Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks

What the work involves

A concrete driveway is a reinforced slab designed for repeated vehicle loading, poured at a thickness and with jointing suited to that use. Sidewalks and walkways are thinner, but they still need a stable base and deliberate slope, because a walk that holds water becomes an ice sheet every winter.

Most of the projects we take on are replacements: an old driveway that has cracked apart, settled at the apron, or heaved at the joints, or a public-facing sidewalk section that has become a liability.

Common residential and commercial uses

• Full driveway replacement, including breakout and haul-away of the old surface
• Driveway widening, parking pads, and turnaround areas
• Apron and curb-cut sections that tie the driveway to the street
• Front walkways from the driveway or street to the entry
• Sidewalk panel replacement at homes and commercial frontages
• Service walks, trash pads, and side-yard paths

Site preparation and base rebuild

Old concrete is broken out and removed rather than poured over. We then grade the subgrade, correct soft spots, and place and compact a stone base — this is what carries the load and keeps the slab from settling under vehicles.

Edges are formed to a clean line, and reinforcement is placed appropriate to the traffic the surface will see.

Installation and jointing

• Excavation, subgrade correction, and compacted stone base
• Forming to the finished line and elevation, with slope confirmed before the pour
• Reinforcement sized for vehicle traffic on driveways
• Placement, screeding, floating, and a broom finish for traction
• Control joints cut on a planned grid so the slab cracks inside a joint, not across the surface

Drainage and grading

Driveways are pitched away from the garage slab and the house. Where the grade works against you, we address it in the layout rather than hoping runoff finds its way out.

Sidewalks are set with cross-slope so water leaves the walking surface, and panel-to-panel transitions are kept flush so there is nothing to catch a toe or a stroller wheel.

Timeline factors

Demolition volume, square footage, site access for trucks and equipment, and weather drive the schedule. You should also plan on staying off the new driveway with vehicles for a period after the pour while the concrete gains strength — we give you a specific window for your job.

Maintenance and causes of premature failure

• Keep de-icing salts off newer concrete; they are the leading cause of surface scaling here
• Clear joints of debris and keep water from ponding along the edges
• Have the surface rinsed and oil stains cleaned before they soak in
• Early failure is usually a base that was never rebuilt, joints spaced too far apart or cut too late, a slab poured too thin for vehicles, or water undermining an unsupported edge

Why our process matters

Pouring over a failing base is faster and cheaper, and it is why so many driveways look bad again in a few seasons. We quote the base work honestly and do it, because that is the part of the job you never see and the part that decides how long the driveway lasts.

Questions worth asking before you hire

• Are you removing the old concrete or pouring over it?
• What thickness and reinforcement are you using for vehicle traffic?
• How is the stone base compacted, and to what depth?
• What is the control-joint spacing, and when will joints be cut?
• How long before I can park on it?
• Does the price include haul-away and restoring the disturbed edges?

We answer all of these during the on-site visit. Read more about our family-owned crew or request a free concrete estimate.