Frequently Asked Questions

Get two or three written quotes and compare what is in them, not only the total. Each should state slab thickness, base depth, reinforcement, air-entrained concrete, joint layout and who handles permits. If the job touches the approach or public sidewalk, ask who registers for Lenexa’s right-of-way permit and schedules the engineering inspection before the pour.

Look for a company that visits before pricing, explains why your old concrete failed and puts the scope in writing. Ask how they deal with clay soil, how deep the rock base will be, and what they do when cold weather is forecast. Lenexa requires contractors doing right-of-way work to register with a bond and insurance, so for driveway approaches, ask whether they are registered.

Most residential concrete is priced by the job or by the square foot, not by the hour, because material, base work and finishing make up much of the cost. HomeGuide lists standard driveways at $6 to $10 per square foot installed and plain patios at $4 to $12. We give you a fixed written price after measuring.

Bob Vila’s cost guide gives a national average of about $128 per cubic yard for ready-mix, with a typical range of $100 to $200, plus short-load fees on small orders. Local plant pricing changes, and the concrete itself is only part of an installed job. One cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick, according to HomeGuide.

Work on the drive approach, curb or public sidewalk is in the city right-of-way, which needs a right-of-way permit and an inspection before concrete is placed. For the private part of the driveway, we confirm requirements with Lenexa Community Development (913.477.7725) for your address.

Two reasons come up most. Clay soils swell and shrink with moisture, which the Kansas Geological Survey links to cracked driveways and sidewalks across the state. Winter adds repeated freezing and thawing. A drained rock base, reinforcement and planned joints keep those cracks small and in the right places.

Yes, under the city’s cold-weather rules. At 40 degrees or below, or with sub-40 temperatures forecast within 48 hours, the concrete must be protected, the ground cannot be frozen, and the slab must be kept from freezing for at least 72 hours. It can be done, but spring through fall is easier and usually cheaper.

If the slab is mostly intact but a panel has dropped, leveling can often fix it; HomeGuide lists mudjacking at $4 to $9 per square foot. Widespread cracks wider than a quarter inch, crumbling or deep flaking usually mean replacement. We price both when both are realistic.

HomeGuide puts a maintained concrete driveway at 30 to 40 years. On clay soil the base under the slab makes the biggest difference, followed by drainage, sealing and the deicers you use.

HomeGuide recommends at least 4 inches for cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, with thicker edges. We often add depth at the approach, where turning tires and the curb transition concentrate the load.

We almost never recommend it. New concrete over a cracked, sunken driveway picks up the same cracks and raises the surface at the garage and the curb. Removing it and rebuilding the base is the reliable fix.

Lenexa lets either the homeowner or the contractor register and apply, but the applicant needs a $10,000 bond and $500,000 in liability insurance. The quote states who is applying and when the city inspection is scheduled.

HomeGuide says to keep cars off for at least 7 days and heavy vehicles off for the full 28 to 30 days. We give you the dates for your slab based on the mix and the weather.

HomeGuide says a properly installed concrete patio lasts 30 to 50 years with regular maintenance. Drainage and resealing matter most where winters freeze.

Most patios are 4 inches on a compacted rock base. HomeGuide recommends 6 inches with added reinforcement under hot tubs or outdoor kitchens.

The city’s published guides do not spell out patio permits, so we confirm with Community Development for your address and size before scheduling.

Yes, with an isolation joint where it meets the foundation and a slope away from the wall. Water should never be able to run back toward the house.

All concrete cracks somewhere. Stamped slabs get control joints like plain ones, and we place them along pattern lines so cracks follow the design.

Sealed stamped concrete is slicker when wet than a broom finish. A textured pattern and a slip-resistant additive in the sealer help on steps, walks and pool decks.

Every few years on most patios, more often on walking paths. If water soaks in instead of beading, or the color looks flat, it is time.

If it is solid and level, a stamped overlay may work; HomeGuide lists them at $7 to $15 per square foot for one pattern. A sunken or cracked slab should be replaced instead.

Stamped concrete is one slab with no joints to weed and no units to shift on clay. Pavers can be lifted and reset individually. Price both for the same area and choose the trade-off you prefer.

Lenexa runs a Sidewalk & Trail Repair Program that repairs deteriorated public sidewalks, with projects picked each year. Report the problem to the city first. Walks and steps on your own lot are the owner’s to maintain.

HomeGuide puts step repair at $300 to $800 for cracks or small sections. Steps that have sunk, pulled away from the house or have uneven risers are usually better replaced.

Often, if the panels are mostly intact. HomeGuide lists mudjacking a 100-square-foot sidewalk at $400 to $900. Our leveling page has more detail.

HomeGuide says most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick. Any section that crosses a driveway needs to be as thick as the driveway.

Yes, in most cases. The old floor is broken out and removed from inside, the base is rebuilt and a new reinforced slab is poured, tied to the existing foundation where needed.

HomeGuide says two-car garage floors are typically reinforced concrete 4 to 6 inches thick. Heavier trucks, lifts or workshop machines call for the thicker end, or thickened sections.

Lenexa’s accessory structure guide says detached buildings of 120 square feet or less do not need a permit but must meet setbacks. Larger ones need a permit, and over 600 square feet they need frost-depth footings.

HomeGuide says a slab is drivable after 1 to 2 weeks and fully cured in 28 to 48 days. We give you dates for your floor based on the mix and weather.

HomeGuide says professionally leveled concrete lasts 5 to 10 years or more, with mudjacking typically 5 to 7 years. Fixing the drainage that caused the sinking is what makes it last.

Foam is lighter, uses smaller holes and often lasts longest, according to HomeGuide, but it costs roughly twice as much per square foot. For many walks and patios, mudjacking does the job well.

Hairline cracks are fine. If the slab is broken into several pieces or has cracks wider than a quarter inch, HomeGuide recommends replacement, because the pieces will not lift as one.

It can if water keeps washing out the soil underneath. We check downspouts, grading and gutters and recommend changes along with the lift.