Video summary

How We Fixed Our Sinking House

Main summary

Key takeaways

Business

What Happened (Problem Diagnosis)

  • The video documents a repair for a “sinking” house caused by interior concrete slab settlement/voids beneath the slab.
  • The team had previously identified the likely root cause as air voids/loose fill under the slab, and they proceed with a slab-raising repair rather than demolition.

Core Repair Strategy (Foundation Operations Playbook)

They use a two-stage process:

  1. Deep foam injection (Deep Lock) to fill voids and compact soil beneath the slab.
  2. Shallow foam injections to lift the slab back toward the target “zero” elevation.

Deep Lock Injection Approach (Key Process Details)

  • Injection depth: ~4 ft below grade for deep stabilization
  • Grid layout: ~4-ft grid across the whole house
  • Number of rods/injection points: ~200 rods (deep injection stage)

Equipment/process controls

  • Elevation measurement: Uses a measuring system rather than a laser (line-of-sight is blocked by interior walls).
  • Foam pumping precision: Relies on metered pump strokes + timing (less “feel,” more controlled consistency).
  • Back-flushing: Uses water back-flushing to keep injection pathways clear.

Shallow Lifting Phase

After deep stabilization, they perform shallow injections to:

  • Run right below the concrete level (not 4 ft down).
  • Lift the slab back into place and eliminate remaining voids/air pockets.
  • Use reduced pressure and short bursts to avoid over-lifting (where void filling is undesired).

Target / Verification Metric

  • The slab is verified to return to “zero” elevation across key areas:
    • Measurements move from out-of-level up to zero all the way through (including the front door hallway and beyond).
    • Lift ranges mentioned: sometimes ~1/4 inch to ~1/2 inch, but the goal is measurable restoration everywhere.

Foundation Injection Engineering Details (Execution Specifics)

  • Foam chemistry

    • 4-lb expanding foam expanding by about ~50:1
    • Each injection point: about ~40 lb of liquid (expanded to fill constrained void space)

  • Injection pressure and tooling

    • Injection fittings rated for ~3,000–3,300 PSI
    • Compression fittings installed at rod tops to connect hydraulic lines
    • Injection assembly/rods are treated as one-time use after pumping

  • Safety / house protection

    • Plastic sheets are used to catch foam mess/overspill
    • Overspill still occurs (described as “foam explosion”)
    • They later grind/sand and repair/repaint impacted interior areas before flooring

Project Management & Sequencing (How Work Was Coordinated)

  • Planning / risk reduction

    • Before injecting, they locate all plumbing runs under the slab to avoid puncturing.

  • Labor cost control via tooling

    • Plumbing locating quote: $2,000
    • They buy their own tools: $700
    • Claimed savings: $1,300

  • Scheduling

    • Initial expectation: ~10 days
    • Later updated expectation: maybe by tomorrow afternoon (significant improvement)

  • Crew workflow

    • Rapid completion of rod setting and foam pumping with minimal breakdown/clogs
    • Progress tracked via milestones (e.g., “almost half the house” pumped day one, then “halfway through” day two)

Concrete Patching & Prep Work (Operations Details)

  • They fill numerous slab openings/holes from previous work:
    • Mentioned scale: over 100 holes, possibly ~200 holes filled
  • Epoxy is used to fill saw-cut cracks/voids.
  • Fast set concrete
    • Selected explicitly to avoid overnight overtime
    • Sets hard in about ~20–40 minutes
  • Concrete grinder upgrade
    • Uses a dustless grinding attachment to address foam damage/bumpiness before painting/flooring

Floor Restoration (“Delivery Execution” Equivalent)

  • Flooring install plan

    • Uses spacers, a tapping block, a pulling bar, and an installation kit (more accurate than improvised tools).

  • Stabilization tactic

    • Screw down boards on one side so the floating floor doesn’t shift while tapping.

  • Power stretcher

    • A rental was used, but installation also relied on timing and teamwork (“nearly done” push mode).

Drain / Foundation Water Management (Post-Repair Risk Mitigation)

A second major execution failure is discovered:

  • Someone tied gutters into foundation drains, causing gutter water to dump toward the house and potentially flood underlying drains/soil.

Fix Approach (Diagnostic + Retrofit Plan)

  • Use camera/scope to inspect drain condition; clear debris where possible.
  • Key breakthrough:
    • They locate the actual foundation drain and confirm it’s not clogged.
    • They discover the gutter routing was connected into a separate system that was incorrectly installed (“tied to nowhere”).

Concrete Drainage Restoration Strategy

  • Create a new drainage path:
    • Install a dry creek bed channel with weed fabric + edging
    • Route gutter outflow to a proper pipe area and direct it “toward a storm drain/off-property”

Structural Details Shown

  • Filter fabric and a “rock burrito”:
    • Water passes through while dirt is blocked
  • Drain rock void spaces:
    • Direct water into a perforated pipe

Operational Controls & Cost/Risk Themes

  • Avoid rework
    • Verification is heavy: camera/scope for plumbing; elevation measurement for slab.
  • Reduce exposure time
    • Uses fast-set materials to avoid late-night finishing.
  • Contain costs through ownership/DIY
    • Examples include buying a plumbing locator kit vs hiring a locating contractor, and using grinder attachments vs renting commercial grinding gear.
  • Process discipline
    • Foam injection is controlled via metered strokes/timers, not “eyeballing.”

Concrete KPIs / Metrics Mentioned (Project Performance Targets)

Not all are financial KPIs, but several explicit “success metrics” are stated:

  • Slab stabilization: verify lift returns to “zero” elevation across rooms/hallway
  • Injection scope: ~200 injection sites on a ~4-ft grid
  • Time expectations:
    • Deep work scheduled up to ~2 weeks total contractor time
    • Updated expectation: tomorrow afternoon (vs 10 days)
  • Foam injection parameters:
    • Injection pressure: ~3,000–3,300 PSI
    • Expansion ratio: ~50:1
    • Approx. foam per site: ~40 lb liquid equivalent
  • Material performance target: fast concrete set in 20–40 minutes
  • Hole fill count: ~100+ and possibly ~200 holes filled

Presenters / Sources

  • Presenters (in-video): Courtney, Corey (discussed as “Corey”/“Corey’s”), Brittany, and Darren/Andrew/Stephen appear as helpers (named in the summary).
  • Referenced individuals: Tyler/Oliver/Dean are referenced as family members/kids (not presenters).
  • Contractor referenced: Ram Jack (slab-jacking/foundation contractor)
  • Other tools/companies/sponsors mentioned: Deep Lock (foam injection system), Upside (sponsor), Fastway (neighbor/assistance), Winco (generator brand)

Original video