Concrete work in Fairfield, for the driveways that have done forty winters

Fairfield's neighborhoods were built mostly between the 1950s and 1980s, and their driveways, walks and stoops are the oldest in our northern suburbs. Replacement and repair, done to last another forty.

Residential concrete driveway surface spalled and pitted by winter road salt, flaking top layer exposing aggregate and a crack running through

Fairfield is the Butler County city between Hamilton and the Hamilton County line, along Route 4 and the Great Miami River. Its housing is a generation older than West Chester's: ranches and split-levels from the 1950s through the 1980s, with the driveways, front walks and stoops they were built with. Forty winters of freeze-thaw and salt on a 1970s driveway poured 3 or 4 inches thick with no air in the mix leaves it flaking, cracked and sunk at the apron, and that's the job we do most in Fairfield: take it out, build a base, pour it right.

The rest is what older neighborhoods need. Front stoops and steps that have tilted on shallow footings. Walks heaved by the maples planted when the houses were new. Garage floors cracked and dusting. Patios added in the 1980s that have settled toward the house. And the occasional sidewalk notice, because Fairfield, like Cincinnati, expects owners to keep up the public walk.

Fairfield is a city with its own building department and its own rules for driveway approaches on city streets; county roads go through Butler County's engineer and Route 4 is ODOT's. We check which applies, pull what's needed, and call Ohio811 before any dig.

What comes up in Fairfield

Old driveways out, new ones inThe 1960s to 1980s driveways at the end of their lives: removal, a real base, 4 inches air-entrained, the apron to the City's spec.

Tilted stoopsSteps on shallow footings that have heaved and leaned. Replaced on a footing below the 30-inch frost line, with rail sleeves.

Maple-heaved walksFront walks and public sidewalks lifted by mature trees. Grinding, lifting or replacement by panel.

Settled patios1980s patios that have dropped toward the house. Foam lifting where the slab is sound; replacement where it's broken.

Dusting garage floorsOld floors that have gone soft on top. Overlay where the slab is sound; replacement where it's heaving.

City permitsFairfield's building department for slabs and walls; the road owner for aprons; Ohio811 every time.

Around Fairfield

Along Route 4 and Pleasant Avenue
Along Winton Road
The Mack Road side
Fairfield's Village Green area
The river side toward Hamilton
Along Nilles Road
The Springdale edge
The Ross Township edge

Asked in Fairfield

Is it worth repairing a 1975 driveway?

If it's spalling across most of the surface, no; a patch lasts a winter. If it's one sunk panel on a sound slab, lifting it is worth it. The estimator says which.

Can you match my old front walk?

The width and grade, yes. New concrete is lighter than forty-year-old concrete and darkens over a couple of years.

Does Fairfield send sidewalk notices?

Cities in the area generally expect owners to maintain the public walk and can issue notices. If you've received one, bring it to the estimate and we'll price the panels it lists.

How do you handle the apron on a Fairfield city street?

Under the City's rules for right-of-way work, with the permit it requires. On a county road or Route 4 it's a different office, and we confirm before quoting.

Next door

A price in Fairfield

Tell us the job and where it is. Someone calls back the same day, an estimator measures it in person, and you get a written price with the thickness, the base and the finish spelled out. Nothing is poured on a verbal.