Sunken driveway repair in Wichita
Driveways settle in predictable places: the panel against the garage, the section where the driveway meets the city sidewalk or the street, and anywhere a downspout empties onto the edge. When one panel drops, you get a lip that catches mower wheels and toes, water that runs the wrong way, and a joint that keeps opening. Leveling raises the panel back into line.
Call (316) 688-2584The usual trouble spots
- At the garage door. The first panel sits on fill dirt that was backfilled against the foundation when the house was built. It is the most common place for a driveway to drop, and it can tip water back toward the garage.
- At the sidewalk or street. The end panels see the most water, from the gutter and from runoff down the driveway, and the soil at the edge washes out first.
- Along the edges. Downspouts, sprinklers and flower beds that hold water soften the soil under the edge of the slab.
- Mid-driveway joints. One panel drops and the next one does not, leaving a step at the joint.
How the repair works
The crew drills holes through the low panel, pumps fill underneath, and raises it until it lines up with the panels around it. Any joint between the driveway and the garage slab or sidewalk gets checked so water drains away from the house again. The holes are patched, and joints are usually sealed afterward so water stops getting under the slab.
On a driveway, the choice of method mostly comes down to timing and soil. Mudjacking costs less, and most crews ask you to keep vehicles off for about a day. Foam costs more and is usually ready to drive on the same day.
What it costs
HomeGuide's national data puts a full driveway of about 450 square feet at roughly $1,800 to $4,100 with mudjacking and $3,600 to $11,300 with foam. Most driveway jobs are smaller than that, since usually only one or two panels have dropped. Two panels by the garage is a much smaller number. The cost page has the full breakdown.
Cost ranges: HomeGuide, Concrete Leveling Cost.
Keeping it level afterward
- Extend downspouts so they empty onto the lawn, several feet from the slab.
- Seal the joint between the driveway and the garage, and any cracks, so rain stops running under the panels.
- Point sprinkler heads away from the driveway edges.
- Keep heavy equipment, dumpsters and delivery trucks off the edges where the slab has the least support.
Questions people ask
Can you level just one driveway panel?
Yes. Driveways are poured in panels separated by joints, and each panel can be lifted on its own to meet its neighbors.
My driveway slopes toward the garage. Can leveling fix that?
Often, yes. If the panel next to the garage has dropped and now tips toward the door, raising it restores the slope away from the house. The contractor will check the slope on site.
How soon can I park on it?
With foam lifting, usually the same day. With mudjacking, most crews ask you to wait about a day.
Where we work
We take calls from across Wichita and the surrounding towns in Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties.
Other surfaces we level
Sidewalk Leveling
Trip hazards on front walks and city sidewalks, raised flush instead of torn out.
Read morePatio Leveling
Patios that tipped toward the house or pulled away from it, lifted back to a proper slope.
Read moreGarage Floor Leveling
Sunken garage slabs and the lip at the door, raised with small holes and little mess.
Read morePorch & Step Leveling
Front steps and stoops that settled away from the door, lifted back up to meet it.
Read morePool Deck Leveling
Settled pool decks and the gap at the coping, lifted with light foam and small holes.
Read moreGet a free estimate
Tell us what is sinking and roughly how big the area is. The contractor will call you back to set up an estimate, and may ask you to text a photo first.
Prefer to talk? Call (316) 688-2584.
Driveway dropped at the garage?
Call for a free estimate. Most driveway jobs take a few hours.