Service areas / Olathe, KS
Johnson County seat
Olathe, KS foundation repair and waterproofing
Straight answers to the questions Olathe homeowners ask about cracks, water, and sinking concrete.
- Call the NE Kansas line
- Sinking concrete
- Wet basements
Steel push piersGrowing fast
Your Olathe questions, answered
Olathe is the Johnson County seat and one of the fastest growing cities in Kansas. Alongside the older homes near downtown, much of the city is newer subdivisions with basements and attached garages.
Newer homes have their own foundation and drainage issues, so below are the questions that come up most.
- Downtown Olathe
- Newer subdivisions
- Basements
- Attached garages
My house is fairly new. Why is the concrete sinking?
When a home is built, the soil dug out for the basement is pushed back in around the foundation. That backfill is looser than undisturbed ground, and it can settle for years. Driveways, garage floors, front steps, and patios poured over it can drop. Polyjacking uses ground penetrating radar to find the voids and high-density polyurethane foam to lift the slab.
There is water in my basement after big storms. Where is it coming from?
Usually the soil around the house is saturated and water is pushing in at the floor joint or through cracks. Johnson County clay holds water instead of letting it drain. Gutters, downspouts, and grading are the first things to check. From there, interior drain pipe and a heavy-duty sump pump, or exterior waterproofing, may be needed. See basement waterproofing.
How do I know if a crack is serious?
Hairline cracks from concrete curing are normal. Watch for cracks wider than about 1/8 inch, cracks that grow, stair step cracks in brick, horizontal cracks in basement walls, and doors or windows that start to stick.
What do you use to fix a settling foundation?
Steel push piers driven to load-bearing soil, which can lift the structure back toward its original position, or helical piers for lighter loads and deep load-bearing layers. Bowing walls get helical tiebacks. Learn more on our foundation repair page.
Should I fix drainage before leveling concrete?
It helps. If a downspout is washing out soil under your driveway or patio, leveling the slab without redirecting the water leaves the cause in place. We look at both and tell you what order makes sense.
Do you work on crawlspaces?
Yes. We install water-retardant vapor barriers. See crawlspace encapsulation.
What phone number should Olathe residents use?
Our NE Kansas line, (913) 383-1800. Our Raytown office is also available at (816) 358-3300.
Our approach
Fix the cause, not just the crack.
Patching a crack or replacing a slab without dealing with the soil and water behind it usually means doing it again. We look at drainage, soil, and the structure together, then recommend the repair that actually solves the problem.
Soil, water, structure
Near Olathe
We also serve Overland Park, Lawrence, and Topeka, plus the rest of our service areas.
Free estimates
Olathe, get a straight answer
Family-owned, serving Missouri since 1978 and eastern Kansas. Call the NE Kansas line for a free estimate.