A sunken or broken public sidewalk along the street? Check with the City of Murfreesboro first: the City may be responsible for repairing a sidewalk in the public right-of-way (the City's land beside the street). If the concrete is on your own property, this page is for you.
Common concrete problems in Murfreesboro
- A panel sunk at the garage or the street, leaving a lip.
- Walkways that tip toward the house and send rain to the foundation.
- Cracks opening up and letting water and weeds in.
- Flaking or scaling where the top layer comes away, often after de-icers or freezing water.
Leveling a sunken concrete slab
| Method | What happens | Typical cost per square foot |
|---|---|---|
| Mudjacking | A cement mix is pushed in under the slab through holes drilled in it. Heavier, and usually the cheaper option. | $4–$9 (HomeGuide) |
| Foam (polyjacking) | Expanding polyurethane injected through smaller holes. Light and quick to set. | $8–$25 (HomeGuide) |
The drilled holes are filled afterward. First find out why the ground under it moved, or the slab will sink again.
Why slabs settle on Murfreesboro ground
- Karst. The City of Murfreesboro describes "a system of moving water, caves, and other karst features" under the city. Water moving through limestone can carry soil with it.
- Sinkholes. A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study identified flooding in 78 sinkholes across three Murfreesboro study areas, and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) warns that building in sinkholes can plug their outlets. If a slab keeps dropping in one spot, have the cause checked before it's lifted.
- Shallow rock, uneven fill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Barfield soils, first described in Rutherford County, have limestone 8 to 20 inches down. Fill placed over uneven rock can settle unevenly.
- Water at the edges. Downspouts and gaps at the slab edge are the most common cause. Fix them along with the slab.
Repair or replace concrete?
Lift and seal when the slab is still in one piece and the surface is sound. Replace when it's broken into pieces, crumbling across the surface, or sunk so far it would crack being lifted; see driveway replacement.
Sources
- HomeGuide, Mudjacking Cost (November 5, 2025); Fixr, Concrete Leveling Cost (January 31, 2025)
- City of Murfreesboro, Central Basin (checked October 27, 2026)
- U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5281 (2006); MTSU Center for Cedar Glade Studies, Karst (checked October 27, 2026)
- USDA NRCS, Barfield series (checked October 27, 2026)
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, CIP 2, Scaling Concrete Surfaces (checked October 27, 2026)