Small concrete repairs cost $100 to $400 nationally, and larger repairs or resurfacing $600 to $3,000. In Southfield, the damage usually comes from clay and frost moving the slab, or from salt and freeze-thaw eating the surface. We sort out which one it is before we recommend anything.
Every price on this page is a national figure published by HomeGuide for 2026. None of them is a quote from The Southfield Concrete Company. Local labor and material costs, access for the truck, the state of the ground under the slab and the finish you choose all move a real price. Checked October 2026.
How much does concrete repair cost?
HomeGuide's national concrete repair cost for driveway cracks is $100 to $400, and $600 to $3,000 for major repairs or resurfacing. Patching runs $3 to $8 a square foot and crack filling $0.50 to $3 a running foot. Outdoor repairs in Michigan are scheduled for the warm months, because most patch and resurfacing products need temperatures above freezing to cure.
| Repair type | National cost (HomeGuide 2026) |
|---|---|
| Crack filling | $0.50 to $3 per linear foot |
| Patching | $3 to $8 per sq ft |
| Resurfacing | $3 to $7 per sq ft |
| Leveling (lifting a slab) | $3 to $12 per sq ft |
| Removal before a new pour | $3 to $8 per sq ft |
Can cracked concrete be repaired or does it need to be replaced?
It can usually be repaired if the two sides of the crack are still level with each other. Seal a flat, tight crack so meltwater cannot reach the clay underneath. If one side has dropped or risen, the slab rocks underfoot, or the panel is broken into several pieces, the support under it has failed. That panel should be cut out, the base rebuilt and new concrete poured.
Why is my concrete driveway cracking?
In Southfield, it is usually the ground. The clay swells when it is wet, shrinks in dry spells and lifts when it freezes, so a driveway on a thin base is pushed around every year. Other common causes are joints too far apart, a thin slab, no steel, loose basement backfill near the garage, and downspouts that empty right beside the driveway.
Why is my concrete sinking, and can it be leveled?
Concrete sinks when the soil below it settles or washes away, and a slab still in one piece can often be raised back up. The most common spot on Southfield ranches and colonials is beside the house, where the soil around the basement was backfilled loose decades ago. Water from a downspout or a gutter overflow speeds it up. Leveling fills the void under the slab and lifts it.
How much does concrete leveling cost?
Nationally, the leveling cost runs $3 to $12 a square foot, and a typical job is $700 to $5,000. Many companies have a minimum charge of $300 to $700. Mudjacking is listed at $4 to $9 a square foot, and polyurethane foam at $8 to $25.
Mudjacking or polyurethane foam: which is better?
Neither one is best for every slab. Mudjacking pumps a cement-based slurry under the slab. It costs less but adds weight and needs bigger holes. Foam is light, needs small holes and sets fast, but costs more. On wet Southfield clay, adding less weight is a point for foam. If the slab is cracked through, neither one fixes the crack.
Is foam lifting a permanent fix, or will the slab drop again?
Foam lasts only as long as the ground under it holds still. The foam itself does not wash out, but it rests on clay that freezes, swells and shrinks. If the slab dropped after a one-time washout and the water has been redirected, the lift can last many years. If meltwater still runs under it every spring, expect it to move again.
Can concrete be resurfaced instead of replaced?
Yes, when the slab underneath is solid and level. Resurfacing bonds a thin new layer over a worn or scaled top. HomeGuide lists it at $3 to $7 a square foot nationally, $6 to $20 for a decorative or stamped overlay, and $1,200 to $2,900 for a two-car driveway. It will not stop a slab that heaves or sinks, and cracks that still move will come back through the new layer.
Why is my concrete spalling or flaking, and can a flaking surface be repaired without replacing it?
A flaking surface can usually be repaired without a new slab if the damage is shallow. Here, spalling and flaking are mostly caused by freeze-thaw and road salt. Water soaks into the top of the concrete, freezes and pops off thin layers, and salt adds many more freeze-thaw cycles. Older concrete with too little entrained air, or a surface finished with extra water, scales first. We grind off the loose layer and resurface. If the damage is deep or steel shows, that section is replaced.
Why is my driveway lifting or heaving?
A driveway lifting or heaving in winter is almost always frost. Water in the clay freezes into ice layers and pushes the slab up, most where the ground stays wet and where snow is cleared so frost goes deeper. Tree roots can lift slabs too, slowly over years. Some frost heave settles back after the thaw. If a panel stays high in May, we look at drainage and the base before suggesting a fix.
Can you pour new concrete over old concrete?
Sometimes, but in Southfield it is rarely the right choice. New concrete over old concrete copies the old cracks, and frost keeps moving the old slab underneath. It also raises the surface, which causes trouble at the garage door, the house entry and the public sidewalk. A thin bonded overlay on a solid slab can work. A thick new layer on a broken slab does not.
Can a wide crack be patched, or will the patch pop out?
A patch in a wide crack holds only if the crack has stopped moving. Frost opens and closes cracks here every winter, so a hard patch often breaks loose after a season or two. For a crack that still moves, a flexible sealant that keeps water out is the realistic fix. For a crack that has stopped moving, we clean it, fill it and seal it.
How do I fix a sunken walkway that is a trip hazard? Can the raised edge be ground down?
Grinding the raised edge down is the cheapest fix for a small trip hazard of about an inch or less. It leaves a rougher, lighter strip. A bigger drop needs the panel lifted or replaced. If a tree root or frost is pushing the panel, grinding buys time but not a cure. The City of Southfield says sidewalks are the owner's responsibility and dangerous ones should be repaired or replaced.
To get a price for your own property, book a free on-site estimate. Call (313) 789-3411, or text a photo of the concrete to that number.