Repair the cause, not just the crack
Most calls we get about concrete start with the same sentence: "It's just a crack." Sometimes that's all it is. A hairline crack at a control joint, a little salt scaling by the garage door, a slab edge that chipped when a shovel hit it. Those are cheap fixes. But a crack can also be the first sign that the ground under a slab washed out, that a downspout has been dumping water at the edge for ten years, or that clay swelled and lifted one panel an inch above its neighbor.
That's why we don't start with a product. We start by looking at what the slab is doing. How wide is the crack, and does it open and close with the seasons? Is one side higher than the other? Is the surface flaking, and how deep? Which way does water run? When we sound the slab with a hammer, does it ring or sound hollow? What's under it?
The answers decide the repair. Narrow, stable cracks get routed and sealed. Sunken panels get lifted. Worn surfaces get resurfaced and sealed. And when a slab is cracked through, broken into pieces, or sitting on a base that has failed, we say so and give you a price to replace it. Repair prices start with $4 to $12 per linear ft for cracks, $4 to $8 per sq ft for leveling, $5 to $10 per sq ft for resurfacing, and $1.50 to $3 per sq ft for sealing. If you're weighing a fix against a new pour, read our repair vs replace guide. New work is covered in our residential concrete services.
Our concrete repair services
-
Concrete Crack Repair
Rout, clean, and seal cracks before water and frost widen them.
Starting at $4 per linear ft
See details and pricing -
Concrete Leveling and Mudjacking
Lift sunken slabs with mudjacking or foam jacking.
Starting at $4 per sq ft
See details and pricing -
Concrete Resurfacing
A new wear surface over scaled or pitted concrete.
Starting at $5 per sq ft
See details and pricing -
Concrete Sealing
Penetrating sealer that keeps water and deicing salt out.
Starting at $1.50 per sq ft
See details and pricing
Which repairs are urgent and which can wait?
Water, frost, and traffic make small problems bigger. Here's how we sort what needs attention this season from what can sit.
Call soon if you see
- A walkway or step with a raised edge that someone could trip on
- Cracks that are wider than a credit card or have gotten wider since last year
- A slab that has dropped and now sends water toward the house or garage
- Surface scaling that exposes rough stone and keeps getting worse each winter
- Voids under a slab that you can hear or feel when you tap it
Usually safe to watch
- Hairline cracks that have not changed for a year or more
- Light staining, tire marks, or oil spots
- Slight surface wear with no flaking or exposed stone
- A crack along a control joint, which is where the slab was meant to crack
Common concrete problems and how we fix them
The City of Aurora's concrete repair policy sorts sidewalk distress into a handful of categories: displacement, sunken slabs, cracks, spalled or scaled surfaces, and chipped edges. It's a helpful way to think about your own concrete too, and each one points to a different repair.
Cracked concrete
Cracks come in two types. Hairline shrinkage cracks show up in the first year as the concrete cures. They are mostly cosmetic. Wider cracks that keep moving, or cracks with one side higher than the other, signal a problem in the base. We rout the crack, clean it, and fill it with a flexible sealant. See our concrete crack repair page for how we decide between polyurethane and epoxy.
Sunken or settled slabs
A panel that has dropped usually sits on soil that washed out or compacted. We drill small holes, pump in slurry or foam, and lift the slab back to grade. It costs a fraction of replacing it. Our concrete leveling page explains the process, and the mudjacking vs foam jacking guide helps you pick a material.
Displaced joints and trip hazards
When one sidewalk panel sits higher than the next, the lip catches toes. The city rates displacement as low under 3/8 inch, moderate from 3/8 to 3/4 inch, and severe over 3/4 inch. Small lips can be ground flush, and bigger gaps are lifted or replaced. We cover this on our sidewalks and walkways page, where trip hazard repair runs $150 to $350 per spot.
Spalled and scaled surfaces
Scaling is when the top layer peels off and leaves rough, pitted stone. The city's concrete repair policy lists the usual causes: overworking the surface, adding water at placement, and poor cold-weather protection during curing. Deicing salt speeds it up. If the slab underneath is solid, concrete resurfacing gives you a new wear surface, and a penetrating sealer keeps salt out afterward.
Chipped edges and corners
Edges chip where tires ride the slab or where a mower deck clips it. Small chips can be patched with a bonded repair mortar. If the edge is crumbling back more than an inch or two, the concrete is usually weak and the patch won't hold.
When a slab is past saving: removal and replacement
Some concrete can't be repaired. If a driveway has cracked into pieces, if the surface is crumbling all the way down, or if the base has washed out so much that panels keep sinking after a lift, then more repair money goes into a slab with no future. We'll tell you when that's the case.
Removal is priced at $3 to $7 per sq ft. Here's what that includes:
- Saw cutting along the line where old meets new, so the edge stays clean
- Breaking out the slab and loading the pieces
- Hauling it off for disposal
- Checking what's under it and rebuilding the base with compacted road base
- Forming, adding rebar, and pouring new air-entrained concrete
The base step is what makes a replacement last. Replacing a slab without fixing the soil beneath it just starts the same failure over. For driveways, see driveway replacement, which bundles demo and the new pour into one price.
How we diagnose and repair concrete
-
Walk the slab and read the damage
We measure crack width, check for displacement with a straightedge, note how deep any scaling goes, and sound the slab with a hammer. Then we look at drainage: downspouts, grading, sprinklers.
-
Find out what is under the slab
We probe the edges and look for voids, washed-out soil, or fill that never got compacted. A good repair on a bad base only lasts until the next wet spring.
-
Choose repair or replace
You get both options priced, with an honest read on how long each will last. Sometimes the cheaper fix wins. Sometimes it doesn't.
-
Do the repair
Cracks are routed and sealed, sunken slabs are lifted, worn surfaces get an overlay. We fix the water problem too, so the damage doesn't come back.
What affects the price of concrete repair
Repair costs depend on the type of job. Cracks run $4 to $12 per linear ft, slab leveling $4 to $8 per sq ft, resurfacing $5 to $10 per sq ft, and sealing $1.50 to $3 per sq ft. Here's what moves a job within those ranges.
- Size and amount of damage
Repair is priced by the linear foot or square foot, so the total follows the amount of damage. Many jobs also have a minimum charge for mobilizing equipment.
- Site prep
Slabs that need cleaning, grinding, or clearing of planters and furniture take more time. Heavy oil stains or old coatings have to come off before anything new can bond.
- Removal of old concrete
If part of the slab has to come out, demo and haul-off run about $3 to $7 per sq ft. We cut a clean edge so the new section ties in neatly.
- Reinforcement and base repair
If the soil under a slab has failed, fixing it adds to the price, but it's the part that stops the problem from returning. Foam leveling for heavier or deeper lifts runs $7 to $15 per sq ft.
Concrete repair through Aurora’s seasons
Winter
Most repair materials need above-freezing temperatures to cure properly. Emergency trip hazards can be ground down in cold weather, but sealants, overlays, and sealers are better in spring or fall.
Spring
Spring is when winter damage shows up: new cracks, heaved panels, scaled spots. It's also when the schedule fills, so call early. Wait for the ground to dry out before leveling work.
Summer
Summer is good for overlays and crack repair, but heat and wind can make materials set too fast. We work early in the day and shade or mist surfaces when needed.
Fall
Fall is the sealing window. Repair cracks first, let them cure, then seal before the first deicers go down, so water and salt can't get into the slab through the winter.
Aurora soil, salt, HOAs, and permits
Expansive clay soil
Clay under Aurora slabs swells when wet and shrinks when dry. It lifts and drops panels, opens and closes cracks, and leaves voids. Any repair has to deal with that movement, or it just fails again.
Deicing salt
Deicers on the road ride home on your tires. They drive most of the scaling we see, especially on concrete without enough entrained air. A penetrating sealer slows it down.
HOA approval
Most HOAs are fine with like-for-like repairs, but changes to color, finish, or size of a visible slab may need approval first. Ask before you schedule.
Public sidewalk, curb, and driveway aprons
Under the city's concrete repair policy, the City of Aurora maintains the public sidewalk, curb, and gutter, while property owners maintain driveways, detached driveways, and driveway aprons. You can have the city repair damaged right-of-way concrete or hire a private contractor at your own expense. Private work in the right-of-way must meet city specs and needs a city permit, and work done without one can be removed and restored at the owner's or contractor's expense. The city's standard minimum replacement section is five feet. Confirm current rules with Aurora Public Works before work starts.
Concrete Repair FAQs
How much does concrete repair cost in Aurora?
It depends on the repair. Crack repair runs $4 to $12 per linear ft, leveling $4 to $8 per sq ft, resurfacing $5 to $10 per sq ft, and sealing $1.50 to $3 per sq ft. A crack job on a typical driveway (Cracks across a typical 2-car driveway (about 75 linear ft)) is usually $300 to $900.
Should I repair or replace my concrete?
Repair when the slab is solid and the damage is limited: narrow cracks, a few sunken panels, surface scaling. Replace when the slab is cracked into pieces or the base has failed. Our repair vs replace guide goes through it in detail.
Can sunken concrete be lifted instead of replaced?
Usually, yes. Mudjacking and foam jacking lift slabs back to grade for far less than a new pour. It only works if the slab itself is still in one piece.
Who fixes a cracked sidewalk in front of my house?
The City of Aurora maintains the public sidewalk, curb, and gutter. You can have the city handle damaged right-of-way concrete or hire a private contractor at your expense, with a city permit. Confirm current rules with Aurora Public Works.
How long do concrete repairs last?
It depends on the cause. A repair that fixes the underlying problem, such as drainage or a failed base, can last many years. A repair over an ongoing problem will fail again, which is why we diagnose first.