Alchatek Blog

Slab Lifting Markets Include Residential, Commercial & Municipal

Once you’re ready to make the move to start up a slab lifting business, one of your first areas of focus should be identifying and defining your service areas and your potential customer base within each sector or area. Broadly speaking, there are three viable market segments to explore for slab lifting services: Residential, Commercial and Municipal. We'll cover all three in this article.

For spray foam contractors and foundation repair specialists, adding slab lifting to your available services is more than mere expansion – it’s good business. It not only adds an extra dimension of foundation support solutions to offer to clients, it also organically increases word-of-mouth referrals and is more cost-effective for you as a business owner. By managing remedial foundation repairs in-house rather than outsourcing those projects, your company increases its profitability and controls timeline, budget and final results – that’s a win-win for you as well as your customers.

Now let's take a look at those market segments we mentioned...

Residential (Single and Multi-Family Structures)

Dwellings – both privately owned and rental properties – offer multiple potential hot zones for slab lifting repair solutions. Many factors can cause concrete foundations and slabs to settle and sink: location in a flood zone, high local water tables, unusually wet climate conditions, weak soil density, and more. These can directly impact:

• The entire structure
• Dedicated parking areas
• Walkways
• Patios
• Porches
• Outbuildings
• Hardscaped areas
• Swimming pools and surrounds
• Leisure and recreational areas, such as picnic tables, gazebos, private tennis and basketball courts

Limiting long-term damage and helping owners protect their investment is where you stand to gain as a supplier of a unique and cost-effective service.

Commercial (and Industrial)

Sinking foundations and slabs cause not only property depreciation issues for commercial owners, but liability concerns as well. Bucking sidewalks, unlevel floors, wonky stairs and sinking walkways create dangerous conditions that - when neglected - often prove far more costly than repairs. Slip and fall cases make up a significant portion of the 20 million civil actions filed in courts each year in this country, and the U.S. Department of Justice reports that personal injury plaintiffs overall are successful litigants about 50% of the time (and in premises liability cases 39% of the time). The potential risks that slab lifting can mitigate for commercial property owners are very nearly endless.

Municipal (and Government in General)

Federal, state, county, and city budgets are never without limits, and administrators will always seek to cut taxpayer-supported costs where and whenever possible. This factor alone makes slab lifting an attractive and viable alternative to complete foundation and concrete slab replacement. The most viable areas of opportunity for slab lifting solutions providers for governmental entities include:

• Transportation pathways that include highways, state and county roads; culverts, curbs and berms; railways, light rails; mass transportation platforming areas; and airport runways and parking areas.
• Public buildings and monuments, administrative buildings, hardscaped areas and outbuildings located in parks, courthouses, public transportation hubs and all commons and parking areas connected to any and all of the above.
• Public healthcare facilities, hospitals, and public assisted living accommodations.
• Public housing - both single-family and multi-unit structures.

Whether you choose to focus on a single specialty area or multiple areas within a service region, these are but a few of the potential hot zones where slab lifting can offer an alternative solution that falls within safety margins as well as budget constraints.

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Why Slab Lifting?

Slab lifting is an economical alternative to complete concrete replacement, be it a simple sidewalk repair or providing a cost-effective remedy for an entire building foundation.

If you want to corner the market in this potentially profitable business, begin by scoping out a specialized area, such as residential, commercial, or civic/municipal.

Next, make a simple short written list of the assets you absolutely must have to get started. Do you need a full sized slab lifting rig to get rolling? Or maybe just the portable PolyBadger lifting system? (Review both options here.) Are there any special licenses or certifications required for operation? Do you have a good relationship with an equipment and materials supplier? Having the right slab lifting equipment, top-of-line materials, vendor support, and deep expertise in this unique industry are the first keys to success for startup companies.

Do You Have a Business & Marketing Plan?

If someone asked you to drive to Seattle, would you get in your car and take off, or would you look at a map first? A business and marketing plan is the roadmap for your slab lifting/concrete leveling business. It will help you define and stay true to your path, and it’s a tool you will need to attain startup financing. In it, you should define your target market segments, project revenues and milestones for the first 3 to 5 years in business, define fixed and variable costs, and outline how you plan to get the word out among potential customers.

Do You Have Vendor Support in Place?

Whether your goal is to launch a slab lifting venture that caters to home or business owners, you will need a dependable, knowledgeable supplier who will not only sell you slab lifting pumps, guns and foams - but also serve as a trusted advisor.

At Alchemy-Spetec, we go the extra mile to help guide you to the best solutions, choose the right lifting foams and equipment for each project, and watch out for your ROI. We also offer field training, both for beginners and as ongoing professional development. We are always willing to offer you the benefit of our decades of experience. If you’re considering going into the slab lifting business, we not only applaud your decision, we want to be your first phone call!  (The number is 404-618-0438 if you want to call ASAP.)

Subjects Covered in This Series

In this blog post series, we will address some of the key points and considerations that slab-lifting startups frequently face. With so many years of market experience, we are uniquely positioned and qualified to offer this guidance. Because we are passionate about what we do, we are motivated to be part of your success story! Some of the topics we will cover include:

• Identifying your target market
• Selling to your potential customers
• Marketing your business
• Essential gear & accessories for starting your business

Some of these subjects may be familiar territory to current business owners, such as spray foam or foundation contractors - but even if that's the case, a quick review will be well worth your time!

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How Polyurethane Grout Injection Works for Stormwater Infiltration Prevention

During a period of heavy flooding, stormwater systems become more susceptible to erosion and the infiltration of polluted water. For municipalities, infiltration of polluted stormwater means costly treatment of water and infrastructure repairs to damaged pipes.

The Stormwater Infiltration Issue

• Ground water rising and falling puts hydrostatic pressure on pipe and manhole joints causing them to fail.
• Water flowing in and around catch basins and roadways causes soil to erode.
• Water flowing into failed joints erodes soil from around the infrastructure causing potholes, cave-ins, and loss of structural integrity of the storm water system. Pipes can become misaligned causing much more expansive problems. 

The Solution: Polyurethane Grout Injection

• Point grouting is a method of driving injection pipes to the points of failure and injecting a resin such as Spetec PUR H200.
• The resin expands and cures quickly to seal off the leaks and fill voids in the soil.

The Favorable Outcome

• Sealing the joints prevents further soil erosion.
• Filling the voids with a resin like Spetec PUR H200 reduces the hydrostatic pressure on the joints.
• The resin also permeates the soil and increases the load bearing capacity which can prevent future misalignment of the pipes.

 Want in-depth info on leak seal procedures and products?

Alchemy-Spetec is already known for providing the most powerful polymers and painless procedures contractors need to achieve the rapid results their projects demand.

However, on construction projects of almost any scope and size, ensuring the safety of public drinking water is also mission-critical. That's why the following Alchemy-Spetec' polyurethane resin products have received the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water: 

AP Lift 430

AP Lift 475

AP Soil 600

AP Fill 700

Spetec PUR H100

Spetec PUR H200

Spetec PUR F400

Spetec PUR GT500

Spetec PUR HighFoamer

Spetec AG200

This single designation ensures compliance with the Safe Water Drinking Act (SDWA) and guarantees peace of mind for in-the-field stakeholders on construction projects of almost any scope and size.

The SDWA helps ensure the water we drink, bathe in, cook with, and use in myriad other ways in daily life is safe for consumption. The federal law was put in place to maintain public health standards for drinking water systems. It defines what is considered a contaminant – both man-made and naturally occurring; and outlines the agencies responsible for regulating, monitoring, and enforcing adherence to the law, primarily the Environmental Protection Agency.

The SDWA gives the EPA latitude to impose criminal and civil penalties on industries not in compliance. In 2014 enforcement efforts policing clean water netted $163 million in penalties and fines, 155 combined years of incarceration for sentenced defendants, and $16 million in court-ordered project clean-ups.

Because so many of those defined contaminants are pertinent to even the most basic construction projects – turbidity from soil runoff, leaching from PVC pipes, potentially harmful and corrosive chemicals, and more – understanding and adhering to the law is particularly important for industry stakeholders. Contractors and engineers must be able to confidently choose vendors whose products and services won’t become the source or cause of drinking water contamination either in the short or long-term. NSF certification offers assurance that such problems won’t occur or will, at a minimum, be addressed.

“NSF, an independent, private, not-for-profit, third-party certification organization founded in 1944, has developed numerous health-based certification programs and consensus standards including those that relate to drinking water,” reads an NSF compliance brief. “The purpose of its certification program is to promote public health and enrich the quality of life. Through its Council of Public Health and Health Advisory Board, which includes EPA health professionals, it obtains guidance in developing and maintaining programs and standards. NSF also partners with code councils to ensure ongoing compliance.”

The products Alchemy-Spetec offers that can help net the most reliable and cost-effective results for contractors. NSF-certified products and materials are evaluated and lab-tested, and production facilities such as our own are inspected and annually audited for re-testing to maintain certification.

Alchemy-Spetec voluntarily undergoing such a rigorous certification process is invaluable to customers because it provides assurance that, at the end of the day, our arsenal of products are not only the top-performers in the market, but also protectors of the environment.  Powerful polymers, painless procedures, rapid results!

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Whether the culprit is poorly compacted or eroding soils, excess moisture from leaking HVAC systems, too little moisture brought on by drought, or just a sinkhole no one knew about until it opened its gaping maw, concrete slab settlement is a fact of both life in general and the construction industry in particular. And one that has to be addressed before it creates bigger, more costly issues.

Concrete slab lifting is a unique solution to this age-old problem. In a process also known as slab jacking, sinking concrete slabs are lifted and leveled, most frequently these days with the aid of a high-density polyurethane foam.

Though simple enough in theory, slab lifting is a fairly remarkable feat that allows residential and commercial property owners the option of repair versus a total rebuild. Below is a timeline of the early foundations of concrete, and how slab lifting has come to be a reliable, cost-saving means of putting sinking concrete slabs back on solid ground.

Historical Timeline of Concrete Slab Lifting

• 600 BC – The Greeks discover that volcanic ash, a natural pozzolan material, develops hydraulic properties when mixed with slaked lime. When stored underwater, the mixture’s strength increases.
• 200 BC – Romans “borrow” (sound familiar?) the cementious mix from the Greeks and continue to perfect it, adding gravel, sand, ground pottery shards – even animal products to the mix.
• 126 AD – Under the auspices of Emperor Hadrian Pantheon, the Romans complete the Pantheon, a circular temple of worship commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. The pozzolana concrete and stone aggregate are used to construct the thick walls and 142-ft domed roof. The building still stands and the dome remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. However, time, settling soils, a few earthquakes, and other natural disasters have taken their toll and have caused cracking throughout.
• 1793 – John Smeaton is tasked with building a lighthouse on Eddystone Rocks in England. He tinkers with different mortar mixtures and discovers that the best ones are made from calcined lime containing a goodly amount of clay minerals. It’s the first time clay is mixed with lime for hydraulic-setting cement.
• 1824 – Inventor Joseph Aspdin mixes, experiments, scratches his head, then voila, creates and patents Portland cement – the basic ingredient of concrete. By 1897, Sears Roebuck is selling Portland cement in 50-gallon drums and urban settings evolve into so-called “concrete jungles”.
• 1900 – When the shifting sands and soils of terra firma meet the unbudgeable weight and heft of concrete, the laws of science and physics say the heavy always wins. By the turn of the century, “mudjacking” is the standardized means of leveling the playing field, as it were. Hydraulic pressure is used to lift concrete slabs and fill in the void areas with a mix of mud, limestone, and often, additional cement. Over time, this “solution” compounds the problem because it too sinks into degrading or shifting soils.
• Today – A slab-jacking technique using polyurethane foam affords big results with a small footprint. The foam is used to support sagging concrete, and application is relatively minor in terms of downtime. In most applications, the repair site is traffic -ready in about 15 minutes.

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Concrete restoration and waterproofing contractors see so many different kinds of leaks out in the field that categorizing them into basic groups is not an easy task.  However, that’s what we’re going to try and do.  The reason for this is to demonstrate how just two products in your arsenal can accomplish 90% of leak sealing tasks.

Alchemy-Spetec manufactures a range of polyurethane resins for Sealing Leaks, Stabilizing Soil, and Lifting Slabs.  Today we’ll focus on Spetec PUR GT500 and Spetec PUR H200 to demonstrate the versatility and scope of leak sealing that can be accomplished with these two products.  To be clear, the leaks we are addressing today are leaks through concrete, below grade structures, and through the soil.

Leaks through concrete are generally going to be through cracks, joints, and honeycomb (areas in poured concrete of mainly course aggregate with voids in between).  Depending on water volume and pressure, and the size of the joint or crack, you are going to encounter weeping leaks, steady leaks, and gushing leaks.  And of course there are also the “sometimes it leaks” types of situations.  All of these can be stopped permanently with Spetec PUR GT500, Spetec PUR H200, or a combination of both.

Spetec PUR GT500

This flexible hydrophilic injection resin is very low in viscosity and is excellent for injecting into hairline cracks and standard cracks and joints up to 3/8” wide.  It bonds aggressively to concrete and handles any movement within the crack because of its flexibility.  Spetec PUR GT500 is a single component resin designed to penetrate deep into the cracks, react with the water, and seal the leaks.  Its reaction time is slowed down somewhat in order to allow it to migrate throughout the crack.  On larger cracks which are actively leaking, a little oakum or backer rod can be wedged into the crack to prevent the resin from running out before it sets up.

Spetec PUR H200

Because the rapid expansive properties of this semi-rigid hydrophobic resin make it great for filling voids, it’s also excellent for shutting down strong and gushing leaks up to thousands of gallons per minute.  The low viscosity of this product allows it to be injected into hairline and smaller cracks as well, but it is mainly used for stopping the big ones.  Use Spetec PUR H200 with an accelerator to adjust the set time according the conditions of the leak. 

Spetec PUR H200 is also an excellent product for the process known as “curtain grouting”.  For instance, earthen dams and ponds often have water migrating through the soil creating voids, water loss, and potential failure.  Grouting into the soil in a grid pattern can seal off this water migration.  The resin expands into the ground and penetrates through the fines, and then bonds well with the surrounding earth.

Spetec PUR GT500 & Spetec PUR H200

Sometimes a leak requires a combination of both products.  Here is an example from an actual job:

There was a below grade utility vault that housed valves for two sewer force mains.  There were 24” and 18” ductile iron pipes penetrating the vault to connect to the valves.  Around the pipe penetrations, a previous contractor had used clay and mortar to try and seal it, but the water table was about 10’ above the penetrations and it had blown out the seals.  The entire vault (14’L x 12’W x 20’H) would fill up with water within a few hours.

Once again, these basic products were all that was needed to stop the leak.  The new contractor punched holes into the side of the vault near the pipe penetrations and installed injection ports.  Spetec PUR H200 with the standard catalyst was pumped through the ports and the hydrostatic pressure of the water forced the reacting resin back through the pipe penetrations slowing the leak and then quickly sealing it off.  Because there is some vibration in a pipe, Spetec PUR GT500 was then injected in a circle around the penetration creating a flexible seal and shutting down any trickles.  In this case the water table was so high that as the polyurethane expanded and reacted with the water, it literally travelled up the exterior of the vault and came in through some unseen cracks and poorly sealed joints, sealing those issues off as well.

It's is easy to go into a product catalog and become overwhelmed by the array of choices.  But don’t over think it!  Two products, or a combination of both, may be all you need to get the job done. 

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Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

Jeff Foxworthy often asks if you are smarter than a fifth grader. Well if you're not, don't worry about it; you're probably still capable of estimating the amount of foam needed to raise a concrete slab. Through a combination of easy calculations, product information, and some site considerations, you should be able to estimate your slab lifting materials without too much trouble.

First of all you need to think about the basic volume calculation. How many square feet of slab are you jacking, how much do you need to lift it, and is it the whole slab being lifted or is it just one end of it? Calculate the volume (length x width x depth), adjust for the percentage of the slab being lifted, then compare it to the expansion properties of the injection foam in order to determine how much you need.

Beyond the geometry required to estimate lifting the slab, you must now take into account some job specific considerations. This is where it becomes critical to qualify the volume of material included in your proposal. And just as important, this is where you need to make sure you have included enough so you get the job done right and don't have to go back to the customer asking for more money. Sometimes that's unavoidable if you encounter surprises; but if you keep a few considerations in mind this can often be avoided.

Soil Compaction

Isaac Newton's third law of motion determined that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction (or was that Wayne Newton, ha?). If you are trying to lift a slab, a porch, or a pool deck on ground with poor compaction or water issues, the foam will compact the soil until it is dense enough to support lifting the slab or deck. And the heavier the object, the more densely the ground will have to be compacted. Make sure to measure the soil conditions (using a penetrometer or probe) and adjust your material estimate accordingly.

Size / Shape of the Object Being Lifted

Extremely heavy objects can be lifted with polyurethane foam using a small amount of pressure and material. Often times the most difficult lifts are the smaller objects. Something with a small footprint, like some front steps or a stoop can be very dense and frustrating to lift. Injected material is going to seek the path of least resistance until it is contained enough to generate the lift. For a front stoop, the path of least resistance is usually going to be out the sides; meaning lost material and more cleanup. Proper injection techniques can contain the escaping material, but it is advisable not to underestimate your material on an innocent looking small job.

Voids

Sometimes the ground can be well compacted but due to erosion factors (usually misdirected water runoff) slabs and other foundation type settlement can occur. Although the object has only settled a few inches, sometimes a much deeper void can be hidden from view. In these cases it is advised to use a probe through a hole drilled in the slab in order to get an idea of the depth of the void. Personally I have seen voids that went down 20 feet, so do not ever assume anything. Most void depths are pretty easy to determine and you will get the optimum expansion out of your material when filling them. But once again, calculate the extra volume to fill it and spell it out in your proposal.

Typically for a lifting job with no other considerations aside from lifting volume, we recommend adding an additional 10-15% onto your material estimate to cover yourself. Just make sure you do a thorough evaluation of the conditions and possibilities so you don't underestimate the job and have to go back to the property owner with your hand out. 

If you haven't already, make sure you read this blog post on our custom Alchemy-Spetec material estimating app for your smartphone.

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Any successful slab lifting job begins with a thorough site evaluation. Some new jobs are like previous jobs, some are a little bit similar, and many are a completely new experience altogether. A site evaluation is not limited to, but should include Identifying the Cause of Slab Settlement, Gathering Information, Identifying Potential Hazards, and Visualizing the Mobilization.

Cause of Slab Settlement

Determining the cause of settlement is usually the first step in beginning your evaluation. The cause can be any number of things such as erosion, ground water, sink holes, poor compaction, and buried debris that breaks down over time. Correctly identifying the cause will help you determine if slab jacking alone will solve the problem or whether a combination of lifting, stabilizing, and / or void filling will provide the permanent solution.

Gathering Information

The next phase should include gathering information from multiple sources. This includes dimensional information such as length and width of the slab; but also, the amount it has dropped, to help determine the volume of structural foam needed to lift the slab back into place. Make sure to bring your camera, notepad, and tape measure. Gather information from the property owner; find out about any known irrigation, electrical, water, or drain lines. Specifically, find out from the owner about any areas or features that need protecting around the injection site, the location of your rig, and all points in between where your crew may be working.

Identifying Potential Hazards

If the job is outside of a building, find out where the utilities are and have them professionally located. It's a lot harder to get paid when you have just drilled through the owner's power line or filled his landscape drains and fountains with foam. Additional information that may be available could include a soil engineering report, a structural engineering report, and reports from the builder of the structure. Don't forget a hammer drill, bits, and a penetrometer to determine soil compaction. Think about other issues that might create problems like slabs binding (concrete saw?), bent rebar from a settled slab, etc. Make sure you have considered all the tools you are going to need for the job and the cleanup.

Visualizing the Mobilization

After the data gathering is complete, it's time to visualize the job site as a whole and consider any challenges to mobilizing and physically reaching the areas that need lifting. Think about potential issues: How big is your rig? Is a trailer rig or a box truck rig going to face challenges getting into and out of the area? And once your rig is in place, do you have enough heated hose and pump power to get the required volume of material where it needs to go to do the lift?

Some of the above seem obvious but it's often the obvious things that get overlooked. Mistakes can drastically cut into your profitability and reputation. There's a reason pilots go through the same checklist prior to every flight. Sometimes you only get one chance to do the job.

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Understanding the causes of slab or structural settlement is key for the contractor to help identify potential opportunities for slab jacking with polyurethane.

Though there are many reasons for sunken slabs, we have identified the three main conditions that cause the settling issues we like to fix. These include erosion, poor compaction, and biological decay.

Erosion Often Leads to Concrete Slab Settlement

Erosion is the most common cause of settling and the most common reason for slab jacking. Poor drainage, improperly placed downspouts, leaking drain pipes, and broken water lines are common culprits. Water can either slowly erode soil over time, or very quickly erode away the soil beneath a concrete slab or structure causing it to settle.

Poor Compaction Can Cause Settlement & the Need for Raising Concrete

When backfilling on a jobsite, the site contractor is supposed to walk in backfill (drive over it with heavy equipment) and compact it in small lifts. However, this isn’t always done properly for one reason or another (inexperienced operators or people taking shortcuts). The result can be soil that will continue to compact itself and settle over time.

A great example of this is bridge approach slabs. These slabs are found on roads and highways all over the world. Bridges typically sit at a higher elevation than the roads that approach them. During construction, the final section of road (typically a concrete slab) is built on backfill to raise the elevation to meet the bridge. Over time, the slabs can settle due to poor or improper compaction. Compounding the problem is the fact that when a slab settles a little, the expansion joint opens up and allows water to get underneath the road, adding erosion to your compaction problem.

Biological Decay Can Result in Sinkholes and Sunken Concrete Slabs

Construction trash pits, buried trees, and other biodegradable materials all eventually break down. Sure enough, there always seems to be some corner of a building or a separate parking area or driveway that ends up right over it. These situations can range from slight settling to very severe.

Sometimes you have a combination of factors that cause settling. As we discussed in the bridge approach slab issue, poor compaction can lead to settling which will open a joint and allow water to compound the problem with erosion. Property owners and managers should not ignore these problems, or they will become more expensive to fix over time.

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Slab Jacking vs. Replacing Concrete

So, you're faced with a sunken concrete slab that could be repaired via complete replacement or being lifted back into place. How do you know which option to choose? Here are a few things to think about.

Raising Concrete is More Cost Efficient Than Replacing

If the slab is in good shape, and is of a reasonable enough size and thickness, it is usually going to be more cost effective to lift it back into place with structural polyurethane foam. Our PMC pumps can deliver the AP Lift series of foams as far as 400 feet away through heated hoses. And remember, wherever you deliver new concrete, you have to haul away old concrete.

More Environmentally Friendly with Polyurethane Concrete Lifting

Everybody wants to be green and take care of the environment these days, because it's the right thing to do. There is an environmental impact every time concrete is replaced. The cement manufacturing process is the second largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Additionally, there is the issue of what happens to old concrete once it is removed. One would like to think it is recycled, but more often than not it ends up being dumped. Hopefully that would be in a landfill, but we've all seen piles of concrete rubble in places where it would be considered trash or pollution. It's worth considering. Meanwhile Alchemy-Spetec's AP Lift 430 and AP Lift 475 are so environmentally friendly they are NSF approved for contact with drinking water in their cured state.

Polyurethane Slab Jacking Requires Less Downtime

Last but not least, how long can a property owner or manager afford to have that area out of service? Consider a busy warehouse, an airport taxi way, or a bridge approach on a highway. There is an economic impact when those are out of service for replacement. It can be a couple days before new concrete is traffic ready. Wouldn't it be better to have it lifted in a few hours, and then back in service 15 minutes after the slab jacking is done? I know what I would want.

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