Whether you’re looking to save funds or like to dabble in the DIY approach to homeownership, it’s normal to look at uneven sidewalks or driveways and think, “Hey, I bet I could fix this.” Unfortunately, this is a poor choice, especially because the risks are so high for your budget and your safety.
The Dangers of a DIY Fix
DIY works great for general maintenance for your concrete slabs, but it should never come into play when they’re cracked or uneven. That’s because applying a solution incorrectly may lead to the driveway or sidewalk cracking further or tilting even worse. For example, a popular DIY fix is to arrange wooden planks underneath the tilting edge to bring it up flush with the other slabs. However, this is likely to fall apart, rot, or cause other voids to form in the soil underneath the concrete. This can happen in days, weeks, or months, but the end result is the same: the problem escalates in short order.
Fixing mistakes like this can end up costing you more in the long run. Even if you call a professional, they will have to remove the DIY materials first, which can be more expensive and time-consuming. Likewise, the damage may be more severe by this point, since the driveway or sidewalk was deprived of an efficient solution for additional weeks or months. In some cases, what might’ve been fixed with PolyRenewalTM may now require a full replacement, which is very costly.
The Value of Professional Help
Hiring the right professionals to complete the work might sound like a costly enterprise, but it is one worth paying. Experts such as those at Indiana Foundation Service will have the knowledge and the right tools to complete the job in a shorter amount of time and with more precision. The homeowner is paying not only for the repairs but for a professional’s knowledge and quality guarantee. If updates are ever needed because of a mistake or an unexpected factor, this is covered by the professionals, not your own wallet.
Likewise, professionals have more access to industry-standard equipment or products. Solutions like PolyRenewalTM cannot be purchased over the counter, and mudjacking requires the use of heavy equipment that cannot be easily rented (even if you know how to safely use it). By hiring an expert, you can ensure your sidewalk or driveway gets the best solution at a better price, not just that you have access or experience to pull off. This can help the repair last for decades, not a few years.