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Residential & Commercial Concrete Lifting Services – 780.218.7511

Concrete Levelling St Albert

Have you ever walked out to your driveway and noticed that one slab has sunk a few inches lower than the rest? Maybe you have been stepping over a trip hazard for months, telling yourself you will deal with it later. That is exactly the situation one St Albert homeowner found themselves in - and it is more common than you might think. Concrete levelling in St Albert is one of the most requested services Merit Home Services handles across Central Alberta, and understanding what the process actually looks like from start to finish can help you decide whether it is the right move for your property.

The Problem: A Sunken Driveway That Just Got Worse

The homeowner first noticed a subtle dip along the left side of their driveway near the garage apron. At first it seemed minor - a quarter-inch drop, easy to step over, barely noticeable to guests. But Alberta winters are not gentle on concrete. Freeze-thaw cycles expanded the gap beneath the slab, and by spring the settlement had grown to nearly two and a half inches. Water was now pooling against the garage foundation after rain, and the raised edge of the neighbouring slab had become a genuine safety hazard for the family.

The homeowner called a general contractor first and received a quote to tear out and replace the entire driveway section. The price was significant, the timeline was weeks, and the disruption to daily life would be substantial. A neighbour suggested they look into concrete levelling as an alternative - and that is when they found meritconcrete.ca.

The Approach: Advanced Cementitious Grout Technology

When the Merit Home Services team arrived for the assessment, they explained something that surprised the homeowner: not all concrete levelling methods are created equal. Many contractors still use polyurethane foam injection or traditional mudjacking with basic slurry. Merit uses a proprietary cementitious grout technology that delivers approximately 4 to 5 times the holding power of conventional foam. Because the grout bonds with the existing soil and cures into a dense, load-bearing mass, you get a repair that is engineered to last - not just a temporary fix that compresses or degrades over time.

Here is what the process looked like step by step for this St Albert home:

  1. The technician performed a thorough on-site inspection to map the void beneath the sunken slab using probing rods.
  2. Small, strategically placed injection holes (roughly the size of a quarter) were drilled through the concrete surface.
  3. The cementitious grout mixture was pumped under controlled pressure to fill voids and hydraulically lift the slab.
  4. The team monitored the lift in real time, stopping precisely when the slab reached the correct elevation to match adjacent panels.
  5. Injection holes were patched flush with the surface, and the driveway was ready for light foot traffic within hours.

The entire job was completed in under three hours. No jackhammers. No concrete trucks. No weeks of curing time blocking the garage.

How Cementitious Grout Compares to Other Methods

If you are evaluating your options, this comparison gives you a clear picture of why the method Merit uses stands apart from the alternatives commonly offered across Edmonton and Central Alberta.

FeatureCementitious Grout (Merit)Polyurethane FoamFull Replacement
Holding PowerVery High (4-5x foam)ModerateHigh (new slab)
Typical Cost vs. Replacement50-70% less40-60% lessFull price
Cure / Ready TimeHoursHoursDays to weeks
Environmental ImpactLowModerate (petroleum-based)High (waste concrete)
LongevityLong-termMedium-termLong-term (new pour)
Disruption to PropertyMinimalMinimalSignificant

For a homeowner weighing cost against durability, concrete levelling in St Albert using cementitious grout consistently delivers long-term value that foam-based approaches simply cannot match over time.

The Result: Level, Safe, and Ready for Winter

Once the lift was complete, the slab sat perfectly flush with the surrounding driveway panels. The two-and-a-half-inch drop was gone. The pooling water issue near the garage foundation was resolved because the corrected slope now directed runoff away from the structure as originally intended. The homeowner later shared that the repaired section had performed flawlessly through multiple freeze-thaw cycles - no re-settlement, no new cracking along the lifted slab, and no further water infiltration near the foundation.

The cost came in at roughly 60 percent less than the full replacement quote the homeowner had received earlier. That kind of saving matters, especially when the alternative delivers comparable longevity. Concrete levelling in St Albert - done with the right technology and by an experienced team - is not a compromise. It is often the smarter, more durable choice.

What This Means for Your Property in Central Alberta

Whether you are in St Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc, or Camrose, settled concrete is a shared challenge across Central Alberta. The clay-heavy soils in this region shift with moisture and temperature changes in ways that put consistent pressure on slabs year after year. Merit Home Services has been solving exactly these problems for over 15 years, and the approach is tailored to the specific soil conditions and climate demands of this part of Alberta.

If you have a driveway, sidewalk, or garage apron that has started to sink or become uneven, you do not have to default to a full replacement. A professional assessment from the team at meritconcrete.ca can tell you quickly whether concrete levelling is the right fit - and in most cases, it is. Homeowners and property managers across Edmonton and Central Alberta continue to choose this method because it is proven, practical, and built for the conditions we actually live with here. You deserve a solution that lasts, not one that just looks good for a season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does concrete levelling in St Albert typically cost?

Concrete levelling in St Albert generally costs between 50 and 70 percent less than a full concrete replacement, depending on the size of the area and the degree of settlement. Most residential driveway or sidewalk lifts fall within a range that makes the repair a highly cost-effective alternative to pouring new concrete. A site assessment from a qualified contractor like Merit Home Services will give you an accurate quote based on your specific conditions.

How long does concrete levelling last in St Albert's climate?

When performed with high-quality cementitious grout technology, concrete levelling in St Albert can deliver long-lasting results that hold up through multiple Alberta freeze-thaw cycles. The cementitious material bonds with the underlying soil and cures into a dense, load-bearing mass, which is significantly more resistant to re-settlement than polyurethane foam alternatives. Longevity depends on soil conditions and drainage, but properly executed lifts regularly outperform expectations in Central Alberta's challenging climate.

Can concrete levelling fix a slab that has cracked, not just sunk?

Concrete levelling addresses the root cause of settlement - the void or unstable soil beneath the slab - and can be performed on slabs that have both sunk and cracked, as long as the structural integrity of the concrete is sufficient to support the lift. Cracks are assessed during the initial inspection to determine whether the slab is a viable candidate for lifting or whether additional foundation crack repair is needed alongside the levelling work. Merit Home Services offers both services and can advise you on the best approach for your specific situation.

  • Increased liability due to “known” tripping hazards left uncorrected
  • Ill-timed financial expenditures due to water damage
  • Reduced property values

Concrete Lifting (also known as mudjacking) is an eco-friendly & economical alternative to replacing deteriorating walkways and driveways.
Merit’s services include:

  • Leveling of uneven concrete sidewalks, patios, driveways and garage pads
  • Filling of voids under concrete surfaces

Merit Concrete, Resetting the Grade in Concrete Lifting Services!

Process

Typically three operators are required on the job site to run the process. The senior operator directs the onsite work and controls the lifting process.

Step 1

Before the raising process, a pattern of 1.5 inch holes are drilled through the sunken slab on your walkway, driveway or patio.

Step 2

During the raising process, a grout mixture is then pumped through these holes and under the sunken concrete. The grout mixture fills any voids under the slab and begins to put upward pressure on the slab. This upward pressure then slowly raises the sunken concrete to its original grade.

Step 3

After the raising process the 1.5″ holes are patched using a non-shrinking concrete mixture. The level surface is then cleaned with water and within hours your walkways and driveways are usable.

Personnel and Equipment used in the Process:

Concrete Lifting/Mudjacking requires specialized operators and equipment to complete jobs safely and efficiently. The specialized equipment includes:

  • Truck Mounted Raw Material Hoppers (Sand/Clay and Portland Cement)
  • Truck Mounted Raw Materials Conveyor System
  • Truck Mounted Paddle Mixer
  • Portable Grout Pump
  • Concrete Drills
  • Concrete Saws

Testimonials

Hello Kevin,

Thanks very much for the caulking and sand info.I wanted to also tell you what an absolute pleasure it was to have you and Merit do the work on my driveway. From the minute you arrived to do the estimate, to work day when Reg introduced himself, through to finish and the extra time and professional knowledge and support you provided at the end of your day. Every encounter with you and Merit was professional, respectful, knowledgeable, timely, and truly hassle-free. I always felt you were honest and full of integrity in both personal and professional character. I appreciate that….and as a single woman I can tell you that it is a rare occasion that I felt treated with such respect and feel perfectly happy with our business dealings. If I ever have the opportunity to recommend a concrete repair company, I will most definitely be recommending you and Merit.Thank you for providing such the wonderful experience and a great job on my driveway and sidewalk.

Please pass this along to Reg and anyone else you would like to share it with.

Tammy

Dear Kevin ,

I thank you all for your thorough work, timeliness –  both for use of good weather and follow through to do the work when you said you would do it.

And especially, I thank you,  Reg, for your kindness ensuring that I understood exactly what the situation was and what was needed to be done to correct that, and that I will always appreciate.

With best wishes to you all,

Blessings, Donna

Good morning Kevin.

I just got back in town and thought I should tell you how pleased I am with the repairs to the side and front of my home sidewalks

Your crew was here on Aug. 22 and the finished results looks very good. my neighbors have also commented on how much better the front and side look I will be happy to recommend your company to any one who asks who did the work .Again thanks very much from a satisfied customer.

 Mike

Kevin ,

Below are a few comments that were sent my way from the  Board of Directors about your service and performance that I would like to share:

“The work was excellent.  The 7 steps on Schonsee Way were raised exactly to original positions and are perfectly level, the 5 side walks  voids done completely!!!” 

“Quick update on Merit!  Excellent!  The sidewalks yesterday were very good.  The steps so far this AM excellent.  They have raised 3/7 so far and they look perfect!!!”

“They were here right on time and plan on doing the center common today and Schonsee steps tomorrow!!!”

Thank you so much for your work and fantastic service!  It is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with you again.

Laura Lindbeck-Property Manager

Hi Kevin,

The work on our sunk-in sidewalk looks great now.We are absolutely happy with Merit Concrete’s work. Your estimate was very fair and reasonable.

Your informative approach in answering our questions both in person and by email during the planning stage and final stages of getting this work done was great.

It all went exactly as you had mentioned and with no surprises or delays, in fact you were able to get this work done a lot faster then what was originally suggested – thx Your crew was great and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by Merit’s overall service; pleasant crew, all new trucks and equipment too – wow.A very professional Company! I am glad I called for an estimate.Oh, I am going to Facebook this as well to all my Edmonton friends.

Ed