Cracks, settling and scaling

Concrete Repair & Replacement in Fargo, ND

We tell you whether your concrete can be saved, and what it will cost either way.

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

Fix It or Replace It?

Concrete repair & replacement decisions start with whether the slab beneath the damage is still sound. Around Fargo, nearly every concrete problem traces back to moving ground or to winter attacking the surface. Lake Agassiz clay expands and contracts with moisture, and in a Fargo Forum article NDSU Extension engineer Ken Hellevang pointed out that shifting ground in dry spells can affect sidewalks and streets as well as foundations. Freeze-thaw and de-icers then work on the top. Some of that damage can be fixed for a fraction of the price of new concrete. Some cannot, and a repair that fails after two winters is money thrown away.

The repair options

Crack filling. Flexible sealant in cracks keeps water out so it cannot freeze and widen them. Cheap and worth doing on hairline and narrow cracks.
Raising settled slabs. Mudjacking or foam leveling lifts sunken panels back to level by pumping material under them. Good for slabs that are still in one piece.
Resurfacing. A thin overlay over a sound but worn or lightly scaled surface. It will not fix a slab that is moving.
Partial replacement. Sawing out and replacing only the failed panels, doweled into the good concrete.
Full replacement. Tear-out and a new pour when the slab has failed across most of its area.

When replacement is the honest answer

HomeGuide's cost guides draw the line in roughly the same place we do. Resurfacing works for minor flaking and cracks under a quarter inch. Cracks wider than a quarter inch that run across the slab, heavy spalling, crumbling, or a slab that would need more than two inches of new material usually mean replacement. HomeGuide notes that cracks over a quarter inch often point to movement below that will crack an overlay again. The City of Fargo uses the same quarter-inch line for sidewalk panels.

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Typical trouble spots around Fargo

Scaling on driveways and garage aprons where salty slush drips off vehicles. Patios and walks that have sunk toward the house. Garage floors with a low middle. Steps pulling away from the foundation or breaking at the nose. Sidewalk panels the City has marked. Each one gets a look at the cause first: if a downspout dumps onto the slab and water is getting underneath, lifting the slab without moving the downspout only buys a season or two.

Repair Services

We match the fix to the cause, and we put the option and its limits in writing.

Crack routing and sealing

Cracks cleaned out and filled with flexible sealant so water and salt cannot get in.

Slab raising

Unbroken sunken panels lifted back to level by mudjacking or foam.

Scaling and surface repair

Flaking surfaces cleaned and resurfaced when the slab underneath is sound.

Panel replacement

Broken or badly settled sections sawed out and repoured, doweled to the good concrete.

Step repair and rebuilds

Chipped edges patched or whole steps removed and repoured.

Full tear-out and replacement

Failed driveways, patios and walks removed and rebuilt on a new base.

Typical Repair and Replacement Costs

Repair	Published range
Crack filling, per linear ft	$0.50 to $3
Resurfacing, per sq ft	$3 to $7
Mudjacking, per sq ft	$4 to $9
Foam leveling, per sq ft	$8 to $25
Mudjacking a 450 sq ft driveway	$1,800 to $4,100
Two-car driveway resurfacing (20 x 20 ft)	$1,200 to $2,000
Replacement, per sq ft	$6 to $15

National ranges from HomeGuide's concrete resurfacing and concrete leveling cost guides. The cause of the damage, slab size and access change the total. Your written estimate is the price.

How It Works

1. Find the cause

We look at the damage, the drainage around it and whether the slab is still moving.

2. Recommend a fix

You get the options in writing, with what each one will and will not solve.

3. Do the work

Seal, raise, resurface or replace, depending on what we agreed.

4. Prevent the next one

We point out downspouts, grading and sealing that will keep the problem from coming back.

Concrete Repair & Replacement Questions

Is mudjacking or foam better?

Both raise slabs that are still in one piece. HomeGuide's leveling guide prices mudjacking at $4 to $9 a square foot and foam at $8 to $25. Foam weighs less and often holds longer; mudjacking is cheaper. Which one fits depends on the slab and the soil under it.

Can a cracked driveway be resurfaced?

Only if the cracks are small and the slab is not moving. HomeGuide says cracks wider than a quarter inch typically show up again through a resurfaced layer.

What causes concrete to flake?

Usually freeze-thaw damage at the surface, made worse by de-icing salts and concrete that was finished wet or poured without air entrainment. Sealing slows it down on sound concrete.

How long does slab raising last?

HomeGuide's leveling guide gives about 5 to 10 years or more, depending on the method and the soil. On Fargo clay, keeping water away from the slab is what helps a lift last.

Will you tell me if it is not worth repairing?

Yes. If a repair will not last, we say so and price the replacement instead, so you can compare.

Get a Concrete Repair & Replacement Estimate

Free estimates on concrete repair and replacement in Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead and nearby.

Call (701) 773-3206 Free Estimate