Concrete Repair

Considerably less than replacing the whole surface, because the work is confined to the section that has failed. The area being cut out is the largest factor, followed by site access, the depth the new concrete has to be poured to, and whether the cause of the failure is a compaction problem or something that has to be dug out, such as a root.

We are not able to price repair work from a photograph, as the condition of the ground beneath the slab determines the extent of the work and is not visible in an image. The assessment visit is free and concludes with a written estimate.

The answer is usually how much of the slab is affected. Where one or two panels have cracked, settled or broken up and the remainder is sound and sitting level, those sections are cut out and replaced and the rest of the surface stays where it is.

Where cracking runs in several directions across the whole slab, or sections move under load across most of its area, the slab has reached the end of its service life and repairing part of it is money spent on a surface that will continue to fail elsewhere. We state which applies at the estimate.

No. Concrete leveling raises a settled slab by pumping material into the void beneath it, and we do not carry out that work. Where a section has settled, we remove it, correct and compact the ground that allowed it to settle, and pour a new section in its place.

The reason is what caused the settlement. A slab drops because the ground under it moved or washed out, and filling the resulting void leaves the original concrete, with whatever cracking it has already taken, sitting on top of a repair. Rebuilding the base and pouring new concrete addresses the cause and the surface together.

Yes, and on a jointed driveway or walkway it is the standard approach. The panel is saw cut out at the existing joints, which gives the repair a straight edge on a line that was already there, and the new concrete is jointed to match the pattern of the rest of the slab.

New concrete will not match weathered concrete in color at first. It cures lighter and darkens over the following months, and on an older slab some difference in tone generally remains. Where appearance across the whole surface matters more than cost, replacing the full area is the option that delivers it, and we will say so.

Cracking is generally a jointing issue. Concrete shrinks as it cures, and where control joints were cut too shallow, too late or spaced too far apart, the slab cracks at random instead of along a planned line. Sinking is a base issue: soil that was not adequately compacted, or water washing fines out from beneath the slab.

Surface flaking and pitting, described as scaling or spalling, is a finishing or water issue. Excess water worked into the surface during finishing leaves a weakened top layer that separates over time. Each has a different cause, and establishing which is present is what determines how far the section being replaced has to extend.