The East York Slope Correction
Challenge
In East York, narrow side-lots are a common urban feature, and the concrete walkways that run alongside homes often serve a dual purpose: providing safe pedestrian access and acting as critical drainage channels for the property. In this case, the homeowner observed significant settlement of their side-lot walkway toward the house, creating a “negative pitch.” This condition caused rainwater to flow directly against the brickwork, increasing the risk of water seepage and long-term moisture damage to the foundation.
The settlement also created a notable trip hazard and disrupted the alignment of the existing downspout extensions, further exacerbating drainage issues. Conventional repair methods, such as complete removal and replacement of the concrete, were considered impractical due to several constraints: the narrow workspace prevented the use of heavy machinery, and excavation would risk disturbing adjacent landscaping while incurring high labor and material costs.
Solution
To address both the structural and drainage issues, our team implemented a high-density structural polymer injection system designed to re-stabilize the walkway from the sub-base level. Unlike traditional slab-raising methods that simply lift the concrete, this polymer expands to precisely fill the voids beneath the slab, forming a rigid, lightweight sub-layer resistant to erosion, washouts, and moisture infiltration. By carefully controlling the polymer’s expansion, our technicians were able to micro-adjust the concrete slabs, restoring the proper outward slope away from the house and correcting the negative pitch. The polymer’s waterproof properties also reinforced the walkway and adjacent foundation, while its cured structural strength ensures long-term load-bearing capacity without compression over time. Because the injection process only requires small access points in the concrete, the surrounding landscaping remained undisturbed, and the repair was completed efficiently in a single afternoon.
