A driveway with old scaled concrete panels beside newly poured broom-finished panels

Repair or replace

Repair or Replace Concrete: What the Damage Tells You

A slab that is mostly sound gets repaired, lifted or resurfaced. One that has failed across most of it gets torn out and poured new. Here is how to tell which one you have.

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damaged concrete driveway slab beside a sound section

The short answer

Repair or replace concrete

You should repair a slab that is mostly sound, and replace one where the failure has spread across it.

What decides it is how much of the slab is still doing its job. On the estimate visit we check whether it sits level, whether the panels are whole, and we sound it for hollow spots, the "delamination" you cannot see from above, before we quote anything. Judging damaged concrete before choosing a repair is the work the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) writes its guidelines on.

The slab is mostly sound: Repair, lift or resurface it
The failure is widespread: Tear it out and pour new

Repair it

Signs a repair will do

Hairline cracks on a level slab and small offsets between sound panels are repaired, not replaced.

Signs a repair will do the job:

Hairline cracks on a level slab. A thin crack in concrete that is still level and sound needs "crack sealing", not a new pour.
A small lip between panels. A small offset between two sound panels can be ground down to a bevel instead of replaced.
Flaking on top of a solid slab. "Scaling", the flaking and pitting de-icing salt leaves on the surface, can take a new top layer once we confirm the slab under it is sound.
A panel that sank in one piece. A settled slab that is still whole can be raised back to level, "slabjacking" in the trade, instead of torn out.

Replace it

Signs it is time to replace

A slab is replaced when repairs cover too much of it, or when it is broken beyond repair.

Signs a new pour is due:

Damage across most of the slab. When patches would cover too much of it, replacement becomes the cheaper option.
Broken into pieces. A driveway that has cracked through and broken apart is beyond repair, and replacement is the fix.
A repair that costs more than new. Some damage costs more to fix than to tear out and repour, and we tell you when yours does.
A base that has given way. When the gravel "base course" under a broken slab has washed out, a new pour lets us rebuild the base before the concrete goes back.

Not sure which list your slab is on? We come out and look.

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Sunken slabs

Lifting instead of replacing

Lifting a settled slab often costs about half as much as replacing it, with less damage to the lawn and beds and less time off the slab.

Ask about this first

Lift the slab

"Slabjacking": material pumped under the slab through small drilled holes raises it back to level.

Cost: Can run about half the price of a new slab
What sets the price: The size of the empty space under the slab, not its square footage
Your yard: Less damage to the lawn and beds
Downtime: Less time off the slab
It fits when: The slab is whole and has sunk

Replace the slab

Tear-out: the old concrete is broken up and hauled away, the base is reworked and a new slab is poured.

Cost: The tear-out plus a full new pour
What sets the price: The volume of old concrete removed, then the base, thickness and finish of the new slab
Your yard: More digging at the edges
Downtime: The new slab has to cure before you use it
It fits when: The slab is broken up or failing across most of it

Foam lifting, "polyjacking", costs more per job than mudjacking, but it cures in minutes and adds almost no weight to the ground under the slab. We tell you which one suits your slab on the visit.

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Before you decide

What Our Neighbors Say

Our Google reviews, as written by the people who left them.

Sophisticated Concrete did a fantastic job on my driveway! The team was on time and professional, completing the project exactly as promised. The quality of their work was impeccable, and they offered great prices too. I am extremely satisfied with the outcome and would highly recommend them to anyone in need of concrete services. Great work Mike I will definitely be recommended you with all friends and family’s !!

Yosi ZaragozaGoogle review

I recently had the pleasure of working with Sophisticated Concrete for my driveway and side walks, and I couldn't be happier with the results. They did an amazing job, exceeding all my expectations. The team was incredibly punctual, arriving right on time and completing everything perfectly. Not only was the workmanship top-notch, but their prices were also very reasonable. I highly recommend Sophisticated Concrete for anyone looking for high-quality concrete work. Thank you so much Mike it was a pleasure.

luke martinezGoogle review

Great work, very detailed and great price. I would recommend to anyone looking to get concrete work done!!! Great company overall.

Tyler ColonGoogle review

Not Sure Which Way Your Slab Goes?

Call and tell us what the concrete is doing. We come out, check how much of it is still sound, and quote the repair or the replacement in full before any work starts.

Call for an Estimate (262) 583-6057

We quote the whole job before we start, with no surprise charges after.

Repair or Replace Concrete: What the Damage Tells You

Repair or replace concrete

Signs a repair will do

Signs it is time to replace

Lifting instead of replacing

More questions before deciding

The soil under the slab

Repair and leveling work

Renewing a worn surface

What Our Neighbors Say

Not Sure Which Way Your Slab Goes?