Repair a driveway when the damage sits on the surface and the base under it is sound, resurface when the wear runs across the driveway but the slab is still level, and replace when it is heaving, sinking in large sections, or past its service age. HomeGuide puts driveway repair at $100 to $400 for cracks and potholes and $600 to $3,000 for major repairs or resurfacing, with concrete repair at $3 to $8 per square foot and asphalt at $2 to $5. Two numbers decide most of these calls: a quarter inch of crack width, and a quarter of the driveway's area.
That is the short version. The longer answer depends on what caused the damage, because a surface fix over a failing base cracks again along the same lines. Below: how to read a Chicago-area driveway, what each fix costs at published 2026 ranges, and when the honest answer from any driveway installer is to stop repairing and start over.
Reading the Damage: What Your Driveway Is Telling You
| What you see | Usual cause | Usual fix | Published cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thin web-like cracks | Shrinkage while curing | Fill and seal | $0.50 – $3 per linear foot |
| Cracks over 1/4 in wide or deep | Shifting sub-base or tree roots | Inspection before any patch | Engineer $100 – $220/hr |
| Flaking, pitted surface | Moisture, freeze-thaw, de-icers | Spalling repair or resurfacing | $3 – $5 per sq ft |
| Crumbling edges or apron | Weakest point, no edge restraint | Patch plus edging | Edging $1 – $2 per linear foot |
| One section sitting low | Erosion, poor compaction, roots | Slab jacking | $600 – $1,200 per section |
| Potholes | Water working through a crack | Patch | $100 – $400 each |
| Standing water after rain | Grade or drainage | Drainage review first | $500 – $2,400 |
Hairline cracks versus structural cracks
The quarter-inch rule does most of the work. HomeGuide states that cracks wider or deeper than 1/4 inch typically indicate larger structural issues and should be inspected before repairs. Angi describes the two patterns: shrinkage cracks are very thin, web-like collections that appear right after curing, while large structural cracks signal a shifting sub-base or large roots. Filling a structural crack does not fix what moves underneath it. Left alone through a winter, any crack becomes a pothole: HomeGuide prices filling one at $100 to $400, since the patch is $25 to $40 per hole plus $100 to $250 to bring the crew out.
Spalling and scaling on concrete
Spalling is the flaking that leaves a pitted surface with the aggregate showing. HomeGuide is direct about the cause: moisture in the concrete, most common in cold climates with freeze-thaw cycles, worsened by rock salt and de-icing chemicals — a precise description of a Chicago driveway in February. Repair runs $3 to $5 per square foot, or $1,800 to $4,200 for a 600-square-foot two-car driveway.
Heaving and crumbling at the apron
Damage shows up first where the driveway is weakest. HomeGuide notes crumbling typically occurs on the pavement edges or near the apron, and that edging at $1 to $2 per linear foot reduces it. The same page gives the sign that changes the decision: driveways crumbling in several spots signify foundation problems, and full replacement may be necessary.
A section sinking near the garage
When one slab sits lower than its neighbors, the slab is usually fine and the Chicago clay under it is not. HomeGuide attributes sinking, settling, and buckling to water damage, tree roots, and foundation problems, and prices leveling at $600 to $1,200 for a small section or $1,400 to $2,700 for a whole driveway. A low slab at the garage is worth acting on quickly: it sends meltwater at the building instead of away.
Water that runs toward the garage
Standing water changes the order of operations. HomeGuide advises evaluating the drainage design before making repairs, and lists replacement as sometimes necessary for severe drainage problems. Patching a wet low spot without changing where the water goes buys one season.
Repair Options by Surface
Concrete: crack fill, slab jacking, resurfacing overlay
Concrete gives you three tiers. Filling and sealing cracks costs $0.50 to $3 per linear foot, with a $100 to $250 minimum service fee. Lifting a settled slab is the middle tier: HomeGuide prices mudjacking, which pumps a cement-based slurry under the slab, at $4 to $9 per square foot, stone slurry grout at $6 to $15, and polyurethane foam at $8 to $25 — on a 450-square-foot driveway, $1,800 to $4,100 by mudjacking or $3,600 to $11,300 by foam. Angi's $3 to $25 per square foot spans the same methods.
Resurfacing is the third tier: cleaning and etching the old surface, then bonding a new layer over it. HomeGuide prices concrete resurfacing at $3 to $7 per square foot, Angi at $3 to $5, or $660 to $1,100 for a standard single driveway. HomeGuide's caution matters most: you can pour over an existing slab if the cracking or spalling is minor and the base is sound, but if the concrete is heaving or has major cracks, removing and replacing beats pouring on top.
Asphalt: sealcoat, patch, overlay
Asphalt is the most forgiving surface to repair and the one that most rewards staying on schedule. Crack filling costs $1 to $3 per linear foot, or $100 to $400 for a full driveway (Angi). Patching runs $100 to $500 by method: cold patches $100 to $200, hot asphalt up to $250, saw-cutting or infrared up to $500 per patch, with the hot and specialized patches bonding more durably.
Sealcoating is maintenance, not repair; Angi calls sealing every three to five years one of the most important steps in protecting asphalt, at $110 to $1,500, average $470. Above it sits resurfacing: a 1- to 2-inch overlay at $1 to $4 per square foot or $500 to $2,000 total (Angi), or $1 to $3 per square foot (HomeGuide). HomeGuide sets the test plainly — best for pavement under 15 to 20 years old with a good foundation and under 30% damage.
Pavers: re-leveling and unit replacement
A paver driveway rarely needs a wholesale fix, because the repair unit is one paver. HomeGuide prices brick driveway repair at $2 to $8 per square foot and gives the method for a settled area: remove the pavers, fill the space with sand, compact until flat. On larger settled areas, pros charge $6 to $12 per square foot to relevel; if tree roots lifted the units, the root is the repair, and tree removal runs $400 to $1,200. Two upkeep items keep a paver drive out of that work: joint sand topped up regularly, or pavers start shifting, and snow cleared with a poly or rubber cutting edge, with plow contractors asked to raise the blade an inch.
What Each Fix Costs in 2026
| Work | Concrete | Asphalt | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crack filling (per linear foot) | $0.50 – $3 | $0.50 – $3 | HomeGuide |
| Patching and repairs (per sq ft) | $3 – $8 | $2 – $5 | HomeGuide |
| Resurfacing (per sq ft) | $3 – $7 | $1 – $3 | HomeGuide |
| Lifting a settled slab (per sq ft) | $3 – $6 mudjacking | — | HomeGuide |
| Replacement (per sq ft) | $6 – $15 | $5 – $12+ | HomeGuide |
On whole projects, HomeGuide reports a national average of $1,200 and a range of $300 to $2,500, from 1,192 project costs reported by its members. Angi puts concrete driveway repair at $830 to $2,925, average $1,873, and the national average asphalt repair at $2,469 from 3,521 verified projects. Angi's city table puts the average asphalt driveway repair in Chicago at $2,000 — above Omaha at $900, below Houston at $3,400 — tracking its note that areas with big seasonal temperature swings face higher repair costs.
When Replacement Wins
HomeGuide's repair-versus-replace split is the cleanest test published: repair or resurface when you have shallow cracks under 1/4 inch, surface spalling, discoloration, and a level surface; replace when the driveway is more than 20 years old or shows large cracks, severely crumbling edges, or a buckling surface. Three more lines from the same page sharpen it:
- Age. Consider replacing asphalt driveways older than 15 to 20 years and concrete older than 25, because after that the foundation deteriorates and problems recur even after repairs.
- Extent. Past 25% damaged area, resurfacing or replacement beats individual repairs on cost. Angi says it from the contractor's side: once the cumulative cost of individual repairs exceeds resurfacing or replacement, the bigger job is the recommendation.
- Value for money. Angi puts concrete repair at an average of $1,873 against $6,400 to replace, but notes a new concrete driveway lasts an average of 30 years with good maintenance while resurfacing lasts about half that or less.
If the answer is "replace," the next question is what to put down, and it is not automatically what was there before. Our guide to paver, concrete and asphalt compared covers how each behaves through a Chicago winter, and the pricing math for a new pour sits in concrete driveway cost in Chicago.
Timing: Chicago's Season Windows
Repairs are weather-bound and the Chicago calendar is tight. Sealing has the hardest limit: HomeGuide says to seal in dry weather between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which across the North Shore means late spring through early fall. New concrete has its own clock — 7 to 10 days before a car goes on it, 28 to 30 days of cure before the first sealer; asphalt needs 48 to 72 hours.
Scheduling has a cost angle too. HomeGuide notes spring, summer, and early fall are peak season for asphalt work, that off-season work can save 10% to 15% although weather limits what is possible, and that paver crews typically price better from November to January. The one thing not worth deferring is a small crack: HomeGuide's advice is to fill cracks and potholes immediately, which prevents damage spreading. A quarter-inch crack in October is a pothole in April.
Preventing a Repeat: Drainage, Base and Downspouts
Most repeat repairs are water repairs. HomeGuide's concrete leveling guide states it plainly: if water infiltration or poor drainage caused the original problem, leveling without fixing that means the concrete will likely settle again, while with proper water management it lasts as long as the original slab. Professionally leveled concrete holds 5 to 10 years or more, mudjacking and stone slurry typically 5 to 7. The fix list is short, and mostly not about pavement:
- Move the water first. Drainage improvements alongside a leveling job run $500 to $2,000 or more, a new drainage system along a driveway $400 to $2,400 (HomeGuide) — less than lifting the same slab twice.
- Check where the downspouts empty. A downspout discharging beside the driveway saturates the sub-base holding the slab level, and saturated Chicago clay is what heaves in a freeze.
- Protect the edges. Edging at $1 to $2 per linear foot reduces crumbling at the weakest part of the slab (HomeGuide).
- Keep to the schedule. Sealing every three years and filling cracks as they appear prolongs the driveway's life (HomeGuide).
- Deal with roots. Root removal averages $100 to $200; patching over a root that is still growing is wasted work.
What R & G Almanza Repairs
R & G Almanza Landscape Inc performs repairs and maintenance on brick, concrete, and asphalt paved areas: general cleaning, power washing and stain removal, weeding and spraying, careful snow removal and de-icing, seal coating, resurfacing, crack repair, and edging. We install concrete, stamped concrete, and paver driveways; we do not offer asphalt driveway paving, so on asphalt we work the repair side only.
The first visit is a look at the base and the water, not a patch. Whether a driveway is worth repairing comes down to what is under it.
Repair, Resurface or Replace: FAQ
Should I repair or replace my driveway?
Repair or resurface when you have shallow cracks under 1/4 inch, surface spalling, discoloration, and a level surface. Replace when the driveway is over 20 years old or shows large cracks, severely crumbling edges, or buckling (HomeGuide). Past 25% damaged area, resurfacing or replacement is the better spend.
How much does driveway resurfacing cost?
HomeGuide puts concrete resurfacing at $3 to $7 per square foot and asphalt at $1 to $3. Angi prices concrete resurfacing at $3 to $5, or $660 to $1,100 for a standard single driveway, and an asphalt overlay at $1 to $4, or $500 to $2,000 total. It only works when the base beneath is sound.
What size crack is a problem?
A quarter of an inch is the line. HomeGuide says cracks wider or deeper than that typically indicate larger structural issues and should be inspected before any repair, while narrower ones can be filled with sealant or crack filler. Thin web-like cracks are usually shrinkage from curing; one wide crack that keeps opening means movement under the slab.
Can a sunken driveway be lifted instead of replaced?
Often, yes. Slab jacking lifts a settled slab by pumping material into the voids beneath it: mudjacking $4 to $9 per square foot, stone slurry grout $6 to $15, polyurethane foam $8 to $25 (HomeGuide). It works when the slab is sound and has simply settled; extensive cracking or severe deterioration points to replacement.
Why does concrete flake and pit in Chicago?
That is spalling. HomeGuide names the cause: moisture in the concrete, most common in cold climates with freeze-thaw cycles, worsened by rock salt and de-icing chemicals. Repair runs $3 to $5 per square foot, and a sealer reapplied every two to three years keeps de-icers from restarting it.
When is the best time of year for driveway repairs in Chicago?
Sealing needs dry weather between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (HomeGuide), which puts it in late spring through early fall in the Chicago area. Pours want the same stretch, since fresh concrete needs 7 to 10 days before a vehicle uses it. Off-season asphalt work can run 10% to 15% less, and paver crews often price better November to January.
How long does driveway resurfacing last?
Angi notes a new concrete driveway lasts an average of 30 years with good maintenance while resurfacing lasts about half that or less. Professionally leveled concrete holds 5 to 10 years or more, mudjacking and stone slurry typically 5 to 7 when the drainage behind the settling is corrected. Skip that and the clock runs shorter.
Cracked, Sinking or Heaving Driveway in Skokie or the North Shore?
A crack, a low slab, or a pothole is a symptom, and the best outcome comes from fixing what caused it before resurfacing over it. R & G Almanza Landscape Inc is a family-owned, insured crew working on driveways, walkways, and patios across Skokie, Evanston, Chicago, and the North Shore since 1999. Wondering what your project would cost? Contact us to request an estimate, and we will look at the surface, the base, and where your water goes before recommending a repair, a resurface, or a rebuild.
Call R & G Almanza Landscape at (847) 869-8584 about a cracked, sinking, or heaving driveway.
