help, concrete driveway rising up

[lucy]

Hi everyone, I've posted before and got great advice, thank you all so much. Ok, there is a concrete driveway leading to the alley. The alley is just a dirt path.. When the trash trucks come by, they're somehow pushing dirt up under the edge of the driveway (the part that faces the alley) and over the years (not sure how many, I just bought this house), they've raised the edge of the driveway up. When I go to the edge of the driveway, I have to now step down off the end of it, to step onto the alley.. about a foot drop. I asked a guy to help with it.. he basically came over and busted part of the concrete, then said I have to get a professional, and left! He left it with a big crack down the middle in two places.. the driveway is long, and the crack starts at the edge by the alley and extends toward the house only a couple feet. He cracked it like that in two places, and dug out some of the dirt that was under the driveway.. and of course, left it dumped by the trash cans. Needless to say, his calls aren't getting returned. I can't afford a new driveway, and I don't want to get in trouble with the city. Please.. will someone tell me an affordable way to fix either the driveway, or remove it? If so.. I don't mean to sound dumb, but.. what do I do with the leftover concrete chunks if I do have to remove it? Thanks in advance, Lucy

[raven]

Are you sure? That sounds improbable.

Are you sure it's the drivieway going up and not the alley going down?

Ugh. The thing to do, IMO, was to fill the alley with gravel to bring the height up to where you want it.

Need more info. But I'd forget about moving the driveway right now, replace the dirt that the fool took out and buy a load of gravel to bring the alley back to level. That's a short term solution: but the guy busted your slab, so you're likely going to have to have it preplaced sooner or later.

This is someting that you're better off having hired out: make sure that removal of the old concrete is part of the bid.

If you must DIY, then you can bust up the old concrete and use it as fill somewhere where you need that: possibly in the alley, or under the new slab.

John

[lucy]

My neighbors driveways aren't doing this.. it's all I can think of that would be pushing the dirt up under there.

[DS]

You don't have a nearby, large tree growing any place next to that rise do you? I did have tree roots push up the driveway before.

Dave

[Boden]

Sounds like you're a Texas resident. If so, thank the Texas legislators. They seem lo like to create problems like this to support concrete and foundation jacking contributors.

Boden

lucy wrote:

[Islander]

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 13:20:12 GMT, "lucy" wrote: even though you get that fix, you will still have the same problem since its a dirt alley and those heavy trucks couple with water will sure push thatside of the driveway up. quick fix would be like what raven wrote, but id make that about 6 inches deep of gravel and 4-6 of concrete leveled with the rest. thats a lot of work for a quick fix. the right way is smash all of that concrete that got raised, (so that when you fill it back with concrete it will be level with the rest of the driveway}, dig all of the dirt down to a foot, fill it with gravel bout 6 inches, pack it, then pour the concrete. but if the city has a dirt alley, you can probably call the city engineer and tell them whats gong on, they will probably give you more options.... just my 2cents good luck!

[mark Ransley]

Are you sure the alley dirt hasnt just washed away.