Concrete Lifting – Adding to Your Rig

Expanding into concrete lifting with SprayEZ’s polyurethane foam equipment can significantly enhance your business offerings. Below is a detailed look at the benefits and challenges, along with how to bid concrete leveling jobs and why polyurethane foam is superior.

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Pros and Cons of the Concrete Leveling Business

Pros:

High Demand: Concrete settling is a common problem in both residential and commercial properties. As properties age, concrete sidewalks, driveways, and foundations often need leveling. This creates a steady demand for concrete lifting services.
Low Equipment Cost: Compared to traditional concrete replacement or mudjacking, polyurethane foam injection requires less expensive equipment and setup. The investment in SprayEZ’s professional-grade tools like proportioners, spray guns, and injectors is cost-effective for expanding your services.
Fast, Non-Invasive Process: Polyurethane foam injection is a quicker and less disruptive method than mudjacking. Most jobs can be completed within a few hours, allowing you to handle more projects in a single day.
Long-Lasting Results: SprayEZ’s polyurethane foam is water-resistant, pest-resistant, and durable, providing a permanent solution to concrete settling. Unlike mudjacking, which can degrade over time due to moisture absorption, foam creates a lasting fix.
Eco-Friendly Solution: Polyurethane foam is environmentally friendly and doesn’t involve wasteful, water-intensive methods like mudjacking.

Cons:

Initial Investment in Equipment: While equipment costs are lower than traditional methods, you’ll still need to invest in SprayEZ equipment such as proportioners, spray guns, injectors, and leveling tools. This could be a barrier for some smaller businesses.

Expanding Services by Adding Concrete Lifting

Adding concrete lifting as a service can diversify your offerings and open new revenue streams. Here’s how adding concrete lifting to your business can benefit you:

Broader Market Appeal: By adding concrete lifting to your insulation business, you can cater to a larger audience. Property owners dealing with sinking or uneven concrete will be more likely to seek a company offering both services.
Cross-Selling Opportunities: Concrete lifting jobs often go hand-in-hand with other services like insulation. For example, if you’re already offering spray foam insulation, you can upsell concrete lifting services to clients in need of both.
Increased Referrals: As you expand your service offerings, clients who are happy with your concrete lifting services might refer you to friends, family, or other businesses in need of similar work.
Growth Potential: With the right equipment and expertise, you can establish yourself as a specialized contractor for concrete lifting, setting you apart from the competition and increasing market share.

How to Bid Concrete Leveling Jobs: Bidding for concrete leveling jobs involves a few important steps to ensure you’re competitive while covering costs and making a profit:

Measure the Area: Start by measuring the size of the concrete surface that needs leveling. This includes determining the number of slabs and estimating the total volume that needs attention.
Assess the Soil Conditions: Soil type plays a critical role in how well the polyurethane foam will perform. Softer soils may require more foam or additional stabilization, so it’s important to assess the site before giving an estimate.
Evaluate Job Complexity: Some jobs may involve hard-to-reach areas, multiple slabs, or unusual conditions, which may make the job more complex and require additional equipment or time. This should be factored into the price.
Market Rates: Research local competition and find out what other contractors are charging for similar services. Polyurethane foam services are typically priced higher than mudjacking due to the durability and longevity of the solution.
Cost Breakdown: Consider material costs (polyurethane foam), labor costs, equipment wear and tear, and travel costs when calculating your bid. Ensure you factor in a reasonable margin for profit, especially if you’re offering a premium service.
Time and Labor: Consider the time it will take to complete the job. Polyurethane foam injection is typically faster than mudjacking or full concrete replacement, so you can charge a premium for faster service.

Pricing Example:

Residential Jobs: On average, residential concrete lifting jobs range from $3 to $7 per square foot, depending on the job’s complexity.
Commercial Jobs: Commercial projects, due to their larger size and complexity, could range higher, possibly $8 to $12 per square foot.

Different Types of Concrete Leveling and Why Polyurethane Foam is Best

There are a few primary methods of concrete leveling, but SprayEZ’s polyurethane foam stands out as the best option for most applications.

1. Mudjacking (Traditional Method):

Process: A mixture of cement, water, and soil is pumped under the concrete slab to lift it. While this is effective in some cases, it’s heavy and tends to absorb moisture, which can lead to further settling.
Drawbacks: Mudjacking is often a temporary fix and can lead to additional issues, such as cracking or water seepage.

2. Polyurethane Foam Injection (Best Option):

Process: Polyurethane foam is injected under concrete slabs where it expands and fills voids, lifting and stabilizing the concrete. This is a non-invasive and environmentally friendly solution.
Advantages:
- Lightweight and Strong: Polyurethane foam is much lighter than mudjacking material, meaning it won’t add unnecessary weight to the soil, which can prevent further settling.
- Waterproof and Long-Lasting: Unlike mudjacking, which can degrade due to moisture absorption, polyurethane foam is water-resistant and provides a permanent solution.
- Fast and Efficient: Foam injection is a faster process compared to mudjacking, with most jobs being completed in a few hours. This means you can handle more jobs each day.
- Minimal Disruption: Only small holes are drilled into the concrete, which minimizes the disruption to the surrounding area and reduces cleanup time.