ounces per cubic foot.
Precision
Mudjacking: coarse lift, harder to fine-tune. Foam: expanding foam fills voids completely and lifts with controlled precision.
Use it today
Mudjacking: cure time before full use. Foam: cures in minutes — driveways and sidewalks usable the same day.
Why we lift with foam, not mud
SureStep doesn't mudjack — we do the method that replaced it. Polyurethane foam injection raises settled driveways, sidewalks, patios, stoops, and garage floors with 5/8-inch holes, no heavy slurry on weak soil, and same-day use. Fully insured, BBB Accredited, backed by our 5-year warranty.*
*Ask us about warranty coverage and terms.
Common questions
How much does mudjacking cost in Milwaukee?
Industry cost guides put traditional mudjacking at roughly $3–$8 per square foot, with typical residential jobs landing between $600 and $2,500. The real number depends on how far the slabs dropped, the area size, and what's happening in the soil — every SureStep quote is measured on site, and the price can change if actual measurements differ.
How big are mudjacking holes?
About 2.5 inches across — roughly the size of a tennis ball. Big ugly craters in your concrete. That's the standard for pumping thick cement slurry under a slab. By comparison, the polyurethane foam method we use needs holes only about 5/8 inch wide, which patch nearly invisibly.
How long does mudjacking last?
It varies widely with soil conditions and drainage — when the underlying cause of the settling is addressed, a mudjacked slab can hold for many years. On soft or wet clay soils like much of Southeast Wisconsin's, the added weight of cement slurry can work against you, which is one reason we lift with lightweight expanding foam instead.
Is mudjacking better than polyurethane foam?
For most residential work, foam wins on the things homeowners notice: 5/8-inch holes instead of 2.5-inch ones, a material that weighs ounces per cubic foot instead of adding heavy slurry to weak soil, cure times measured in minutes, and more precise lifting. Mudjacking's main advantage is a lower sticker price on some jobs.
Why doesn't SureStep offer mudjacking?
We specialize in the method that replaced it. Polyurethane foam injection does the same job — raising settled concrete back to level — with smaller holes, less weight on the soil, and same-day use. If your situation genuinely called for mudjacking, we'd tell you straight.
Does mudjacking work on driveways, sidewalks, and patios?
Yes — those are its classic applications, along with garage floors, stoops, and pool decks. Whatever method is used, the key is fixing the voids and weak soil under the slab, not just raising it.
Settled concrete in Milwaukee?
Whether you call it mudjacking, concrete lifting, or concrete leveling — if your slabs have sunk, we can raise them. Send photos or request a visit and we'll measure and give you a straight number.