Concrete Driveway Replacement

Signs your driveway needs replacing rather than repairing

Not every ugly driveway has to go. Surface problems can often be fixed. Structural problems usually can't. These signs tend to point to replacement:

• •Movement. Sections tilt or rock under a car, or a trip edge has formed between slabs.
• •Sinking. A slab has dropped near the garage, the crossover or a pit, often because the ground underneath has washed out or was never compacted properly.
• •Wide or growing cracks. Cracks that open wider over time, or run in several directions, suggest the slab or base has failed.
• •Root lift. Tree roots have raised or broken sections, and the tree is staying.
• •Drainage faults. Water pools against the garage door or runs towards the house because the original levels were wrong.
• •Wrong size. The driveway is too narrow for today's cars or doesn't reach where you now need it.

If the slab is sound and the problem is mostly cosmetic, such as staining, fading or fine surface crazing, resurfacing or sealing may be the better value. Our concrete resurfacing and crack repairs pages explain when those options make sense. We'll tell you plainly which path suits your driveway.

What a driveway replacement involves

1. Assessment and planning

We look at the existing driveway, the garage floor level, the footpath or crossover, nearby trees, pits and downpipes, and how water moves across the block. This is when we talk about any changes you'd like: a wider section for a second car, a turning bay, a path to the side gate or a new finish.

2. Break-out and removal

The old concrete is saw-cut where it meets anything staying, such as the garage slab, a path or the crossover, so the edge is clean. The slab is then broken up and carted away. Depending on access and the size of the job, this may involve a small excavator, a rock breaker or jackhammers.

3. Fixing the base

This is the step that decides whether the new driveway lasts. Soft spots are dug out, the subgrade is checked and a crushed-rock base is placed and compacted in layers. If the old slab failed because water was getting underneath, drainage is dealt with here too.

4. Formwork, levels and reinforcement

Forms are set to the new levels, with falls that move water away from the house and garage. Steel mesh is placed on chairs so it sits at the correct height within the slab. Any extra reinforcement around pits or at the garage threshold goes in now.

5. Pour, finish and joints

The concrete is placed, levelled and finished in the surface you've chosen. Control joints are cut or tooled so any shrinkage cracking follows planned lines.

6. Curing and handover

Curing helps the concrete gain strength. We'll tell you when the surface can take foot traffic and when it's ready for cars, based on the mix and the weather on the day.

Choosing a finish for the new driveway

Replacement is a chance to change the look of the front of your home. Common choices include:

• •Plain broom finish: straightforward, grippy and easy to match with paths.
• •Coloured concrete: an oxide tone through the mix, often finished with a colour sealer. See coloured concrete driveways.
• •Exposed aggregate: natural stone on show, forgiving of stains. See exposed aggregate driveways.
• •Borders and bands: a smooth or contrasting edge that frames the main surface.

The crossover and footpath

A replacement often stops at the property boundary, leaving the council crossover in place. If the crossover is also cracked, too narrow or in the wrong spot, it can be replaced at the same time, but it's council land, so a permit is needed first. Knox, Monash, Casey and Greater Dandenong each run their own permit process with inspections. We explain the steps on our vehicle crossovers page. If the footpath gets damaged or has to be cut, see council footpath reinstatement.

Living with the work

A driveway replacement puts the driveway out of action for a period, so plan where you'll park. Street parking, a neighbour's goodwill or a temporary spot on the nature strip (where allowed) all help. The break-out stage is noisy and dusty for a short time. We'll keep pedestrian access to your front door where we can and tell you in advance which days the concrete truck is booked.

Common replacement situations

• •Original 1970s–1990s driveways with cracked panels and poor joints, common in established parts of Rowville, Wantirna and Boronia.
• •Driveways lifted by street or garden trees, where roots need to be assessed before the new slab is planned.
• •Knock-down rebuild sites in suburbs such as Glen Waverley and Mulgrave, where a new driveway follows the new house layout.
• •Sloping blocks around Wheelers Hill and Ferntree Gully, where falls and transitions need more careful planning.

For all the driveway services we offer, see the driveways hub, or check our full list of locations.