Flat concrete is one of the most common things we remove, on its own or as part of a bigger job. Driveways get replaced with pavers, patios get bigger, pool decks get redone, and side yards get turned back into grass. The work is quick. The planning is in the details around it.
What you have
Different surfaces, different jobs
| Item | What to expect | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | Broken up with a breaker or lifted in pieces, then hauled. | The apron in the swale, buried pipes, and sprinkler lines under the edges. |
| Patio slab | Often thinner and easier, unless it was poured over an older slab. | Columns or a roof attached to the slab, and drainage toward the house. |
| Pool deck | Usually done with the pool equipment and coping in mind. | Plumbing and electrical for the pool running under the deck. |
| Pavers | Pulled up and often reusable, with the base underneath. | Whether you want them stacked to reuse or hauled away. |
Concrete with rebar or wire mesh takes longer to break and separate than plain concrete.
The details
What decides how it goes
The swale and the apron
The part of the driveway between the sidewalk and the street usually sits in the public right-of-way. Replacing it often needs a separate permit from the city's public works department.
Thickness and rebar
A 4 inch patio and an 8 inch reinforced slab are very different jobs. A test break at the start tells the crew what they're dealing with.
Access
A skid steer through a side gate is fast. Hauling broken concrete out by wheelbarrow from a backyard with no access is not.
Drainage after
When concrete comes out, water goes somewhere new. Grade the area so it drains away from the house and not onto the neighbor.
Where it goes
What happens to the concrete
Recycled
Clean concrete goes to a recycler that crushes it into base rock and fill, so very little of it ends up in a landfill.
Kept clean
The less dirt, wood and trash mixed in, the easier it is to recycle.
Tickets
Ask for the disposal or recycling tickets, as with any debris.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to remove a driveway in Florida?
Removing the driveway on your lot often doesn't need its own permit, but the apron in the swale is usually in the public right-of-way, and replacing it typically needs a permit from the city's public works department. Check with your city.
How long does driveway removal take?
A typical residential driveway usually comes out in a day, sometimes two if it's thick, reinforced or hard to reach. Grading and prep for the new surface come right after.
Can concrete from a driveway be recycled?
Yes. Clean concrete is crushed by recyclers and reused as base rock and fill.
What affects the cost of concrete removal?
The square footage, thickness, rebar or mesh, access for equipment, and how far the concrete has to be hauled. Removing it as part of a larger demolition is usually cheaper than a separate trip.
This article is general information. Right-of-way and permit requirements vary by city. Check with your building and public works departments before work starts.