Self-Leveling Concrete & Overlays in DeSoto TX - a flat floor ready for new flooring
Dips, humps and uneven spots under your old floor get poured flat, so your new tile, vinyl or coating goes down on a level surface.
Does your floor need self-leveling before new flooring goes in?
Self-leveling concrete and overlays in DeSoto, TX are poured cement or gypsum layers that go between your subfloor and the finished floor, so new tile, vinyl, wood or a coating goes down flat and bonds well. A leveler smooths out dips and humps, but it isn't structural, so the floor underneath still has to be sound.
Most of the floors I'm called to level have dips or ridges that show up once the old carpet or tile comes up, or a slab that has to be flat before new flooring or a coating can go on. The price moves with the room's size, how far out of level it is, whether there's wood or concrete underneath and how much old flooring or glue has to come off first, which we handle as concrete floor stripping and removal. The schedule turns mostly on how long the slab and the leveler need to dry, and your written estimate names each step so you can see where the price comes from. If your job needs a permit, we pull it ourselves.
How do you know your floor needs leveling first?
Uneven floors usually show themselves through the flooring on top or once that flooring comes up. These are the signs homeowners and business owners most often mention when they call us.
Tile cracks or grout lines split in one spot, which usually means the floor underneath dips there.
A marble or ball rolls to one side of the room, a sign the floor is out of level.
Vinyl plank or laminate flexes, clicks or separates at the seams because it's resting on low spots.
Old carpet comes up and the slab shows ridges, patches and trowel marks that thin flooring would show through.
Doors scrape the floor or furniture rocks on its legs, which often points to a high or low area.
A crack in the slab keeps widening or one side sits higher, so the slab may still be moving.
Please call before your new flooring is ordered, so we can check the slab and plan the leveling before the installer is booked.
What happens when you call us to level a floor in DeSoto?
I handle the visit and the estimate myself, and our own crew does the work. Here is how a leveling job usually runs from your first call to the final walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (972) 450-9481 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come see the floor. Please mention the room, the flooring on it now and any cracks you've seen, so I know what to look for.
I measure and check the floor
I measure the room, see how far out of level it is, check whether the subfloor is wood or concrete and look at whether any cracks are still moving. I'll also ask how the space gets used, because that shapes what goes on top.
Review your written estimate
Your estimate comes in writing and names each step, from removing old flooring to preparing the slab and pouring, so you can see exactly what the price covers. Once you're comfortable with it, we settle on a time that works for you.
Our crew levels and cleans up
Our own small crew prepares the concrete, pours the leveler and cleans up, with me on site running the work, and I walk the finished floor with you. In or next to a residential area, DeSoto allows this kind of work from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays, 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Sundays without heavy equipment, so we plan our days around those hours.
Get a written estimate for leveling your floor
Please send the room's size in square feet, what's under it, the flooring on it now and any cracks you've seen. We reply within one business day to set up a free estimate at your property, with no obligation.
- Call
- (972) 450-9481
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Leveling products depend on what's under your floor
Most of this job is preparation you won't see afterward. On concrete, we grind or clean the slab so the leveler can grab it, fill or treat the cracks, prime the surface and then pour, spreading the material so it finds its own level, which is the same groundwork as our concrete grinding and surface preparation. I'd rather choose the product after seeing your floor than guess from a photo.
Cracks are what I watch most closely, because about half the mapped land in Dallas County is clay that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, which can lift and drop a slab unevenly until it cracks. One leveler maker warns that a moving crack can carry up through the new layer into the floor on top. So we check your cracks before we pour, since a leveler makes a flat surface but won't stop a slab that shifts.
One maker states its self-leveling underlayments are for interior use only, so for a patio or pool area we'd talk with you about pool deck coatings and resurfacing instead. Old glue needs care too, because removing adhesive residue by grinding or scraping can be hazardous, since it may contain asbestos, so please ask how we'll handle yours. We're licensed and insured, and we'll go over that plan with you before we start.
Self-leveling questions we hear in DeSoto
Will a self-leveler work over a wood subfloor?
A self-leveler can go over wood, but it has to be a product made to resist the cracking that comes from the wood's movement. Cement underlayments bond very well to concrete when the floor is prepared properly, so the subfloor in your room decides which product fits and how much prep comes first. I check which one you have at the estimate and choose from there.
How long does it take before new flooring can go over self-leveling concrete?
New flooring or a coating goes down only once the moisture in the slab has dropped to acceptable levels, so drying sets the wait more than the pour does. Cement levelers made with calcium aluminate, an ingredient that builds strength fast, gain strength quickly and dry on their own, which shortens that wait significantly and suits a tight schedule. Please tell us your flooring date and we'll plan the product around it.
How much does it cost to level a concrete floor with self-leveling compound in DeSoto?
Across the US, leveling a concrete floor with self-leveling compound usually costs about $4.50 to $7 per square foot installed. That's the general market range, not our price, and your floor's cost moves with its size, how far out of level it is and how much prep it needs. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own floor.
Does DeSoto require a permit or a registered contractor for floor leveling?
The City of DeSoto requires every contractor to register with the city each year, and it requires a permit when an owner or agent plans to construct, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or change what it's used for. When I'm not sure whether a leveling job needs one, I check with the city's Building Inspections Department before I quote. We're licensed and insured.
Is self-leveling concrete strong enough under heavy furniture or equipment?
Cement underlayments can reach a high, concrete-like strength, so they resist being crushed under weight much the way concrete does. They still aren't structural, as noted above, so the slab underneath has to be sound. I'll ask what sits on the floor when I visit.
How do I get my room ready before a self-leveler is poured?
Clearing the room of furniture is usually all you need to do, because our crew handles the slab prep itself. If old flooring has to come up first, we can take care of that as part of the job, and your estimate lists it as its own step. Please hold off on booking the flooring installer until we've settled the schedule together.
Related concrete services for your project
Pool Deck Coatings & Resurfacing
If the concrete that needs work is outside around your pool, this covers worn, rough or faded deck surfaces, which an indoor leveler isn't made for.
Concrete Floor Stripping & Removal
When carpet glue, old tile or a worn coating is still stuck to the slab, it has to come off before a leveler can bond to it.
Have your floor checked before ordering flooring
Please call (972) 450-9481, seven days a week, or send the form, so we can look at your slab before you set a date with your flooring installer.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM