Concrete Driveways in Lenexa, KS

Concrete driveways take more abuse than any other slab at a Lenexa home. They carry two or three vehicles every day, they collect runoff from the roof and the street, and in winter they freeze, thaw and freeze again. Many were poured in the 1970s and 1980s, when about two in five of the city’s homes were built, according to Point2Homes’ Census summary. Those driveways are now 35 to 55 years old, and most of them show it.

Signs a driveway is done

• Cracks that keep widening, or with one side higher than the other
• A section near the garage that has sunk and holds water against the door
• Flaking and pitting across much of the surface
• The approach broken or crumbling at the curb
• Water running toward the house instead of the street
• A driveway too narrow for the cars you own now

One sunken section on an otherwise good driveway can usually be lifted. Several problems at once usually mean replacement will cost less over time than repeated repairs.

The base matters more than the surface

Lenexa sits on clay. The Kansas Geological Survey notes that clay soils in Kansas "heave and shrink from season to season, cracking foundations, driveways, and sidewalks." A driveway poured directly on that soil moves with it. We remove the old driveway, dig out soft or organic soil, and compact crushed rock in layers to make a stable base that drains.

Thickness depends on what you park. HomeGuide’s driveway cost guide recommends at least 4 inches for cars, 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, and 6 to 8 inches at the edges. If you park a work truck, a trailer or a camper, we make that section thicker. Rebar or wire mesh holds cracked sections in place, air-entrained concrete resists freeze-thaw damage, and joints on a planned grid control where cracks form.

The approach and the city right-of-way

The end of the driveway is not entirely yours. Lenexa’s right-of-way permit page says the right-of-way typically extends 11 feet behind the back of the curb in residential areas, which usually includes the approach and the public sidewalk. Work there needs a right-of-way permit. The applicant must register with the city and carry a $10,000 bond and $500,000 in liability insurance. Engineering Services must also inspect the approach and sidewalk forms before concrete is placed.

Our driveway quotes treat the approach as its own line item and show who pulls the permit and when the inspection happens, so the job does not stall on pour day. City code also forbids bridging over the curb and gutter to reach a driveway, so a proper curb cut is part of the plan.

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Finish choices

• Broom finish: the standard choice, with good grip in rain and snow.
• Exposed aggregate: the top layer is washed off to show the stone, which hides tire marks and grips well.
• Decorative border: a stamped or colored band along the edges, with plain concrete where the tires run.
• Smooth trowel: clean-looking but slippery when wet, so we do not recommend it on sloped driveways.

Caring for a new driveway

HomeGuide’s guide says foot traffic is fine after 24 to 48 hours and cars should wait at least 7 days, with heavy vehicles off until the full 28-to-30-day cure. Skip deicing salt the first winter and use sand. After that, avoid deicers made with ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, which attack concrete. Seal the driveway about a month after the pour and every 2 to 3 years after that. Keep downspouts aimed away from the edges so water does not soften the soil underneath.