Driveways, Aprons and Garage Approaches
Concrete Driveway Repair in New York City
Broken aprons, sinking slabs and driveways that send rain into the garage, rebuilt for the weight of your car and pitched to drain away from the house.
- Private driveways and shared driveways
- Aprons across the sidewalk poured to DOT specifications
- Written price after a free visit
What We Fix
Which Parts of a Driveway Do We Repair?
We repair and replace the whole path a car takes from the street to the garage: the apron that crosses the sidewalk, the driveway slab itself, the approach in front of the garage door, and shared driveways that serve two homes. Most jobs involve removing the broken concrete and pouring new slabs on a stronger base.
- Cracked and broken driveway slabs
- Sunken sections that hold puddles
- Aprons crumbling at the curb
- Lips and trip edges at the sidewalk
- Garage approaches pitched toward the door
- Shared driveways split down the middle
- Slabs lifted by tree roots
- Old asphalt patches on concrete
Driveways are most common at detached and semi attached homes, which is why so many of them are in Queens and the Bronx. Southern and eastern Brooklyn has plenty of them too.
Why Does Water Run Toward Your House or Garage?
Water runs toward the house when the driveway has settled, was poured with the wrong pitch, or slopes down to a garage below street level. Every storm then sends rain against the foundation or under the garage door. The lasting fix is a new slab set to carry water to the street, a drain or the yard.
Plenty of older homes in the city have a garage tucked under the house at the bottom of a short, steep driveway. Gravity sends everything from the street and the driveway to that door. A trench drain across the bottom of the slab is often the only good answer there.
Signs your driveway drains the wrong way
- A puddle that sits against the garage door or the house wall after rain
- Water marks, rust or mold along the bottom of the garage
- Ice patches that form in the same low spot every winter
- Dampness in the basement wall next to the driveway
Getting the pitch right can mean replacing more slabs than the ones that are cracked. A drain has to connect somewhere, and some connections bring in a plumber and permit rules. When water is already getting inside, see our basement waterproofing service as well.
Puddles at the garage door after every storm? We will check the pitch and show you where the water should go.
Schedule a Site Visit Call Now
How Do You Repair a Shared Driveway?
A shared driveway is repaired like any other, but two owners have to agree first. We meet with one or both neighbors, mark the full width that needs work, and give a written scope that shows which slabs are included. Repairing both halves together usually gives a flatter, better draining result than fixing one side.
Shared driveways run between pairs of attached and semi attached homes in many parts of Queens and the Bronx, and in parts of Brooklyn too. Each half often gets fixed at a different time by a different owner. Over the years that leaves a ridge down the middle, two slopes and a joint that collects water.
Things to settle with your neighbor
- Which slabs are being replaced and where the work stops
- How cars will get in and out while the concrete cures
- How the cost is split between the two properties
Who owns and who has to maintain a shared driveway depends on your deed and any agreement between the properties. We can explain the work, but not the legal side. For that, check your deed or talk to a real estate attorney.
Driveway Cracked, Sunken or Split?
Send a photo and your address. We will look at the slab, the apron and the drainage and put the scope in writing.
How It Runs
What Happens During a Driveway Repair?
A driveway job runs from a site visit and written price to permits for any apron work, removal of the broken concrete, a new compacted base, forms set to the right pitch, a pour sized for vehicle loads and a curing period. You will need to park elsewhere until the new slab is ready for a car.
Look and measure
We check every slab, the apron, the garage approach and where water flows.
Written price
You get a scope that shows what comes out, what goes in and any drain work.
Permit
For work at the apron and sidewalk, we file for the DOT permit. It usually takes two to three business days.
Break out and base
Old concrete is removed, and soft soil is replaced with a compacted stone base.
Pour for vehicles
Forms, reinforcement and the new pour are set for car weight and the right slope.
Cure before driving
The slab stays closed while it cures. We tell you when it can take a car.
What About the Apron and the Curb Cut?
The apron is the part of the driveway that crosses the public sidewalk down to the curb. Because it sits in the sidewalk, work on it generally needs a DOT sidewalk permit and has to meet DOT specifications for thickness, slope and finish. Creating a new curb cut or changing an existing one can also involve the Department of Buildings.
Aprons take a beating. Every car drops onto them from the street, and snow plows catch the edge at the curb. Once the apron cracks, the pieces rock and break up quickly.
A broken apron is also part of the sidewalk DOT inspects, so damage there can show up on a Notice of Violation. If you already have one, our page on what a DOT sidewalk violation means for you covers the repair and dismissal steps.
Curb cuts need care
Repairing concrete at an existing curb cut is a common job for us. Curb work often goes along with it when the curb edge has broken or sunk. Adding a new curb cut, making one wider, or moving it is a different matter. It generally needs approval before any concrete is touched, and the city may not allow it on every lot.
We file the DOT permit for the apron and sidewalk work we do and handle DOB permits when a job needs one. Curb cut rules change and depend on the property, so confirm the current requirements with DOB, DOT or 311 before you plan a new or wider driveway.
Pricing
What Affects the Cost of Driveway Repair in NYC?
Driveway repair cost depends on the size of the area, how thick the slab has to be for the vehicles using it, how much old concrete has to be removed and hauled, whether the drainage slope has to change or a drain is added, and whether permits are needed for the apron or the curb cut.
Size of the driveway
Length, width and the number of slabs set the amount of work and concrete.
Thickness for vehicles
Slabs for cars, vans or trucks need more depth and reinforcement than a walkway.
Removal and hauling
Breaking out thick old concrete or old asphalt patches and carting it off adds labor.
Drainage slope
Reversing the pitch or adding a trench drain at the garage changes the scope.
Apron and curb cut
Work across the sidewalk needs a DOT permit, and curb changes can bring in DOB.
Shared or single
A shared driveway done in one job is larger but often simpler than two separate jobs.
Your driveway price: written after a free visit, covering the slab, the apron and the drainage.
Request Your QuoteShould You Patch or Replace a Concrete Driveway?
Patch only when the slab is level and the damage is a small chip or a narrow crack. Replace sections when slabs have sunk, tilted, broken into pieces or pitch toward the house. Many driveways need only a few slabs replaced, but a failed base under the whole run means starting over.
| What you see | What usually makes sense |
|---|---|
| Hairline cracks on a level slab | Seal the cracks and watch them |
| One or two sunken or broken slabs | Cut out and replace those slabs |
| Crumbling apron at the curb | Replace the apron under a DOT permit |
| Water flowing to the garage or house | Replace with a new pitch and, if needed, a drain |
| Cracks and sinking along the whole length | Full replacement on a new base |
Asphalt patches dropped onto concrete are common on city driveways. They break loose within a winter or two and trap water at the edges. Replacing the damaged slab costs more up front but stops the cycle.
Why Us
Why Homeowners Call Us About Driveways
Street to garage in one job
The apron, the sidewalk in front of it and the driveway slab can all be done together, under one scope.
Permits handled
We file the DOT permit for apron and sidewalk work and handle DOB permits when a job needs one.
Licensed and insured
More than 25 years of concrete work in NYC, with construction, injury and workers compensation insurance.
Related Work
Services Often Paired With Driveway Repair
Sidewalk Repair
Cracked, raised and trip hazard flags replaced, including sidewalk violation repairs.
Learn More
Concrete Replacement
Worn slabs, patios, yards and walkways broken out and poured new on a proper base.
Learn More
Basement Waterproofing
Leaks, seepage and damp basements fixed from inside or outside, based on where water gets in.
Learn MoreService Areas
Where Do We Repair Driveways in NYC?
Our crews repair driveways and aprons in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Driveways are most common at detached and semi attached homes in Queens and the Bronx, with many in southern and eastern Brooklyn and garage entrances in Manhattan. Pick a borough, or see our driveway repair work across NYC.
FAQ
Driveway Repair Questions
Concrete can take foot traffic well before it can take a car. The wait depends on the weather and the mix. We tell you the day it is ready for a vehicle, and it is worth waiting the full time.
Generally, yes. The apron crosses the public sidewalk, so work on it usually needs a DOT sidewalk permit. We file that permit for the apron work we do. Confirm current rules with DOT or 311 if you plan the work yourself.
Widening, adding or moving a curb cut generally needs city approval, and the Department of Buildings can be involved. It may not be allowed on every lot. Check with DOB before planning a wider driveway, and do not cut the curb without approval.
We can repair your side so it drains as well as possible and meets their side cleanly. Results are better when both halves are done together. The legal side of shared driveways depends on your deed, so an attorney is the right person for that question.
A garage below street level at the bottom of a sloped driveway collects water from the street and the slab. A new pitch, a trench drain at the door or both usually fix it. Where the drain connects matters, and some connections need a plumber.
Yes. We repair driveways in Queens and the Bronx, where they are most common, and in Brooklyn and Manhattan. We do not serve Staten Island.
All concrete can crack, which is why we cut control joints so cracks form in straight lines where they do no harm. A proper base, the right thickness and good drainage keep slabs from sinking and breaking apart.
Free on site estimate
Get Your Driveway Fixed Before Winter
Cracked slabs get worse with every freeze. Call or send a photo, and we will set up a free visit and a written price.
Contact
Request a Driveway Repair Estimate
Tell us whether the driveway is shared and where the water goes when it rains. A photo from the street helps.
- Call us(718) 468-8803
- HoursMon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Free on site estimate with a written price
- Licensed and insured, 25+ years in business
- We handle DOT sidewalk permits
- Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Get Your Free Estimate
Takes about a minute. No cost and no obligation.