Concrete we remove
If it is poured or laid on the ground, we can probably take it out. Typical concrete removal projects include the following.
- Driveways and parking pads
- Back yard patios and pool decks
- Garage slabs and shed slabs
- Walkways, steps and stoops
- Low concrete and block walls
- Interlocking pavers, brick and flagstone
- Footings and foundation sections
Matching the equipment to the job
A thin patio slab in an open back yard comes out quickly with a skid steer and a breaker attachment. A thick driveway with rebar mesh may need a mini excavator with a hydraulic breaker. A narrow side yard with no machine access means jackhammers, wheelbarrows and a lot of careful hand work.
We look at thickness, reinforcement and access during the estimate and pick the setup that gets it done efficiently without tearing up the areas that stay.
Driveway and patio concrete removal
Driveways take more abuse than any other concrete around a house. Tree roots lift them, heavy trucks crack them and decades of settling leave them uneven. Back yard patios tend to fail in different ways, with cracks, low spots that hold water and surfaces that have been patched too many times.
In both cases, full removal is usually cleaner than patching. We break out the old concrete, pull any rebar or wire mesh, haul it away and leave a base that your contractor can compact and pour on.
Clean edges where concrete stays
Often only part of a slab or driveway needs to go. Before we break anything, we saw-cut a straight line between what stays and what goes. That keeps cracks from running into the section you want to keep and gives your concrete contractor a clean edge to pour against.
Pavers and flagstone
Pavers and flagstone are a little different from poured concrete. Some are set in sand and lift out fairly easily. Others are mortared onto a concrete base, which means breaking out both layers. We tell you which one you have at the estimate so the scope is accurate.
Hauling and recycling concrete
Broken concrete is one of the most recyclable materials on a job. We keep it separate from dirt, wood and other debris, load it into our dump trucks and trailers, and take it where it can be crushed and reused. Clean concrete loads can usually be recycled, and we separate metal and wood whenever practical.
Because we haul with our own fleet, you do not need a separate bin rental, and the yard does not sit full of rubble while you wait for a pickup.
Getting ready for what comes next
After the concrete is gone, we can rough grade the area with a skid steer so it is ready for new concrete, pavers, turf or planting. If you are working with a landscaper or pool builder, let us know their plans and we will leave the ground in the condition they need.
