Quick answer: repair concrete when the slab is structurally sound and the damage is cosmetic or limited. Replace it when there is settlement, widespread cracking, or the base beneath has failed. Repair runs $4 to $25 per unit; replacement runs $10 to $20 per square foot in Westchester.
Cost comparison
| Work | Typical cost (2026) | Lifespan added |
|---|---|---|
| Crack filling / sealing | $8 – $25 per linear ft | 3 – 7 years |
| Slab jacking / mudjacking | $600 – $2,200 per section | 5 – 12 years |
| Polyurethane foam lifting | $1,000 – $3,500 per section | 8 – 15 years |
| Resurfacing / overlay | $4 – $10 per sq ft | 8 – 15 years |
| Partial replacement (sections) | $10 – $18 per sq ft | 25 – 35 years |
| Full replacement | $10 – $20 per sq ft | 25 – 35 years |
| Full replacement w/ new base | $14 – $26 per sq ft | 30 – 40 years |
For reference, a typical two-car Westchester driveway of 600 square feet runs roughly $6,000 to $12,000 to replace, more if the base needs rebuilding or the old slab is thick and heavily reinforced.
Repair makes sense when…
- Cracks are under 1/4 inch and the two sides are level with each other
- The surface is pitted or flaking but the slab is not broken through
- One or two sections have settled but the rest is sound — lifting is far cheaper than replacing
- The slab is under 20 years old
- Damage covers less than about 25% of the area
Replace when…
- Sections have settled unevenly and created trip hazards
- Cracks are wider than 1/2 inch, or the sides have shifted vertically
- The slab is crumbling through its full depth
- The base underneath has washed out or was never compacted properly
- You have already repaired it two or three times
- Damage covers more than roughly 30% of the surface
We will look at the base, not just the surface — that is what determines whether a repair will actually hold.
📅 Free assessmentWhy Westchester is hard on concrete
- Freeze-thaw. Dozens of cycles each winter. Water in the surface pores freezes, expands, and breaks the top layer off.
- Road salt. The single biggest cause of spalled driveways here. Salt accelerates the freeze-thaw damage cycle dramatically on unsealed concrete.
- Frost heave. Slabs on poorly drained or poorly compacted base lift and crack. Base preparation matters more than concrete thickness.
- Tree roots. Mature oaks and maples lift walkways and driveway edges over time.
- Slope. Water running down a hillside driveway undermines the base at the low end.
The most common corner cut: pouring new concrete over an inadequate base. Concrete does not fail because it was too thin — it fails because what is underneath moved. A proper job means 4 to 6 inches of compacted gravel base, correct thickness (4" for walkways, 5–6" for driveways), control joints cut at the right spacing, and reinforcement. If a quote does not mention the base, ask.
Protecting new concrete
- Seal it — first time after full cure (about 30 days), then every 2 to 3 years. This is the highest-value maintenance you can do here.
- Avoid de-icing salt entirely for the first winter, and prefer sand or calcium magnesium acetate afterward.
- Keep water moving away — clear gutters, and make sure downspouts do not discharge onto the slab.
- Fill cracks early, while they are hairline. Water in a small crack becomes a big crack after one winter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Repair is cheaper up front — crack filling runs $8–$25 per linear foot and resurfacing $4–$10 per square foot, versus $10–$20 per square foot for replacement. But repair on badly deteriorated concrete buys only a few years, so replacement is often the better value when damage is widespread.
A properly installed and sealed concrete driveway lasts 25 to 35 years here. Freeze-thaw cycling and road salt are the two things that shorten that — salt is especially damaging to concrete that was never sealed.
That is called spalling, and in Westchester it is almost always de-icing salt combined with freeze-thaw. Water gets into the surface, freezes, and pops off the top layer. Sealing every 2 to 3 years is the main defense.
Yes, if the slab underneath is structurally sound — meaning no major settlement, no crack wider than 1/4 inch, and a solid base. Resurfacing over a failing slab just cracks again within a year or two.