When to replace rather than repair
Patching has its place, but it's rarely the right call on a driveway or slab that's failing across the whole surface. A patch never colour-matches, the joint between old and new becomes the next crack, and it does nothing about the cause — which is almost always the base underneath rather than the concrete itself.
If you're seeing wide or spreading cracks, sections that have dropped or lifted, crumbling edges, exposed reinforcement or water pooling where it never used to, replacement is usually the cheaper option over the next ten years.
- Wide, spreading or stepped cracking
- Sections that have sunk or lifted
- Crumbling, spalling or flaking surfaces
- Water pooling or running toward the house
How we handle concrete demolition
We saw cut clean lines where the new work will meet existing surfaces, break out the old concrete with the right machinery for the access available, and load and cart everything away. Where possible the material goes to recycling rather than landfill.
Access is often the tricky part on Hobart blocks — narrow side entries, steep drops and neighbours close by. We plan the removal around the site rather than forcing machinery where it doesn't fit, and we protect surfaces and gardens that are staying.
Fixing what's underneath before we re-pour
This is the step that gets skipped, and it's the reason so much replacement concrete fails just as quickly as the concrete it replaced. Once the old slab is out we can see exactly what's going on: poorly compacted fill, tree roots, soft spots, water tracking through, or a base that was never deep enough in the first place.
We correct all of it before any formwork goes up — excavating deeper where needed, removing unsuitable material, bringing in and compacting proper base, and adjusting levels so water drains away from the house. Then the new slab goes down with reinforcement and joints placed to suit the shape of the area.
- Cause of the original failure identified
- Soft spots and poor fill removed
- Base rebuilt and compacted properly
- Levels and drainage corrected
Minimal disruption, clean finish
We'll tell you before we start how long you'll be without vehicle access and when you can walk on and drive on the new concrete. The site is kept tidy through the job and cleaned up properly at the end — no rubble left behind the shed.
Our crew brings over 50 years of combined experience, we're fully licensed and insured, and every replacement is backed by our get-it-right-the-first-time guarantee. Free quotes across Greater Hobart and Southern Tasmania.