Frequently Asked Questions

Line up two or three written bids and look past the bottom number. Check that each one states slab thickness, base depth, air-entrained concrete, steel, joint layout and who pulls the permit. Ask how the bidder handles the apron and public walk if the driveway reaches the street. A contractor who can explain why your old slab failed is more likely to keep the new one from failing the same way.

HomeGuide's national cost guide lists standard concrete driveways at $6 to $10 a square foot installed. Its size table shows $2,400 to $6,000 for a 400-square-foot two-car drive at standard to basic quality. Breaking out and hauling an old driveway is listed at another $2 to $6 a square foot. Local prices vary, so the measured quote is the real number.

Aurora's Sidewalk and Driveway Replacement page points owners to the Division of Building and Permits, (630) 256-3130, for a Driveway Permit. We confirm the permit for your address and build it into the schedule.

For walks in the public right-of-way, Aurora's Engineering Division evaluates the condition, and the city repairs sections with a 2-inch or larger vertical offset, three or more separated pieces, or scaling over half the surface. Where the walk crosses your driveway, the city and the owner share the work.

Peeling, or scaling, happens when water in the top layer freezes and expands, and salt multiplies the number of freeze cycles. Slabs without entrained air, slabs that were overworked during finishing and slabs salted in their first winter are the most prone. Shallow scaling on a sound slab can be resurfaced; deep scaling across most of the surface usually calls for replacement.

Yes, with care. The slab must not freeze before it gains strength, so we need mild nights in the forecast and may cover the concrete with insulated blankets. Once frost is in the ground, waiting for spring is usually the better call.

Walking on it after a day or two is generally fine. HomeGuide says to keep cars off for at least a week and heavy trucks off for about 30 days. We give you dates based on your mix and that week's weather.

HomeGuide's cost table gives 30 to 40 years for a well-built, maintained concrete driveway. Here the base, the air content in the mix, regular sealing and your choice of de-icer decide where in that range a driveway lands.

HomeGuide's guide puts the minimum at 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy use, with thicker edges. We also add depth at the apron, where plows and turning tires concentrate the load.

We rarely advise it. An overlay on a cracked, sunken driveway inherits the same cracks and settling, and it raises the surface at the garage door and the street. Removing the old slab and rebuilding the base is the reliable route.

The city reimburses part of the cost of replacing a deteriorated drive approach through its Driveway Assistance Program. Call the Division of Building and Permits at (630) 256-3130 for the application and the Driveway Permit.

HomeGuide says at least 7 days for cars and roughly 30 days for heavy vehicles. We give you exact dates for your slab.

HomeGuide's patio guide says plain, stained and stamped concrete patios generally last 30 to 50 years when installed and maintained properly. Drainage and resealing count most in a freeze-thaw climate.

HomeGuide lists plain concrete patios at $4 to $12 per square foot installed and stamped at $9 to $30. If you are weighing pavers, get a paver quote for the same footprint and compare line by line.

Most backyard patios are 4 inches on a compacted stone base. A slab meant to carry a hot tub or a heavy outdoor kitchen needs more depth and reinforcement.

That depends on its size and its spot on the lot. We confirm with the city before scheduling and add any permit to the plan.

Every slab cracks somewhere. Stamped slabs get control joints just like plain ones, and we cut them along pattern lines so the cracks follow the design.

Sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than a broom finish. A textured pattern helps, and anti-slip grit mixed into the sealer is a good idea for steps, walks and pool decks.

Every few years on most patios, sooner on walking paths. Flat-looking color, or water that soaks in rather than beading, tells you it is due.

If it is solid and level, a stamped overlay may work. HomeGuide lists overlays at $7 to $15 a square foot for one pattern. A sunken or broken slab should be replaced.

Stamped concrete is one continuous slab with no sand joints to weed and no units to shift. Pavers can be pulled up and relaid one at a time. Price both for the same space and decide which trade-off suits you.

The city maintains walks in the public right-of-way and repairs sections that meet its offset, cracking or scaling criteria. Contact Customer Services at 630-256-4636. Walks and steps on your lot are the owner's.

HomeGuide's steps guide puts typical step repair at $300 to $800 for cracks or small sections. Steps that have sunk, separated from the house or have uneven risers are usually better replaced.

Often, if the panels are mostly intact. HomeGuide lists mudjacking a 100-square-foot sidewalk at $400 to $900. Our repair page covers leveling in more detail.

HomeGuide notes most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick. Any section that crosses a driveway needs to be as thick as the driveway.

HomeGuide's slab guide describes most two-car garage floors as reinforced concrete 4 to 6 inches thick. We add depth where trucks or heavy equipment park and under walls.

Usually. We break out the old floor, rebuild the base and pour a new slab inside the building. If the walls or sill plate are rotted, we tell you before work starts.

HomeGuide says shed slabs are usually about 4 inches thick and do not typically need reinforcement. For bigger sheds or soft ground we often add mesh to help hold any cracks tight.

Framing can often begin within days, but concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks. HomeGuide's slab guide puts full cure at 28 days or more. We give you timing for your project.

Usually leveling. HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 a square foot and slab replacement at $6 to $15. Leveling only works on a slab that is still in one piece.

If the slab below is solid and level, resurfacing can give it a new top, and HomeGuide says that lasts 8 to 15 years. Deep, widespread scaling usually calls for replacement.

HomeGuide puts mudjacking at about 5 to 7 years with drainage kept in check, and says foam leveling often lasts longer. Fixing the water problem that caused the sinking helps either one last.

Not at first. Fresh concrete is lighter than weathered concrete; the difference softens with time but rarely vanishes. Replacing full panels along joint lines looks neater than small patches.

The city repairs public sidewalk that meets its criteria, such as a vertical offset of 2 inches or more. Walks on your own lot are the owner's to repair.