Choose a concrete levelling service that identifies the cause of the movement before pricing the fix. Check the licence on your state regulator’s register, ask what the site assessment covers, confirm the method suits your slab, and get the scope, exclusions and warranty in writing. Then compare quotes on what they include, not the bottom line.
Concrete drops because the ground under it changes. A provider who skips that question can lift a slab that sinks again a few seasons later. This guide is for homeowners comparing quotes for a sunken driveway, path, patio, pool surround or garage slab. It covers what to ask, what a good answer sounds like, and when resin injection is or is not the right method.
Six Checks Before You Sign a Concrete Levelling Quote
Six checks cover most of the risk: a current licence, a real site assessment, a stated cause, a method that suits the slab, a written scope with exclusions, and written warranty terms. If a provider cannot answer any one of these clearly, get another quote before you commit.
| Check | What to ask | Good sign | Warning sign |
| Licence | What is your licence number, and whose name is it? | Gives the number so you can check it on the regulator’s register | A logo on the quote, or “you don’t need a licence for this” |
| Assessment | Who will inspect the slab, and what will they measure? | On-site level readings, drainage check, buried services check | A price from photos or a phone call alone |
| Cause | What made the concrete move? | Name a likely cause and say how it will be dealt with | “It’s just settled”, followed by a price |
| Method | Why this method for my slab? | Explains the choice and when they would use something else | The same method for every job |
| Scope | What is included and excluded? | Target level, hole filling, GST and variations in writing | One figure with no detail |
| Warranty | What does the warranty cover and exclude? | Separate product and artistry terms that you can read before signing | A verbal promise |
Why Should the Cause Come Before the Price?
Because levelling treats the symptom, slabs drop when the ground beneath them loses support, often due to leaking pipes, poor drainage, washed-out fill, or reactive clay that swells and shrinks with moisture. If that cause stays, the slab can move again after it is lifted. A good provider tells you the likely cause and who will fix it.
Water is behind much of the slab movement. The CSIRO homeowner’s guide to foundation maintenance warns that “Even a minuscule leak can be enough to saturate a clay foundation.” It also notes that tree roots near footings “will absorb much of the moisture in the foundation soil, causing shrinkage or subsidence.” The same guide recommends paving that extends at least 900 mm from the house, with a fall away from the walls, and downpipes connected to stormwater.
So ask every contractor what they think caused the drop, and what happens if it turns out to be a leak or a broken downpipe. If water is the trigger, it may need to be addressed through water leak management before anyone lifts the slab. If the concrete sits over a hollow, void filling may be part of the job. Our approach is simple: find what is moving, fix the cause, then fix the damage.
How Do I Check a Concrete Levelling Contractor’s Licence?
Ask for the licence number and the name it is held under, then search it on your state regulator’s public register. Check that it is current and covers the work being quoted. In New South Wales, a contractor licence is needed for residential building work valued at more than $5,000, including labour, materials and GST.
Requirements depend on the scope of the work and where you live. Lifting a garden path is not the same as working on a footing that carries a house. In New South Wales, underpinning and piering are their own categories of licensed work. Other states run their own schemes, so check the position of your property.
| Where your property is | Where to check a licence |
| New South Wales | NSW Government: categories of licensed building and trade work |
| Victoria | Building and Plumbing Commission: find and check a practitioner |
| Queensland | QBCC: lists and registers, including the licensee register |
| Australian Capital Territory | Access Canberra: building and construction |
Verify the number with the regulator rather than trusting the logo on the quote. Our own licences are NSW 377694C, VIC CDB-U 73507, QLD 15300551 and ACT 20211579, and you can check them the same way.
Also, ask for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, and ask whether home warranty insurance applies to your job in your state. If a structural engineer is part of the assessment, you can check whether they are listed on the Engineers Australia National Engineering Register.
What Should a Site Assessment Include?
A proper assessment happens on-site, not over the phone. The assessor should take level readings, inspect cracks and joints, check drainage, downpipes, and nearby trees, ask how buried services will be located, and determine whether the slab is a path or part of a structure. You should receive findings and a recommended method, not just a price.
A thorough assessment usually covers:
- Level readings at marked points so that the result can be measured against the start
- The likely cause, with any leak, drainage or tree issue named
- Whether there are voids under the slab, and roughly where
- The condition of the concrete: cracked, broken, thin or sound
- How will buried pipes and cables be located before drilling
- Whether the slab supports a wall, step or structure
- A realistic outcome, including when the slab cannot return to its original level
If the problem is inside the house, the bar is different. The QBCC says hairline cracks under 2 mm in a concrete floor are acceptable, wider cracks are not, and a level change of more than 15 mm over a 3 m straight edge is not acceptable. Victoria’s Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026 sets similar slab limits for newer homes. If you are also seeing sticking doors or cracked walls, read our sinking floors page before booking a levelling quote.
Which Concrete Levelling Method Suits Your Slab?
The method should follow the cause and the slab, not the provider’s favourite tool. Resin lifting suits sound concrete that has dropped over soft or hollow ground. Grouting is suited to larger voids and weak ground. Underpinning is for footings under a building. Concrete that is broken into pieces is usually easier to replace. For a plain-English overview of how levelling works, see our concrete levelling guide.
| Method | Usually suits | Usually does not suit | Learn more |
| Slab jacking with polyurethane resin | Sound driveways, paths, patios, garage and shed slabs, and pool surrounds that have sunk. | Slabs broken into many pieces, or pushed up by roots | Slab jacking |
| Resin injection into the ground | Loose or weak soil and voids under slabs and footings | Very large voids, or an active leak nobody has fixed | Resin injection |
| Void filling and grouting | Larger voids, washouts and sinkholes | Surfaces that also need lifting, unless combined with another method | Void filling, specialised grouting |
| Underpinning | Footings under a house or wall that have moved | Paths and driveways | Underpinning |
| Replacement | Crumbling, heavily cracked or very thin concrete | Sound slabs that have only dropped | Lift or replace? |
A provider who offers only one method has a reason to recommend it every time. Ask what they would do if their method were not the right fit. For driveways and pool paving specifically, see our driveway levelling page.
When Is Resin Injection the Right Choice?
Resin injection is usually a good fit when the concrete is still in one piece, and the problem is a weak or hollow ground beneath it. Polyurethane resin enters through small drilled holes, expands to fill voids, and sets quickly. There is no digging; the slab is lifted in place, and the area is often usable again soon after.
- The slab has dropped or tilted, but is not badly broken
- There is a trip edge between slabs, or water pools, where it used to drain
- You can hear a hollow sound or see a gap under the edge
- The cause, such as a leak or downpipe, has been found and fixed
- Access is tight, or you want to avoid breaking out and re-pouring concrete
When Is Resin Injection Not the Right Choice?
Resin is the wrong answer when the concrete itself has failed, when a leak or drainage fault is still feeding the problem, or when footings under a house need deeper support. Very large voids can also make resin more costly than grout. A trustworthy provider will tell you when resin is not the best fix.
- The slab is shattered, crumbling or has been patched many times
- Tree roots are pushing the slab up rather than the ground letting it down
- Water is still getting under the slab, and nobody has a plan to stop it
- Cracks in the house walls suggest the footings are moving
- You want a perfect, crack-free finish: lifting does not remove existing cracks
For how we assess and plan resin work, see our resin injection page.
What Should a Concrete Levelling Quote Include?
A useful quote names the area, the likely cause, the method and material, the target level or tolerance, how holes are filled, what is excluded, how extra material is charged, GST, and the warranty terms. If two quotes describe different jobs, the cheaper one is not cheaper.
At a minimum, look for:
- The surface and area being treated
- The identified or suspected cause
- The proposed method and material
- The target level, or a stated practical limit
- How access holes are filled and the surface finished
- What is excluded, such as drainage or crack repair
- How extra material or time is charged
- GST, and product and artistry warranty terms
Our concrete levelling cost and process guide has a full quote checklist. Price depends on the area, how far the slab has dropped, the size of any voids, access, the amount of material and any related work such as drainage. For indicative ranges, see our slab jacking cost guide, then treat any figure as a starting point until someone has been on site.
What Warranty Should a Concrete Levelling Contractor Offer?
Look for written warranty terms that separate the product from the artistry, state how long each lasts, and list what is excluded, such as new leaks or ground movement caused by outside forces. Read the terms before you sign. A warranty you cannot see in writing is a promise, not a warranty.
Questions worth asking: Does the warranty transfer if you sell the house? What do you need to do to keep it valid, such as maintaining drainage? Who do you call if the slab moves again?
We offer a 100-year warranty on our resin products and a 50-year warranty on our artistry. If the problem returns, we return. Read the full warranty terms here: [WARRANTY TERMS URL].
Red Flags When Comparing Concrete Levelling Companies
- A firm price without anyone visiting the site
- No licence number, or a licence that does not match the business name
- No explanation of what caused the movement
- Pressure to sign today to secure a discount
- A promise that the slab will look new, or that cracks will disappear
- No written exclusions or variation process
- A warranty described verbally but never shown
How to Compare Concrete Levelling Quotes, Step by Step
- Photograph the problem and note when you first saw it, as well as any recent leaks or heavy rain.
- Book on-site assessments with two or three licensed providers.
- Ask each one what caused the movement and how it will be dealt with.
- Check each licence number on your state regulator’s register.
- Line up the quotes against the checklist above and note what each one leaves out.
- Read each warranty and compare scope, not just price, before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a concrete levelling service cost?
There is no reliable flat price. Cost depends on the area, how far the slab has dropped, the size of any voids, access, the amount of material and whether drainage or other work is needed. Our slab jacking cost guide gives indicative ranges, but an accurate figure needs an on-site assessment.
Is self-levelling compound the same as concrete levelling?
No. Self-levelling compound is a thin topping poured over an indoor floor to level it before tiles or flooring are installed. It does not lift a sunken slab or fill the voids beneath it. Lifting a slab means injecting resin or grout under it to restore support and raise it back towards level.
How long does concrete levelling last?
There is no universal lifespan. Results depend on whether the original cause was fixed, the soil, drainage, the method, the condition of the slab and the artistry. If a leak or washout keeps going, the slab can move again. Compare the written product and artistry warranties rather than relying on a general claim.
Will my home insurance pay for concrete levelling?
Sometimes. Insurance may respond to damage caused by a sudden insured event, while damage that develops gradually is treated differently by most policies. Your product disclosure statement decides it. Moneysmart explains what to look for in a home insurance policy, and your insurer can confirm what your cover includes.
How do I know if I need underpinning instead of levelling?
Levelling slabs, such as paths and driveways, that have dropped. Underpinning is for footings under a house that are moving. Signs include widening wall cracks, doors that keep jamming and cracks around windows. In the AS 2870 damage categories reproduced by CSIRO, cracks of 5 to 15 mm are rated moderate. See our underpinning page.
Choose the Provider Who Explains the Problem
The best concrete levelling service is the one that explains why your slab moved, checks the licence register, recommends a method that suits your concrete, and puts the scope and warranty in writing. Sometimes the honest answer is that levelling is not the right fix, and a good provider will say so.
Book an on-site assessment with Raise & Relevel. We measure the slab, identify the cause, and tell you whether lifting, grouting, underpinning, or replacement is the right answer before you spend anything. Call 1300 053 835 or contact our team to arrange a visit in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Canberra.
