Repair prices by problem
| Problem | Fix | Typical price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cracks under 1/4 inch, both sides level | Route and seal with polyurethane | From $450 | Half a day |
| Through-crack in a garage slab or footing | Epoxy injection | From $450, per crack | Half a day, 24 hour cure |
| Spalling on a slab that is not moving | Overlay, 1/4 to 1/2 inch | $4 to $8 per sq ft | Two days |
| Two-car driveway overlay, 800 sq ft | 800 sq ft at $4 to $8 | $3,200 to $6,400 | Two days |
Crack work carries the $450 minimum. Overlays need a crew and a mixer for two days, so they carry the $1,200 job minimum: a 12 by 16 patio overlay works out at 192 square feet times $4 to $8, or $768 to $1,536, and bills at $1,200 to $1,536. Most driveway overlays cross the $2,500 line where Georgia requires a licensed residential contractor. Replacement numbers are in the driveway cost guide.
Which repair fits which crack
- Hairline to 1/4 inch, both sides level. We chase the crack to a 1/4 by 1/4 inch groove, blow it clean, add backer rod where it is deep, and fill it with self-leveling polyurethane. Polyurethane stays flexible, so when the clay swells in March and shrinks in August the sealant stretches instead of popping out. Hardware-store caulk fails for exactly that reason.
- Through-crack in a garage slab or footing. Epoxy injection through ports every 8 to 12 inches, pumped from the bottom up. Cured epoxy is stronger than the concrete around it. It is a structural fix and the wrong tool for a driveway crack that will keep moving.
- One side higher than the other. Not a crack repair. Half an inch of offset on a slab in one or two pieces is a foam leveling job. More than that, or four or more pieces, is removal and replacement.
- Flaking surface, pits, exposed stone. Spalling. The slab is fine; the top 1/8 inch failed. That is what the overlay is for.
How a resurfacing overlay goes on
- Sound the slab. Chain drag and hammer. Hollow spots have already let go and get ground back to solid concrete.
- Open the surface. Pressure wash at 3,500 psi, or grind where there is sealer or paint. An overlay bonds to pores, not a smooth skin, and skipping this is why most failed overlays failed.
- Fix cracks first, or they reappear in the new surface within a season.
- Prime and place. Bonding primer, then overlay squeegeed on at 1/4 inch, up to 1/2 inch over bad pitting. Broom finish for a driveway, trowel or stamp for a patio.
- Cut every joint through. Bridge a control joint and the overlay cracks right over it.
- Cure. Summer highs run 90 to 95 F with high humidity. Winters rarely hold a hard freeze, so we pour year-round, with the busiest months March through November. Overlays are thin and dry fast, so in July that means a 6 AM start, misting, and shade cloth once the sun hits the slab.
When repair is the wrong answer
An overlay is only as stable as the slab under it. If a section rocks under a car, a corner has dropped since spring, or cracks open wider each year, the slab is moving and the overlay will crack along the same lines in its first winter. We do not quote overlays on moving slabs.
Houston County sits where the Fall Line sandhills meet the red clay of the upper Coastal Plain. The clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and that movement, not traffic, is what cracks most slabs here. So before any repair quote we check the grade and the downspouts. If the slab is still settling, the order is fix the water, lift the slab, then repair. Replacement beats repair when spalling covers more than a third of the surface, when the slab is under 3.5 inches thick, common on 1970s houses near Robins Air Force Base, or when repair would cost more than 60 percent of a new slab, since the difference buys a 30-year surface instead of a 10 to 15-year one.
Why slabs spall here when it hardly freezes
Up north spalling is a freeze-thaw and road-salt problem. Warner Robins rarely holds a hard freeze, so the spalling on driveways in Hawthorne, Tara Estates and the older streets off Watson Boulevard comes from how the slab was poured: water added at the truck, finishing while bleed water was still on top, or no curing compound on a 95 F afternoon. Each leaves a slab that is sound 3 inches down and crumbling on top, which is the slab an overlay is made for.
Ready-mix comes from plants on Foy Evans Drive and Plantation Road in Warner Robins and Industrial Park Drive in Perry, so trucks reach most Houston County addresses in under 30 minutes. For a patch or an overlay, that short haul means the load arrives at the slump we ordered. Robins Air Force Base is the county's largest employer. Many homeowners are on a three-year assignment, so we quote with resale in mind and write warranties that transfer to the next owner. A repair warranty covers the sealed cracks and the overlay bond, and says plainly that it does not cover new cracks from ground movement.
Questions we get asked
How long does a resurfaced driveway last?
Ten to fifteen years on a slab that is not moving, which is the only kind we overlay. It is a wearing surface, not a new slab, and a reseal every three to four years extends it. A new 4-inch slab lasts 30 to 40 years, which is why both prices are on every overlay quote.
Can you fix a crack so it never comes back?
No. A sealed crack is now a flexible joint. The polyurethane keeps water out and moves with the clay, but the line stays, and even an overlay will show a moving crack again.
Should I just use crack filler from the hardware store?
On a hairline crack you have cleaned with a wire brush and a shop vac, pourable polyurethane holds a few years. Anything wider than 1/8 inch needs routing and backer rod or the filler sinks and splits.
Can you resurface a pool deck or garage floor?
Yes. Pool decks get a textured finish and a slip-resistant additive in the sealer. Garage floors get a harder-wearing overlay or a grind and epoxy coat. See the patios and pool decks page for finishes.
What is the difference between resurfacing and a new driveway?
Resurfacing bonds 1/4 to 1/2 inch of new material to the old slab for $4 to $8 per square foot. A new driveway removes the old slab for $2 to $4 per square foot, rebuilds the base, and pours 4 inches of 4,000 psi concrete for $6 to $10. The cost guide works both out.
Get a written quote
Tell us what you need and where. Sandhill Concrete matches your project with a licensed Houston County concrete contractor, who measures on site, writes the quote and does the work. You hear back within one business day by text or email with a site-visit window, and the written quote states thickness, reinforcement, base and removal so you can compare it line by line.
Other concrete services
Where we work
Based in Warner Robins and working across Houston County: Centerville, Perry, Bonaire, Kathleen, Byron. Not sure if you are inside our area? Send the address with your quote request and we will confirm.