Driveway, patio, sidewalk, steps, garage floor — what each surface actually costs to lift in the Salt Lake Valley, using the same published price ranges, so you can compare apples to apples.
Every number below comes from the same published ranges: mudjacking $3–$8 per square foot and polyurethane foam $5–$25 per square foot, with most residential jobs landing between $500 and $3,000 total. Most contractors also carry a $300–$500 minimum charge. The complete guide, including what drives prices up or down, is the cost guide — this page breaks those same numbers down surface by surface.
| Surface | Mudjacking | Foam leveling |
|---|---|---|
| Steps (~60 sq ft) | $300–$500 | $400–$900 |
| Sidewalk section (~120 sq ft) | $350–$700 | $900–$1,900 |
| Partial garage floor (~150 sq ft) | $350–$950 | $800–$2,100 |
| Patio / porch (~200 sq ft) | $500–$1,000 | $1,200–$2,400 |
| Driveway section (~220 sq ft) | $650–$1,300 | $1,500–$3,200 |
| Garage floor (~400 sq ft) | $1,200–$2,400 | $2,700–$5,600 |
| Full driveway (~500 sq ft) | $1,500–$2,900 | $3,200–$7,200 |
Read the ranges as typical, not guaranteed: the same 200-square-foot patio costs more when it's down three inches than when it's down half an inch, and more again if the crew has to work around tight access. But any quote wildly outside these bands deserves a question — either the method is different from what you assumed, or something else is going on.
Steps are the smallest standard lift and the most likely to land on the contractor's minimum charge. The square footage is tiny, but mobilizing a pump truck costs the same whether it's one step or a whole driveway, so the $300–$500 floor sets the price more than the area does. Foam's premium is smallest here in absolute dollars — a few hundred — which is why foam is popular for front entries: the 5/8-inch holes are nearly invisible on visible concrete, and the lift is precisely controlled against the house. The trade-off to watch is precision, not price: steps sit against the foundation, and an inexperienced crew can over-lift. Ask how many step and stoop lifts the crew has done. More on steps in sinking steps repair.
Sidewalk sections are the most common lift in the valley — one square raised by a root or settled by erosion creates a trip edge, and cities can cite homeowners for them. At this size, mudjacking is the clear budget play, and it's hard to argue with $350–$700 to erase a trip hazard. Foam's case here is narrower: decorative or stamped walks where small holes matter, or clay soil where foam's light weight earns its keep. One practical note: sidewalk jobs are often bundled — if three squares are moving, lifting all three in one visit is far cheaper per square than three separate minimum-charge visits. And if the cause is a tree root, deal with the root question before the lift, or the slab will be back up within a few seasons. See sidewalk trip hazard repair and tree roots vs. concrete.
Garage floors rarely sink as a whole; usually one section drops — often near the apron or where a heavy vehicle parks — while the rest stays put. That's why the cost guide prices a partial floor separately from a full one, and it's good news: you're paying for the sunken section, not the entire slab. The wrinkle with garage work is access: the crew works inside, around vehicles, storage, and the door tracks, and interior slabs sometimes hide utilities or drains that change the approach. Move everything out of the affected area before the appointment, and tell the contractor about floor drains or in-floor heating if you have them. Details in sinking garage floor repair.
Patios and porches sit in the sweet spot where both methods are genuinely competitive. Mudjacking at $500–$1,000 is the economical choice for a straightforward settled patio, especially a large one. Foam at $1,200–$2,400 earns its premium when the patio is visible and decorative (small holes), when it sits against the foundation (light weight, precise control), or when the slab slopes toward the house — the urgent case, since a patio pitching toward the foundation directs water at the basement. That slope-toward-the-house scenario is the one patio problem to fix promptly, not next year. Porch and patio specifics, including the questions to ask before anyone lifts next to your foundation, are in porch and patio repair.
A driveway section — typically the apron by the garage or one settled run — is where most homeowners first meet concrete lifting, because the lip at the garage floor is impossible to ignore. Mudjacking handles it for $650–$1,300; foam for $1,500–$3,200, with same-day drive-on (15–30 minutes versus about 24 hours of cure for slurry). The section price is also the right comparison point for similarly sized slabs elsewhere on the property — RV pads, for example, price out like driveway sections. The number that moves this quote most is drop depth: a section down half an inch needs a fraction of the material of one down three inches. Full driveway guidance is in sinking driveway repair.
A full 400-square-foot garage floor lift is a bigger job than a partial one, and the price reflects area more than anything else. At this size, mudjacking's lower per-foot cost creates a meaningful gap — $1,200–$2,400 versus $2,700–$5,600 — which is why budget-first homeowners with large interior slabs usually choose slurry. Foam's argument at this scale is about the slab's situation, not its size: clay soil under the garage, a floor that needs to be back in use the same day, or a decorative interior finish where small holes matter. Either way, get the method named in writing on the quote — at these dollar amounts, comparing a mudjacking bid against a foam bid without knowing it is the most common way homeowners overpay.
The full driveway is the largest standard residential job, and the widest price spread on the table — which makes sense, because it's where method choice matters most in total dollars. Mudjacking a full driveway for $1,500–$2,900 is the value play, full stop. Foam at $3,200–$7,200 is the premium play: same-day use, waterproof material, better longevity on clay, and small holes across a large visible area. The foam premium on a full driveway is thousands, not hundreds, so this is the surface where the honest question is sharpest: is the extra longevity and convenience worth roughly double? On clay soil, or when the driveway must be usable that evening, often yes. On firm soil with a flexible schedule, mudjacking's math is hard to beat. Either option is still far below replacement, which runs 2–3 times the lift cost for the same area.
For the method comparison behind these numbers, read mudjacking vs. foam; for how long each method lasts, how long lifting lasts; and for the replacement comparison, lifting vs. replacement.
Small surfaces: steps (~60 sq ft) run $300–$500 mudjacking or $400–$900 foam — often near the contractor's $300–$500 minimum charge. Sidewalk sections (~120 sq ft) run $350–$700 mudjacking or $900–$1,900 foam. The per-foot rate is similar across surfaces; small jobs just use less material.
Mostly area and access. A garage floor (~400 sq ft) runs $1,200–$2,400 mudjacking or $2,700–$5,600 foam, versus $350–$700 / $900–$1,900 for a sidewalk section — more square footage, more material, and interior access constraints. A partial garage floor (~150 sq ft) is cheaper: $350–$950 mudjacking or $800–$2,100 foam.
Yes, per square foot: foam runs $5–$25 per square foot versus $3–$8 for mudjacking, on every surface. But the gap in total dollars is smallest on small jobs — a few hundred dollars on steps or a sidewalk section — and largest on full driveways. See the method comparison.
Yes — most Salt Lake Valley contractors have a $300–$500 minimum, since mobilizing the pump truck costs the same for one slab or ten. If your job is a single step or one sidewalk square, expect the minimum to set the price, not the square footage.
Yes, across the board: lifting typically costs one-third to one-half of tearing out and re-pouring the same area. Replacement runs roughly 2–3 times the lift price. The full comparison is in lifting vs. replacement.
Three things: method (foam costs more than slurry), how far the slab has dropped (more lift means more material), and access (tight spaces, steep grades, or scattered small slabs add labor). Always confirm which method a quote is for — mudjacking and foam prices aren't comparable.
Tell us the surface, its size, and how far it's dropped — we'll connect you with a local specialist for a written, line-item estimate.