Mr. Level is saving homeowners thousands, and helping them to avoid concrete replacement

By Mimi Vanderhaven

Joe Work, the founder of Ohio’s Mr. Level, is used to his customers getting emotional about the work he does. He’s seen them cry with happiness, squeal with delight, and literally jump for joy in the front yard.

All over concrete leveling.

“When someone gets a quote for $10,000-15,000 to replace a driveway, or they’re told they have to demolish their kitchen to level the floor, it can be extremely stressful,” Joe says. “Then when we show up and fix the problem for a fraction of the cost and no hassle, they experience an immediate sense of relief. It can be overwhelming.”

For 18 years, Joe owned his own landscaping business until he started Mr. Level four years ago.

“Frankly, no one ever cried with joy when we’d mow their grass or edge their flower beds,” he smiles. “I knew I wanted to do something else, to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

That opportunity came when Joe explored the idea of becoming a “mudjacker,” someone who levels concrete by injecting a mud-based mix underneath it.

“I spent a year searching for the right materials for mudjacking and didn’t like what I found,” he recalls.

“The industry standard is to mix mud, sand, portland mix and limestone then throw it against the wall. If it sticks, then it’s ready to be injected under the concrete. Not only is that a highly unscientific method, it’s temporary. You can’t offer a decent warranty.”

Instead, Joe continued his studies and discovered polyurethane foam leveling, becoming one of the first contractors to bring the leading-edge technology to Ohio.

What is Foam Leveling?
Foam leveling refers to polyurethane, and involves an A-B system in which two different substances are injected under your concrete where a reaction takes place. This reaction creates a high-pressure foam that gently lifts your concrete before hardening and becoming permanent, replacing the soil that has failed you. Instead of supporting the concrete on mud pillars that can erode, polyurethane fills the entire void.

“This meant that instead of offering a two- to five-year warranty, I could offer a lifetime warranty,” Joe says. “That’s what I wanted for my customers. I was all in.”

In just four years, Mr. Level has grown 16-fold and has become the largest purchaser of polyurethane foam in Ohio, and the second largest in the entire northeastern United States.

“The growth has been phenomenal because poly is a far superior product,” Joe says. “Not only is it a permanent solution, it looks much better, too. That’s because we drill dime-sized holes in your concrete whereas mudjacking requires golf ball-sized holes.”

And due to Joe’s attention to detail, his crews use the concrete dust from drilling his dime-sized holes to create a closer matching color mix to patch the holes. “Everyone on my team knows that I’m a stickler for patching these holes,” he smiles.

Who Needs Concrete Leveling?
One of the biggest dangers of unlevel concrete is that it creates a tripping hazard.

“Whether you’re a homeowner, a business or a government, you shouldn’t have tripping hazards on your property,” Joe explains. “Not only is it dangerous, it opens you up to liability. Typically, it’s an easy and inexpensive fix, especially using our foam system.”

Homeowners engage Mr. Level to level driveways, garage floors and the concrete slabs of homes.

“One sure sign of a problem is hearing a thudding under your concrete when you bounce a basketball,” Joe informs. “That means there is a void underneath and big problem is on its way. Once the void cracks, you can’t go back.” Joe and Mr. Level also replace small sections of concrete and caulk seams.

For businesses and municipalities, Joe works on street slabs, street gutters, break walls, voids, stabilization issues, city sidewalks, and even airport runways.

“A lot of our clients are structural engineers,” Joe says. “We work with HOAs, construction companies, the Army Corps of Engineers, and ODOT.”

Getting Started
For a free, no-obligation quote, you may call Mr. Level at 440-554-6874. You can also complete a free estimate form at MrLevel.com. The staff will get back to you the next business day to schedule a no-contact, onsite estimate. And unlike some concrete leveling companies that hold you captive on your front porch with a high-pressure sales pitch, Joe’s estimators don’t work on commission and are in and out in only 15 minutes.

“We’re not annoying and we don’t want to eat dinner with you,” Joe laughs.

And because Joe insists on transparency, most estimates come with a video of what the estimator saw and what the techs have to do to fix it.

Joe Work grew up in Fairview Park and graduated from Fairview High School in 2002. He started his landscaping business while still in high school, but sold it to launch Mr. Level.

“I enjoyed landscaping, but it didn’t fulfill me the way this does,” Joe says. “Mr. Level has reclaimed me as a person. I’m excited and I feel satisfied at the end of every day.”

Headquartered in North Ridgeville, at 36954 Sugar Ridge Road, Mr. Level operates all over Ohio—from Columbus to Lake Erie—for residential, commercial and municipal customers. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, NARI, NCBIA and HBA and is seen on Fox 8, Ch. 3 and Ch. 5. Call 440-554-6874 or visit MrLevel.com for more information.