Driveways here crack from what's under them, not from what's poured on top. If your slab has heaved at a tree root or your patio slopes toward the house, describe the site and we'll match you with licensed Beaverton concrete crews who prep properly.
Our clay soils hold water and move with it, so a slab poured on native ground without compacted crushed rock beneath will crack no matter how good the finish looks in week one. Ask every bidder how many inches of base they're placing, whether they compact in lifts, and what reinforcement they use. That answer separates a driveway that lasts thirty years from one that fails in eight.
With this much annual rain, slope and drainage decide whether a patio is pleasant or a pond. Flatwork should shed water away from the foundation at a consistent fall, and a large new slab can push runoff somewhere it didn't used to go. A thoughtful contractor talks about the downhill neighbor and the downspouts before pricing the square footage.
Hairline cracks are normal and can be sealed. Slabs that have separated vertically, spalled across the surface, or lifted at tree roots are usually past patching. Slabjacking can raise a settled section for less than replacement when the concrete itself is sound. Get an honest read on which category you're in rather than a default quote for a full tear-out.
Describe the project once and we match it with vetted local pros who actually do this work — you choose who to hire, or nobody at all.
The mature firs and maples lining older Beaverton streets send roots straight under driveways and walkways, and root heave is one of the most common reasons for replacement here. Root barriers during a rebuild help, and removing certain trees is regulated by the city, so plan around the tree rather than assuming it can go.
Flatwork on your own property usually needs no building permit, but a new or widened driveway approach where it meets the public street generally requires approval from City of Beaverton, or Washington County outside city limits. Skipping that step can mean tearing out new concrete.
Crews work most of the year here, but concrete needs the right conditions to cure — not freezing, not soaked by rain in the first hours. Late spring through early fall is the reliable window, and a contractor who reschedules for weather is protecting your slab, not stalling.
Standard broom-finish flatwork commonly runs $10 to $18 per square foot installed, with tear-out and haul-away of an existing slab adding $2 to $5. Stamped or colored finishes typically land between $18 and $30. A full two-car driveway replacement often totals $8,000 to $18,000 depending on size, access, and base work. If one bid is dramatically lower, ask about base depth and thickness before assuming you found a bargain.
Driveway had heaved over a fir root. They cut the root properly, put in a barrier and six inches of compacted rock, and the new pour is dead flat.
Our patio sloped back toward the house and flooded the slider every winter. Re-poured with proper fall and a drain at the low end. Problem gone.
The panel out by the street needed a right-of-way permit and they took care of the paperwork. They waited for a dry stretch in September and kept it covered while it cured.
Foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two; vehicles typically wait seven days, and heavy loads longer. Concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks. Rushing it leaves tire marks and cracks you'll look at for decades.
Some fine cracking is normal in any slab. Control joints are cut to decide where it happens. What isn't normal is wide, offset, or spreading cracks within the first few years — that points to base preparation or drainage rather than the concrete itself.
It can with precautions like blankets and mix adjustments, but most homeowners are better served waiting for a settled dry stretch. If your job is urgent, ask specifically what cold-weather measures the crew is using.
For a visible patio or entry it can look excellent. It also needs periodic resealing here, since our wet shade grows algae on any texture. For a working driveway, a good broom finish is more practical and cheaper to maintain.
If the concrete is intact and just sitting low, lifting it is often half the price of replacement and takes an afternoon. If the surface is crumbling or the sections have broken apart, replacement is the honest answer.
Send dimensions, photos, and what's failing now. Licensed Beaverton concrete contractors will bid the prep as well as the pour.
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