Serving El Cajon and Nearby
Free concrete estimates for homes in El Cajon, CA and nearby.
Concrete Repair and Replacement in El Cajon
Concrete repair in El Cajon starts with why it broke. Fix the cause and the repair holds. Skip it and the crack comes back.
At a Glance
- Cracks, sunken sections, lifted edges and broken aprons.
- Clay soil and water cause much of the damage here.
- Some slabs can be patched. Some need a new section.
- Repairs in the right of way still need a city permit.
Read the Crack
A thin crack along a joint is often just the slab doing its job. A wide crack, a crack with one side higher than the other, or a slab that rocks under your feet is a sign of trouble below.
Take photos before you fill out the form. Put a coin or a key in the shot for scale. It helps the contractor know what to bring.
Repair or Replace
A repair keeps the slab you have. That can mean sealing cracks, grinding a raised edge or lifting a sunken section. A replacement saw cuts out the bad section and pours new concrete in its place.
Replacement often makes sense when the slab is broken in many places, when it has sunk more than once or when the base under it has washed out. A good contractor will tell you which one fits and why.
Why Slabs Fail Here
The County lists expansive clay as a hazard in the coastal plain and in valleys and foothills. Clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, over and over. Water from a downspout or a sprinkler can make it worse in one spot.
Before a repair, look at where water goes. Moving a downspout can be the cheapest fix of all. Our clay soil guide has more.
Repairs at the Street
A broken apron or a lifted sidewalk panel sits in the city The public strip the city owns. In El Cajon that means streets, parkways, sidewalks and easements.. The city handout lists Level One at $135 to repair sidewalk panels and driveway aprons. Confirm the fee with the city and make sure the permit is in place before work starts.