New pours and full replacements

Concrete Driveways in Fargo, ND

A driveway built for frost, road salt and heavy clay, with the thickness and base on your written quote.

Free on-site estimates with a base and drainage check
Itemized written quote before any work begins
Air-entrained mixes and planned control joints on every exterior pour

A Driveway That Survives a Fargo Winter

Concrete driveways in Fargo carry more punishment than any other slab around the house. From November into April, tires bring brine in off sanded and salted streets. Shovels and snowblower blades scrape the surface, afternoon melt refreezes overnight, and underneath, Red River Valley clay keeps swelling and shrinking with the seasons. Whether a driveway lasts here comes down mostly to parts you never see once it is poured: base, depth, steel and mix.

When replacement makes sense

Sections have dropped or tilted toward the house or garage, sending water the wrong way.
Cracks are opening past a quarter inch, or are multiplying and breaking the slab into chunks.
Large areas of the surface are flaking or pitted, not just a patch by the door.
A ridge has formed at the garage door or where the drive crosses the public sidewalk.
The drive is a narrow single lane and the household now has two or three vehicles.

Around the older parts of Fargo, plenty of driveways and alley aprons date to when the house was built. On newer lots, a driveway can sink where it crosses the backfilled trench around the foundation. Either one is a common reason to start over.

Our driveway build, step by step

First the old slab is broken out and the soft or organic soil below it is excavated. Crushed gravel goes in and is compacted, so the new concrete never bears directly on clay. Forms are set to a grade that carries water to the street. Rebar sits on chairs so it stays at mid-depth, and dowels tie into the garage floor or the city approach when the plan calls for it. We place an air-entrained exterior mix at four inches minimum and go deeper where heavy vehicles park; HomeGuide's driveway guide cites five to six inches for RVs and heavy traffic, with thickened edges.

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Joints are sawn or tooled on a planned layout so shrinkage cracks land in them. A broom texture gives tires and boots something to grip in winter. The slab is cured properly, and once it is ready we recommend a penetrating sealer.

Where the City's rules apply

The strip between the curb and the public sidewalk, called the approach, lies in the City right of way. Fargo limits residential driveways to 9 to 30 feet wide at the sidewalk line, up to 36 feet with the City Engineer's approval, and never more than half the lot width. The City also requires sidewalk and approach work in the right of way to be done by a contractor licensed with the City as a Sidewalk Contractor. We check both rules for your lot before quoting and list any right-of-way work as its own line, so you can see which part falls under the City's licensing rule.

What a Driveway Job Includes

A driveway quote from us covers everything from breaking out the old slab to the sealer going on.

Tear-out and haul-away

We break up the old concrete or asphalt, haul it away and excavate the soft soil beneath it.

Compacted gravel base

Crushed aggregate placed and compacted so the slab does not rest directly on clay.

Rebar and dowels

Rebar grid supported on chairs, plus dowels into the garage slab where tying the two together helps.

Air-entrained pour and broom finish

A freeze-thaw resistant exterior mix with a broom texture that grips in snow and ice.

Control joints and drainage

Joint layout decided before pour day, and grade set so melt runs away from the house and garage.

Widening and parking pads

Extra width or a parking pad on your lot, sized so the approach still fits the City's width limits.

Typical Concrete Driveway Costs

Item	Published range
Plain to basic finish, per sq ft	$6 to $15
One-car, 12 x 24 ft (288 sq ft)	$1,700 to $4,300
Two-car, 20 x 20 ft (400 sq ft)	$2,400 to $6,000
Two-car, 24 x 24 ft (576 sq ft)	$3,500 to $8,600
Three-car, 24 x 36 ft (864 sq ft)	$5,200 to $13,000
Old driveway removal, per sq ft	$2 to $6
Rebar, per sq ft	$1 to $3

National ranges from HomeGuide's concrete driveway cost guide. Fargo prices can differ: base depth on clay, slab thickness, access and the finish all change the total. Your written estimate is the price.

How It Works

1. Measure and check drainage

We take measurements, note where water flows on the lot, and look up the City's approach and sidewalk rules.

2. Remove and prepare

The old slab is removed, soft soil excavated, and gravel spread and compacted.

3. Form, reinforce and pour

Forms pitched for drainage, rebar set, air-entrained concrete placed and broomed.

4. Cut joints and cure

Control joints cut, the slab cured, and we tell you when to walk, park and seal.

Concrete Driveways Questions

How thick should a driveway be in Fargo?

Cars need four inches at a minimum. HomeGuide's driveway guide calls for five to six inches under RVs or heavy traffic, with thickened edges. On soft clay we often add depth where vehicles swing in or park heavy loads.

Rebar or wire mesh?

Neither one prevents cracking; both keep cracks from spreading apart. For driveways we use rebar on chairs, since it holds its place at mid-depth. HomeGuide prices steel reinforcement at about $1 to $3 a square foot.

Can you pour a driveway in the fall?

Yes, as long as daytime and overnight temperatures allow a proper cure. Late pours may need blankets. New concrete should not see de-icing salt its first winter, so we talk through snow care with fall customers.

How long does a concrete driveway last?

HomeGuide says 30 to 40 years with proper maintenance. In Fargo the base under it and how it is sealed and cared for in winter make the biggest difference.

Do I need a permit?

Work on the approach and sidewalk in the City right of way falls under the Engineering Department and requires a contractor licensed with the City for sidewalk work. We check what applies to your address and include it in the quote.

Get a Concrete Driveways Estimate

Free on-site driveway estimates, new or replacement, around Fargo-Moorhead.

Call (701) 773-3206 Free Estimate