Sidewalk sloping towards house, suggestions?

[solbergren]

Hi, I've got a sidewalk sloping towards the house and I'd like to correct it properly. I've talked to a mudjacker and he believes the sidewalk is too old and should just be replaced. I am considering pouring new concrete over it to correct the slope. Does anyone have a better/alternative suggestion??? thx!





here's a couple pics of it:

 

[Matt Crowley]

Maybe worth getting a second opinion from another mudjacker. That sidewalk looks like it is in pretty good shape.



Long term, you may have a grading problem because there is definitely a slope going into the house. Jacking the sidewalk slabs so they are pushing water away from the house will help a bit, but the problem is more likely in the sub-grade. You would need to remove the blocks and excavate down to the clay fill (remove all the topsoil). Topsoil does almost nothing to push water away from the house.



Then throw down clay fill, tamp it with a jumping jack (getting the slope right). For the side of the house like that, there is really no reason to have any topsoil on the side of the house at all. It is just there to make it easier for weeds to grow. Might as well go with a weed mat and some rock to fix the problem permanently.



If you go to sidewalk steppers (24" x 24") and install them properly using tamped 3/4" crushed road crush and no sand, you can save a lot of money. If they are installed with EdgePro and 6" spikes they will stay in place quite well over time. A concrete diamond blade on a skillsaw ($60-$70) will easily cut through the stones to get the angles right you need for the sidewalk.

 

[kfort]

Fire your mudjacker, he's lazy and focused on driveways or larger projects. I don't see a crack even in that sidewalk. Jack it.

 

[solbergren]

Thx for the replies guys, I talked with another mudjacker and he gave me an estimate for the side and part of the back that would be around 2k. Thx for the detailed response @sweetzone I may end up going that route, still thinking it through

 

[Thomas Beyer]

Minimize costs. Add a 2x4 under the house facing side of walkway. Fill with mud/dirt so it slopes slightly away from house.

 

[kfort]

If you're gonna try and lift that yourself you'll want to cut it along those relief lines. Rent a cutter. You'll need to dig down well over 2" and get a couple hydraulic jacks under there to lift it (evenly). It could work, but won't be easy and won't be easy work. I doubt that walk has much of any reinforcement in it. But if it's 40+ years old (looks like it might be) I bet it's near 6" thick!



If you can get a bobcat in there you may be able to lift it with that (significantly easier) as opposed to the little hydraulics. Definitely section it with the cutter.