Concrete driveway repair and replacement
A garage apron that dropped, a crack that keeps growing or a driveway that's flaking apart. Get an honest call on repair versus replacement.
Driveways take more abuse than any other concrete around a house: vehicle weight, snow shovels and plows, deicing salt and a winter's worth of freezing and thawing. Most driveway problems fall into a few categories, and each has a different fix.
What's the right fix for my driveway?
| Problem | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| A slab or garage apron has sunk | Leveling (mudjacking or foam) |
| Hairline or small cracks | Clean and seal with a flexible sealant |
| Wide or shifting cracks | Seal, and level slabs that have moved |
| Surface flaking or scaling | Resurfacing on a sound base, or replacement if widespread |
| Broken into many pieces, crumbling or heaved by roots | Remove and replace the affected sections |
Why do garage aprons sink?
The apron is the slab right in front of the garage door. It often sits over soil that was dug out and backfilled when the foundation was built. That fill can keep settling for years, so the apron drops and leaves a lip at the garage floor. Leveling is usually the fix. Sealing the joint at the garage afterward keeps water from getting underneath.
Why is my driveway flaking?
Surface scaling usually comes from freeze-thaw damage at the top of the slab, often made worse by deicing chemicals and, on newer concrete, by finishing problems or concrete without enough air entrainment for the climate. Once scaling is widespread, resurfacing or replacement may be the only fix. On any driveway, shoveling promptly, using deicers sparingly and keeping water from pooling helps.
What should a driveway replacement include?
- Removal of the old concrete and any soft or organic soil
- A compacted granular base
- Concrete thick enough for vehicles, with air entrainment for freeze-thaw resistance
- Control joints cut at proper spacing so cracks form in straight lines
- Slope that drains water away from the garage and house
- Curing and a written plan for when you can walk and drive on it
Ask your contractor to put the thickness, base, reinforcement (if any) and joint spacing in the written estimate. Work on the driveway approach in the public right-of-way may require a city permit, so ask who pulls it.
What affects the cost of driveway work?
- Repair type. Leveling and sealing cost far less than replacement.
- Square footage and thickness.
- Removal and haul-away of old concrete.
- Finish. Stamped or colored concrete costs more than a broom finish.
- Permits for the approach or sidewalk crossing.
Prices come from the concrete company after they've seen the slab and figured out why it moved. We don't quote prices ourselves, and a phone estimate is only a starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Should I seal my concrete driveway?
A penetrating sealer can help resist water and salt. Ask your contractor which product and how often for Sioux Falls winters.
Can a cracked driveway be leveled?
Often, if the pieces are large and solid. Badly broken sections usually need replacing.
Related services
- Concrete leveling (mudjacking and foam)
- Sidewalk repair
- Steps, stoops and patios
- Crack and joint sealing
More background: Sioux Falls concrete repair guide.
Sunken slab or a trip hazard by the door?
Call now and a local concrete company will come look and quote the fix.