Property: Single‑family residence with a rear porch, adjacent exterior concrete slabs, and a deteriorated wood deck slated for removal.
Location: Sanford, FL (Seminole County), characterized by sandy backfills with localized lenses of fines and moisture variability typical of Central Florida.

Owner Objectives:  

1. Stabilize the porch structure to halt ongoing settlement.
2. Lift the porch and both slabs to restore function and grade relationships where feasible.
3. Leave the area ready for masonry repairs and future deck replacement.
4. Minimize downtime and keep the work zone confined and safe. 

Pre‑Work Conditions: The porch exhibited cracking at masonry interfaces and slab joints, with differential movement most pronounced near the exterior edge. Sounding and level checks revealed voiding and loss of support beneath portions of the slabs—consistent with soil washout, organics decay, or past backfill inconsistencies. The wood deck was rotted, which simplified access planning because boards did not need to be reinstalled after pier placement. 

Porch and slab systems frequently experience settlement at the yard interface, where shallow soils are most sensitive to moisture swings and surficial loads. Three constraints shaped the Sanford plan:

1. Structure + Soil Mechanisms: Stabilizing the structure and stabilizing the slab/soil requires different tools. Piers are the right tool for carrying vertical loads from the porch framing or footing to competent strata. Expanding polyurethane foam is the right tool for void fill and near‑surface densification beneath the slabs.
2. Lift Is Never Guaranteed: Elevation recovery depends on how the superstructure and soils respond as loads are transferred. The team set expectations clearly: stabilization first, then measured lift where behavior was uniform and safe.
3. Occupied‑Home Logistics: Access must be clean and efficient. With the deck due for disposal, removal created the necessary window for pier installation without additional rework, while keeping the work footprint tight and housekeeping first‑rate.

Two‑Part Polyurethane: Soil Injections & Slab Injections 

To address voids and loss of contact under the concrete, Helicon employed two‑part structural polyurethane in two modes: 

• Soil injections (matrix tightening): 140 lbs across 7 points, targeting low‑resistance zones in the shallow influence layer beneath the slab and at the porch perimeter. The expanding foam seeks voids and re‑couples grains, improving stiffness without adding heavy mass.
• Slab injections (contact & lift): 145 lbs delivered at interface ports to fill voids, restore slab‑to‑soil contact, and enable fine‑tuned elevation gains at edges and transitions. 

Why Two‑Part Polyurethane:  

• Lightweight vs. cementitious fills—reduces risk of adding new settlement drivers.
• Rapid cure—rooms and exterior zones return to service quickly.
• Moisture-tolerant & inert after cure—suited to Central Florida’s climate. 

Helical Piers (Deep Support & Lift Platform) 

Helicon installed six (6) helical piers to provide a deep, verifiable bearing system and a platform for controlled lift. Helical piers are torque‑driven steel elements with helical plates that engage competent soil at depth. Installation torque correlates with capacity, providing quantified QA/QC during placement. Once design torque is achieved, brackets connect the porch’s load path to the pier shafts so that loads bypass weak near‑surface soils. 

Why Helical Piers Here:  

• Immediate capacity verification via torque correlation.
• Minimal excavation and tight access—ideal for residential porches.
• A repeatable lift platform for uniform elevation recovery during the simultaneous lift event. 

Simultaneous Lift 

With piers locked to design torque and polyurethane established beneath slabs, crews executed a simultaneous lift—a coordinated elevation recovery that shares movement across the porch footprint to minimize stress concentrations. Technicians monitored crack gauges, door swings, and slab transitions to keep lifts within safe tolerances and avoid over‑correction.

Results & Benefits 

• Structural Stability Restored: The porch’s load path now bears on helical piers seated in competent soils—decoupling the structure from seasonal shallow‑soil variability.
• Void Closure & Slab Support: Two‑part polyurethane filled voids and re‑coupled the soil matrix, restoring contact beneath the slabs and reducing the chance of new trip edges.
• Successful Lift: While never guaranteed, the Sanford porch achieved a controlled elevation recovery via the simultaneous lift—improving alignment and reducing crack expression at joints.
• Fast, Low‑Disruption Delivery: Tight work zones, compact equipment, and rapid‑cure materials minimized downtime for the homeowner and kept the site tidy.
• Ready for Finishes: The structure is now prepared for masonry repair and future deck construction without chasing active movement. 

Why This Combination Works (Seminole County Conditions) 

Central Florida’s sandy backfills and variable moisture profiles often produce localized settlement at porches and exterior slabs. Helical piers give the structure a permanent, verifiable deep bearing path, while polyurethane injections address the near‑surface behavior—closing voids and re‑supporting concrete lifting without heavy slurry. Together, they form a systems‑level repair that tackles both the cause (weak soils) and the symptom (dropped slab/elevation loss). 

Homeowner FAQs 

• Can you guarantee the lift?
  • No. We guarantee a best‑practice stabilization and a carefully managed lift attempt only if the structure and soils respond safely. In Sanford, conditions supported a successful lift via the simultaneous method. 
• How long do the repairs last?
  • Helical piers provide long‑term support when installed to design torque and protected per manufacturer guidance. Polyurethane is inert after cure and resists moisture; performance longevity depends on drainage and loading. 
• Will I see the injection ports?
  • Ports are small and are patched flush at completion. Any cosmetic masonry work should follow stabilization so that finishes aren’t applied to a moving substrate. 
• Do I need to replace the wood deck?
  • Yes—the original deck was rotted and removed. Rebuild the deck on the stabilized porch and follow spacing/fastener best practices; avoid trapping water against masonry. 

Helicon is Florida’s trusted partner for foundation repair, soil stabilization, concrete lifting, and sinkhole remediation. We serve homeowners across Seminole County and the Greater Orlando area, delivering engineered, minimally disruptive solutions that protect your property for the long term. 

Seeing cracks, sinking concrete, or a sagging porch in Sanford, Lake Mary, or Altamonte Springs? Helicon’s engineer‑guided teams combine helical piers and polyurethane injections to stabilize, lift, and protect your home—without major demolition. Call 844‑HELICON or fill out the form today to schedule a free inspection and get a tailored plan for your property.