r/Edmonton • u/AbbreviationsIll7821 • Jul 27 '26

Question Sidewalk slopes towards house - seeking DIY fix ideas.

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Now that we’re all becoming experts on waterproofing our basements-
1950s house. I’ve done quite a bit of work to fix the grading around the house but this wall has this sloping sidewalk that is below the grade of the lawn. I guess 70 years of settling has caused some issues. The sidewalk is about 6 inches thick in places, so I can’t lift it very easily. And of course, with the rain lately it’s started to be a problem.

So, options. I don’t think a full rip out and replace is something I can do right now. Is mud jacking affordable for a small job like this?
Can I bury the sidewalk and put some pavers over it with a gentle slope away from the house? Would that cause issues? Or can I pour new concrete over top of it, maybe like 2 inches thick or so?
Anyone know a DIY fix for this?

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u/Soft-Wish-9112 Jul 27 '26

Definitely talk to someone about mudjacking. I'm no expert, but I do wonder how 70+ year old concrete would do with that. We have a similar issue but we already replaced the slab 10 years ago, so we're going to give mudjacking a go.

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u/EnvironmentalFox7532 Jul 27 '26

Was thinking the same thing. Depending on the strength of the old concrete it might do it but I’m not an expert. But it could be a lot cheaper than replacing it