Floor dips, humps or a patchy slab after the old flooring came up? We level it flat and smooth so your new floor goes down right.
Self-leveling concrete is a cement-based mix we pour over an existing floor in Waxahachie to make it level, smooth and flat. It works either as a base for new tile, plank or carpet or as the finished surface you walk on.
Most calls start after the old carpet or tile comes up and the slab underneath shows dips, humps, glue lines and patched spots. New flooring follows every one of them, so a long plank rocks or a tile cracks over a low place. The mix flows out like water finding its level in a stock tank, filling the low spots and settling into one even plane.
The price depends on the size of the room, how deep the low spots run, and how much prep comes first, such as stripping old coatings or glue, filling cracks or replacing damaged wood. The schedule depends mostly on that prep and on how dry the slab is, more than on the pour itself. The in-person estimate gives you the figure for your floor.
A leveler fixes the shape of a floor. It doesn't fix what's wrong underneath, so these are the things I look at before we talk about pouring anything.
A leveler holds only as well as the surface it's poured on. Dust, loose patches, paint and old sealers come off and the concrete gets primed, because most floor failures I've seen started under the top layer, not in it. It's like painting a rusty gate. Skip the wire brush and the paint lifts by spring.
Active cracks and joints in the slab carry up through the leveler and into the floor covering. A leveler won't hide a crack that's still moving, so plan on that line showing in the finished floor. We'll talk about where it falls before you pick tile or plank.
On a wood subfloor, the leveler maker's instructions call for replacing any subfloor or underlayment that has had water damage. Soft or stained sheets get cut out and replaced before any mix goes down. It adds carpentry to the job, but it keeps your new floor from sitting on wood that's already failing.
Here's how a self-leveling job goes from your first call to the walk-through at the end, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call (972) 903-8033 or fill out our form, and we'll set a time for me to come see the floor. It helps to tell us the room size, what's on the floor now, any leftover glue, past water damage and the finish you have in mind.
At the visit I look over the slab and point out cracks, old coatings and any sign of moisture. Then I explain your options and give you an estimate for your floor.
Once you're ready, our crew does the prep first, stripping, repairing and priming as your floor needs, then pours the leveler. I'm on the job with them, and the room stays closed off while the mix is fresh.
When it's done, I walk the floor with you so you can see how it came out and know how to look after it until your finish floor goes on.
Before we pour a leveler indoors, the first thing I ask is what floor is going on top. The finish floor decides how we test the slab, so a room getting vinyl and a room getting tile may need different testing before anything is mixed. If you haven't picked yet, that's fine, but we'll need an answer before we set a pour date.
Next I look for old glue and past water damage, because both change the plan. Glue left from old flooring needs a safe way off the slab before leveling starts, and we handle that as concrete floor stripping and removal. Water stains and old leak lines show me where to look harder, and on a wood subfloor they can mean the replacement I mentioned above.
Then we pour the mix and work it out to the depth each part of the room needs, and the room stays closed until it sets. Some folks ask about the patio or pool deck while I'm there. That's different work with different products, and you'll find it under pool deck coatings and resurfacing.
As an underlayment, the leveler is a flat base that nobody sees. Tile, plank or carpet goes on top, so the surface has to be flat and sound but doesn't have to look nice.
As an overlay, the leveled surface is the floor you walk on. That suits a shop, utility room or basement where a smooth, plain concrete look is enough, and it needs more care in the finish.
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come see the floor. The estimate is free and done in person at your place, and you're under no obligation to go ahead.
(972) 903-8033In Waxahachie, permits go through the city's Permitting Division. The city's remodel guide covers work on existing homes that doesn't add square footage. We check with the permit office about your job while we plan it, and we handle any permit the work calls for.
The ground here matters too. More than half of Ellis County's rated ground is clay with very high shrink-swell. In a dry August that clay shrinks away from footings, then October rain swells it and can lift a slab edge. That's a foundation issue more than a flooring one, but it's why I look closely at which cracks in your slab are still moving.
We're based in Waxahachie and do the same leveling work in many cities around it, including Midlothian and Ennis. There we see the same slab-on-grade homes and the same patchy floors once the old covering comes up.
I learned concrete pouring and patching barn floors on our family farm and worked years on other people's crews. I started this business in Waxahachie in 2013, so we've been doing this for 13 years. I come out myself to look at your floor. Our crew does the work and I'm on the job with them, so the person who explained the plan is there when it's carried out.
We're licensed and fully insured. I'd rather spend extra time on prep and on explaining each step than see a floor lift later, and I won't rush you into a choice before you understand your slab. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
When you're ready, call (972) 903-8033 or send us the form and tell us a little about the room and the floor you want on top.
Old tile mastic, carpet glue or a failing coating has to come off clean before a leveler can bond, and removal is a careful job of its own.
If the slab giving you trouble is outdoors around the pool, it needs products made for sun, water and bare feet, not an indoor leveler.
We're based in Waxahachie and work in many cities around it. These are the ones with their own page, and if yours isn't listed, give us a call anyway.
There's no single fair number, because the price follows your floor. A small room that's sound and only a little out of level costs less than a big one with deep dips and glue to strip. Choosing the leveler as your finished floor, not just a base, can add finish work too. I give you the figure after seeing the floor.
Not the kind we're talking about here. One maker's guide says its self-leveling underlayments are for interior use only, so these products are made for floors inside the house. For a patio or other outdoor slab, ask us about concrete resurfacing and overlays instead.
Yes. The leveler maker's instructions say to test the slab for moisture to the specs of whoever makes your finish floor, so the flooring you pick sets the test. Flooring should go on only after the moisture inside the slab drops to acceptable levels, so a damp slab can push back the start date.
Plan how it will come off before anyone scrapes or grinds it. One leveler maker warns that removing old adhesive by scraping or grinding can be hazardous because it may contain asbestos. That's why we work out how it will be handled during the estimate, before leveling starts.
Clear out the furniture and pick your finish floor if you can, since that choice shapes the prep. While the mix is fresh, keep kids and pets out of the room, because wet cement-based mix is caustic and can burn skin after long contact. We keep the area closed off while we work.
Call (972) 903-8033 or send the form before your new flooring is delivered, so we can check and prep the slab while you're still choosing.
