Concrete cutting
Concrete cutting for precise slab openings, drain access, and damaged section removal - work that often follows or precedes foundation raising on the same property.
Learn moreServing Merced, CA and surrounding areas. (209) 308-1587
Merced clay soil shrinks every summer and your slab drops with it. We lift it back to level and tell you how to keep it there.
Foundation raising in Merced lifts a sunken or uneven concrete slab back to its original position by pumping material through small drilled holes to fill the void underneath - most residential jobs take between two and eight hours and you can walk on the repaired area within the same day.
Merced Concrete provides foundation raising services throughout Merced for homeowners dealing with sloping floors, sticking doors, gaps along baseboards, and other signs that the slab beneath their home has dropped. These problems are common in Merced because the clay-heavy soil in the San Joaquin Valley shrinks every dry summer and swells every wet winter - a cycle that creates voids under slabs and causes them to slowly settle. When the issue involves a section of concrete that needs to be removed or opened before the lift can be done properly, we also provide concrete cutting as part of the same project.
The two most common methods are mudjacking - pumping a cement-and-soil slurry through the holes - and polyurethane foam injection, which uses an expanding lightweight foam. Mudjacking has been the standard for decades and tends to cost less. Foam injection is newer, lighter, and cures faster. The right choice depends on the size of the job, the condition of the soil, and your budget. During the on-site assessment, we explain both options and what makes sense for your specific slab.
If a door that used to close smoothly now drags on the floor, or a window has become hard to latch, your home may be shifting. When a foundation drops unevenly, door frames and window frames go slightly out of square. In Merced, this symptom often appears in late summer or early fall after the long dry season has caused the clay soil to shrink beneath the slab. Do not assume the door just needs adjustment - check whether the floor itself has moved.
Walk along the edges of your rooms and look at where the floor meets the wall. A gap - even a small one - that was not there before means the floor slab has dropped in that area. This is especially common in older Merced homes where the original soil was not well-compacted, and the gap tends to grow slowly over years rather than appearing overnight. Left alone, it becomes a water entry point and a tripping hazard.
Diagonal cracks running from the corners of door frames toward the ceiling are a classic sign that the foundation beneath that part of the house has moved. A crack or two from normal settling is not unusual in any older home, but new cracks - or existing ones that are getting longer - are worth a contractor visit. Drywall cracks are often the first visible sign of a foundation problem, not just a cosmetic issue.
Stand in the middle of a room and pay attention to whether the floor feels level. If you notice a slope - or if a ball rolls consistently in one direction - the slab beneath may have settled unevenly. In Merced, this is particularly common in homes built on the valley floor where clay soil movement has been active over decades. The slope can be gradual enough to miss at first but noticeable once you know what to look for.
We handle the full process from initial assessment through final walkthrough. Every job starts with a free on-site visit where we check the slab with a level, assess what caused the settling, and look at the drainage around your home. We then provide a written estimate that spells out the method, scope, and cost - no surprise add-ons when the invoice arrives. For jobs where the concrete needs to be opened or a section removed before lifting can be done correctly, we coordinate concrete cutting as part of the same project rather than bringing in a separate crew.
On the work day, the crew drills small holes through the concrete at measured intervals across the sunken area, pumps material through those holes to fill the void and lift the slab, monitors level throughout the process, then patches the drilled holes flush with the surrounding surface. Before the crew leaves, we walk through the finished work together so you can see the level readings and confirm the result. We also point out any drainage issues observed during the job - because a lift without addressing drainage is a temporary fix in Merced's clay soil conditions.
For homeowners who need a proven, cost-effective lift on a residential driveway, garage floor, sidewalk, or patio slab where the budget is the primary consideration.
For jobs where faster curing time and a lighter fill material are important - commercial entries, areas with limited load tolerance, or homeowners who need the space back the same day.
For homeowners in Merced whose settled foundation is tied to drainage patterns that will cause the problem to recur without addressing water flow around the structure.
Merced sits on clay-heavy San Joaquin Valley soil that swells when it absorbs winter rain and contracts sharply through the long, dry summer. That seasonal movement - repeated every year for decades - is the single biggest driver of foundation settling in this area. Many homes in central and older Merced neighborhoods were built between the 1950s and 1970s, when soil preparation standards were less rigorous. Foundations in those areas are more likely to have settled over the decades, especially if the original soil was never properly compacted before the slab was poured. The Merced irrigation network and relatively shallow water table in some parts of the county can also contribute to soil movement near residential foundations - particularly for homes near former agricultural land on the edges of town. A foundation raising contractor who understands these local conditions knows to ask about drainage and irrigation patterns during the assessment, not just look at the slab's level.
Merced Concrete works across the San Joaquin Valley, and customers in Clovis and Fresno deal with the same clay soil behavior and the same wet-dry cycle that causes settling in Merced. The same assessment discipline - level check, void evaluation, drainage review - applies across every job in the region. What changes from property to property is the depth of the void, the drainage situation, and which lift method suits the slab.
When you call, we ask what you have noticed, how long it has been happening, and roughly where the problem seems to be. You do not need all the answers - just describe what you have seen. We schedule a free on-site estimate and respond within 1 business day of your first contact so you are not left waiting.
The contractor walks the affected area, checks the slab with a level, and looks at the drainage around your home. They explain what they find in plain terms and tell you whether lifting makes sense or whether something else - like drainage work or replacement - is the better call. You receive a written estimate to take home and review with no pressure to book on the spot.
Before the crew arrives, clear vehicles, furniture, and items stored near the foundation. The crew drills small holes - roughly golf-ball-sized - at measured intervals, pumps material to fill the void and lift the slab, and monitors level throughout. You will hear drilling and pumping equipment, which is loud but does not affect the rest of your home.
Once the slab is level, the crew fills and patches the drilled holes flush with the surface, cleans up the work area, and walks you through the level readings before leaving. Depending on the method, you may need to stay off the area for a few hours to a full day - your contractor gives you the specific timeline before work starts.
We walk the property, check the level, and assess your drainage - then give you a written quote with the method and cost explained clearly before any work begins.
(209) 308-1587Merced's clay-heavy soils are the root cause of most foundation settling here, and a lift that does not account for drainage and soil behavior is a short-term fix. We assess both the slab and the drainage around your home on every job, and we explain what is driving the settling - not just how to move the concrete back up. That conversation is part of every estimate we give.
One of the biggest concerns homeowners have when hiring a contractor is a quote that grows once the work begins. We give you a written estimate that covers the method, scope, and cleanup before anyone picks up a drill. The number you agree to is the number you pay - no add-ons when the invoice arrives. If something unexpected turns up during the job, we stop and talk to you before anything changes.
Merced Concrete has completed foundation raising projects across Merced and throughout the San Joaquin Valley, giving our crews direct familiarity with the clay soil conditions, the wet-dry seasonal cycle, and the older housing stock that defines foundation work in this region. Verify our license through the California Contractors State License Board before signing anything.
After the lift, we walk through the finished work with you and show you the level readings before the crew packs up. A quality foundation raise has the slab level or very close to it, patch holes filled flush, and no new cracking introduced by the lifting process. You see the result with your own eyes and confirm it meets your expectations before the job is called done.
Foundation raising in Merced done right means the slab comes back up, the drainage problem gets addressed, and the written estimate matches the invoice. That is the standard we hold to on every job.
California requires foundation contractors to hold a valid state license - check any contractor at the California Contractors State License Board. For questions about whether your specific project requires a permit, the City of Merced Building Division is the local contact. The American Concrete Institute publishes guidance on concrete repair and lifting methods.
Concrete cutting for precise slab openings, drain access, and damaged section removal - work that often follows or precedes foundation raising on the same property.
Learn moreSlab foundation building for new home construction, garage additions, and room additions on Merced properties where a full new base is needed rather than a lift.
Learn moreMerced's wet winters accelerate settling on foundations that are already dropping - reach out now and lock in your assessment before the rains arrive and the damage gets worse.