# What a Driveway Leveling Job Looks Like | New Orleans Concrete Leveling

> An illustrative walkthrough of a typical New Orleans driveway leveling job, from the first call to parking on it again. Not a customer story — the usual steps.

URL: https://concretelevelingneworleans.com/blog/what-a-driveway-leveling-job-looks-like/

Job walkthrough

# What a typical driveway leveling job looks like, start to finish

By New Orleans Concrete Leveling · September 24, 2026

[New Orleans Concrete Leveling](https://concretelevelingneworleans.com/) doesn’t publish made-up customer stories, so this is an **illustrative** walkthrough of a typical driveway job, built from how the work is normally done. The house, the numbers and the timeline are representative, not a specific job.

## The situation

A raised house in Gentilly, on piers, with a concrete driveway running back to a carport slab. Over the years the driveway has dropped about **1½ inches** at the carport joint — enough that the car bumps over it — and the first panel tips toward the house. A downspout empties at the corner of that panel.

## Step 1: The call and the estimate

The owner calls, describes the lip, and sets up a free on-site estimate within 24 hours. At the estimate, a contractor:

-   Measures the drop at each joint with a level: 1½ inches at the carport, ¾ inch at the next joint, flush at the street.
-   Taps the first panel — hollow near the downspout corner. There’s a void.
-   Notes a hairline crack across the second panel.
-   Recommends a method and writes up a price.

Because the ground in Gentilly is drained backswamp that keeps compacting ([City of New Orleans](https://ready.nola.gov/hazard-mitigation/hazards/subsidence/)), the contractor explains both options. Mudjacking is cheaper; foam adds almost no weight and lets the owner park the same day. See [foam vs mudjacking](https://concretelevelingneworleans.com/guide/foam-vs-mudjacking/).

## Step 2: The price

For two panels, about 200 sq ft, HomeGuide’s data puts mudjacking at **$800–$1,800** and foam, at $8–$25 per square foot, at roughly **$1,600–$5,000**. The written estimate lands in range and includes patching and joint sealing. More detail: [driveway leveling cost in New Orleans](https://concretelevelingneworleans.com/guide/driveway-leveling-cost-new-orleans/).

## Step 3: The lift (a few hours)

1.  **Drill.** Small holes go through the two sunken panels in a planned pattern — around the hairline crack, not through it.
2.  **Fill the void.** Material goes into the washed-out corner first.
3.  **Lift.** More material, in short bursts, with the contractor watching a level until the first panel meets the carport slab and sheds water away from the house.
4.  **Patch and seal.** Holes are patched; the carport joint and the crack are sealed.

## Step 4: Afterward

-   **Foam:** parked on it the same evening. **Mudjacking:** off it for two to three days, per HomeGuide.
-   The downspout gets an extension, sending water into the yard instead of under the slab.

## What made it last

Not the material — the **water**. The void formed because a downspout had been emptying at that corner for years. Redirecting it is the cheapest part of the job and the most important. See [how long does concrete leveling last?](https://concretelevelingneworleans.com/guide/how-long-does-concrete-leveling-last/)

For a free estimate on your driveway, call [(504) 517-8336](tel:+15045178336) — free estimate within 24 hours.

Get your slab measured and priced.

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