7 Problems With Mudjacking (and When It's Still a Fair Choice)
Mudjacking has lifted Kansas City concrete for a century, and plenty of crews do it well. It also has failure modes the sales call tends to skip. Here are the seven worth knowing — and, because fair is fair, the situations where mudjacking is still a reasonable buy.
"WHAT IS IT?"
What's the problem?
- The patch holes are big. Lifting requires drilling, but mud needs 1⅝–2 inch holes to move slurry through. They’re patched afterward — and the patches read like polka dots across a driveway for the rest of its life.
- The material is heavy. Cured slurry weighs about 100 lbs per cubic foot. Your soil already proved it can’t carry the loads on it; mudjacking’s answer is to add more load.
- Water washes it out. Slurry is soil and cement. Groundwater moving through — a constant in expansive clay — erodes it, which is why re-settling is the classic mudjacking sequel.
- You lose the slab for days. Plan on 24–72 hours before parking or heavy use while slurry cures. For a garage approach or the only driveway, that’s a real cost.
- It’s a messy process. Slurry is mixed on site in volume. Good crews manage it; it’s still mud, hoses, and splash zones around your landscaping.
- Warranties are short — or missing. Coverage varies widely, and 1–5 years is common where it exists at all. Ask for terms in writing before comparing any bids.
- It’s often a subscription, not a fix. Lower price per visit, more visits. Across ten years of ownership, “cheaper” frequently isn’t.
"WHen to MUDJACK?"
When Mudjacking Still Makes Sense
We're not neutral — we chose the other method — but we'll argue the other side honestly. Mudjacking is a defensible choice when you're selling within a couple of years and need trip hazards gone cheaply; when the slab is scheduled for replacement soon and just needs to limp along; or when the budget simply ends at the lower number and the alternative is doing nothing. If that's your situation, get the mudjacking bid. If you'll own the concrete longer than the repair lasts, keep reading.
"WHAT's a better option?"
The Same Lift Without the Seven Problems
Polyurethane lifting exists because of this exact list: dime-sized holes, 2–4 lbs per cubic foot, hydrophobic foam that can't wash out, back on the slab in about 15 minutes, and a long term warranty. Full side-by-side: mudjacking vs. polyjacking →
Kansas City Mudjacking Questions, Answered Straight
Is mudjacking bad?
No — it’s dated. It was the best available fix for most of a century. The critique isn’t that it fails to lift concrete; it’s that the material working against KC soil gives the repair a shelf life.
Can mudjacking damage my concrete?
Done poorly, over-pumping can crack a slab, and the drill holes are permanent. Done well, the process itself is safe — the risks are cosmetic and longevity, not catastrophe.
What should I ask a mudjacking company before hiring?
Warranty in writing, hole size, cure time, what they’ll do about the cause of the settling, and what a redo costs if it sinks again. We built the full list: 10 questions to ask →