Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 1/25/2012

Question
QUESTION: I recently had a new residential driveway poured. I watched the installation and they did appear to do a good job. They added road base and tamped it and added rebar down before pouring. After one and an half months I noticed a crack that extended the entire width of the driveway and was the entire depth of the driveway. Is this something that would be expected or should I ask for a warranty claim?

ANSWER: Hi mike, that sucks.  It looks like, from your photo, that there are control joints cut into the concrete.  Control joints are cut into large concrete slabs to hopefully encourage the slab to crack within the joint.  Unfortunately, concrete being concrete, it cracks.  It is the nature of the beast.  The location of the crack in your photo looks to me that there may be a transition going on in front of the carport.  My suggestion would be A. Live with it..or B. have your concrete contractor cut out that cracked section that abuts your carport threshold and repour it as an apron with thickened edges.  He may want to charge you for it but maybe you can work out a deal where you pay for materials and he does the work. Or he may cut it out and repour it at his cost if there are extenuating circumstances such as improper compaction.  I hope this information helps, please feel free to write again regarding this or other matters..sincerely Bruce Johnson

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Bruce. Thank you for your advice. In addition to the crack, I have noticed that on the sidewalk leading to my front door there is a spot that apparently heaved up. Picture included. I know they doweled the sidewalk into the house along the side of the side of the sidewalk. Could this also be from improper compaction? I watched them use a power tamper on the road base they put down during installation. Any advice on the sidewalk?

Thanks for your advice.

Answer
Hi again mike, there is something wrong with this picture.  If this work was done "recently" and you are already having severe settling issues then something is amiss.  For one thing the new sidewalk section should be the one settling.  One would think that the old sidewalk would have settled  long before this work was added to it.  Unless you live in an area with extremely expansive soils such as clay or black mud.  Expansive soils blow up when wet and shrink down when dry.  It's possible that wet weather caused the soil beneath the new sidewalk to swell and pushed it up.  It looks like the old sidewalk needs to be replaced as well and the two tied together with a couple of rebar dowels.  You might have some drainage issues around your house that need to be addressed as well.  Make sure you have positive slope away from the building and walks so that water has a way to naturally leave the area.  Expansive situations as extreme as this can cause big trouble over time if not taken care of.  Sincerely Bruce Johnson