Concrete Repair & Replacement in Winston-Salem, NC
Repair costs a fraction of replacement, and when the base is still sound it is usually what we'll recommend. The question is almost never the crack you can see. It is whether what is underneath has moved, and that is the first thing we check.
Breaking out and hauling off an old slab is a real line item on its own, before any new concrete is ordered, and on a full driveway replacement it typically adds 15 to 25 percent to the job. That is why an honest read on repair-versus-replace is worth getting before you commit either way.
What Moves the Price of Concrete Repair & Replacement in Winston-Salem, NC
What changes
Effect on your price
Repair method
Sealing a crack, patching a spall, resurfacing a whole slab and replacing a section are four different jobs at four different prices. The right one depends on the base, not on the crack.
Whether the base has failed
This decides everything. Sound base means repair is the right spend. Failed base means a repair will crack again in the same place and replacement is the honest answer.
Resurfacing instead of replacing
Where the slab is structurally sound, resurfacing over it costs meaningfully less than a tear-out and skips removal entirely.
Tear-out of the existing surface
Adds roughly 15 to 25 percent, depending on slab thickness and how easily a machine can reach it.
How many separate areas
Several small repairs in different spots cost more than one continuous area of the same total size.
Cause correction
If water or a tree root caused it, fixing the cause is priced on top. Skipping it means paying for the repair twice.
Concrete truck access
Tight lots, long wheelbarrow runs and pump trucks all add labour to the exact same square footage.
Every job is priced on site. We measure, check the base and the grade, and put a written price in your hand before any concrete is ordered.
What's Included
Assessment of whether the base is sound or has failed
Crack repair and joint sealing before water gets underneath
Surface resurfacing where the slab is structurally fine
Sectional replacement, cut to the joint rather than the whole slab
Full removal and replacement where the base has gone
Spalling and surface-scaling repair
When to Call
Cracks have widened past hairline or weeds are growing through
The surface is flaking, pitting, or scaling off
A section has sunk and now holds water
Slabs are moving independently or lipping at the joints
Common Questions
Is it cheaper to repair or replace concrete?⌄
Repair, when the base is still solid. Crack repair and resurfacing cost a fraction of replacement. If slabs are moving independently or the base has washed out, repairs will not hold and replacement is cheaper over five years.
How do I know if the base has failed?⌄
Slabs that rock or move under weight, sections that have dropped relative to their neighbours, and cracks that keep reopening after repair all point to the problem being underneath rather than on the surface.
Can a new pour be matched to the old concrete?⌄
Not exactly. New concrete cures lighter and takes months to weather in, so a patch or a replaced section stays visible for a while. Replacing to a control joint rather than mid-slab makes the transition look deliberate.
