Concrete Driveway Installation, Replacement & Repair in Seattle
A concrete driveway is one of the most cost-effective additions you can make to a Seattle property - properly built, it lasts 25–40 years and outperforms asphalt on durability, freeze-thaw resistance, and curb appeal. We install new driveways, replace failed ones, and level settled slabs across the greater Seattle area, with a focus on the drainage and base prep that determine how long the finished surface holds up in Pacific Northwest weather. Comparing materials? See concrete vs. asphalt driveways in Seattle.
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Since 2008 we have installed driveways across King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Thurston counties — from straight residential aprons in Ballard to long uphill drives in West Seattle and Bellevue. Every project includes a free on-site estimate, SDOT driveway approach permit coordination where required, and a finish chosen to match the property’s traffic and weather exposure.
What a new or replacement driveway includes
A driveway bid covers far more than the pour. These are the line items to expect, and the ones to compare side by side when you collect quotes:
- Site visit and layout: measuring the slab, checking the grade at the garage and the street, locating downspouts and utilities, and confirming whether any of the work reaches the public right-of-way.
- Removal and haul-off: breaking out the old asphalt or concrete and taking it to a recycler. Seattle bans concrete and asphalt paving from construction garbage, so this material is recycled rather than landfilled.
- Excavation and base: stripping topsoil and organic material, digging out soft spots, and compacting a crushed-rock base.
- Forms and reinforcement: edge forms set to the drainage plan, plus rebar, wire mesh, or fiber depending on the loads the slab will carry.
- Pour, finish, and joints: placing the concrete, applying the chosen surface finish, and cutting or tooling control joints at the right spacing.
- Curing, sealing, and cleanup: protecting the slab from rain and early traffic, applying sealer where specified, pulling forms, and backfilling the edges.
- Apron and curb work: the section where the driveway meets the sidewalk and street, built to City standards under SDOT permits.
Base prep for Seattle soils and slopes
Most driveway failures in Seattle start below the concrete. Much of the region sits on glacial deposits: dense glacial till (often called hardpan) that is strong but drains slowly, looser outwash sand and gravel, and on some lots clay layers or old fill. Till supports a slab well, but water that reaches it tends to sit on top instead of soaking in, which softens the base and carries fines away over a few wet seasons. Old fill and organic soil compress under load, which is where the sunken panels and corner cracks on many older driveways come from.
Base prep for those conditions means removing topsoil and organic material completely, excavating and replacing soft spots instead of paving over them, and compacting a crushed-rock base in lifts. Base depth depends on the subgrade: poor soils and heavy vehicles call for more. Drainage is planned at the same time. The finished slab should shed water away from the garage and the house, downspouts should discharge away from the slab edge rather than under it, and when a driveway has to slope toward the garage, a trench drain at the door is usually the only reliable fix.
Slope adds its own work. Steep driveways are common on Queen Anne, Magnolia, Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, and across West Seattle. They need a surface with enough texture for traction in the rain, careful transitions at the garage and the street so cars don't scrape, and sometimes stepped forms or a stiffer mix so the concrete stays where it is placed. Lots inside a mapped steep-slope or landslide-prone area can also trigger Environmentally Critical Area review with SDCI before work starts. Mature trees near the slab are another Seattle constant: roots lift panels within a decade, so root barriers or a revised layout may belong in the scope.
Slab thickness, reinforcement, and joints
Four inches of concrete over a well-compacted base is the residential standard for passenger cars. Driveways that carry RVs, work trucks, or trailers are usually poured 5–6 inches thick with rebar, and the slab is often thickened at the edges where tires roll on and off, at the street apron and the garage threshold.
- Fiber mixed into the concrete controls early shrinkage cracking.
- Welded wire mesh holds small cracks tight, but only if it is supported in the middle of the slab rather than left lying on the base.
- Rebar on a grid, set on chairs, adds the most stiffness. It is the usual choice for thicker driveways, soft soils, and stamped work.
No reinforcement stops concrete from cracking. Its job is to keep cracks narrow and the slab in one plane. Control joints decide where the cracks go. A common rule of thumb keeps joint spacing in feet at no more than two to three times the slab thickness in inches (roughly 8–12 feet on a 4-inch driveway), with panels kept close to square. An air-entrained mix is the standard defense against freeze-thaw damage, and it matters most on shaded, north-facing driveways that stay wet through the winter.
Driveway finishes for Seattle weather
- Broom finish: a textured surface with the best traction wet or dry, and the default for steep driveways.
- Exposed aggregate: the surface paste is washed off to reveal the stone. The texture hides tire marks, leaf stains, and moss better than smooth concrete.
- Integral color: pigment mixed through the whole slab. It softens glare and hides wear because there is no surface layer to wear through.
- Stamped concrete: pattern and color pressed into the fresh slab. It has the most visual impact, but it needs resealing every 2–3 years and a slip-resistant additive on sloped drives. Our stamped concrete page covers patterns, colors, and sealing.
Whatever the finish, a penetrating sealer applied after the slab cures cuts down on water absorption, oil staining, and freeze-thaw scaling in Seattle's long wet season.
Working on the apron or curb cut? The section between the sidewalk and the street is public right-of-way, and work there needs an SDOT Street Use permit. Our Seattle driveway approach permit guide explains when review is required and how the process works.
Driveway permits in Seattle: SDCI and SDOT
Seattle splits driveway permitting at the property line. On private property, SDCI requires a grading permit once you add or replace 750 square feet or more of paving. Smaller replacements usually don't need one, and resurfacing existing paving doesn't require a grading permit. Projects with more than 5,000 square feet of new or replaced paving must be designed by a civil engineer.
The apron, the sidewalk crossing, and the curb sit in the public right-of-way, which SDOT oversees. Cutting a new driveway into an existing curb requires a curb cut permit, and rebuilding the apron or sidewalk requires an SDOT permit for right-of-way work, built to City standard plans and inspected. Those permits add lead time, so they belong at the start of the schedule, not the end. For every Seattle concrete permit in one place, see the Seattle concrete permits guide hub.
Driveway cost in Seattle by finish type
| Finish | Installed cost (per sq ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Broom finish | $6–$10 | Most common; reliable traction wet or dry |
| Exposed aggregate | $8–$13 | Textured surface; hides stains and tire marks well |
| Integral color | $8–$14 | Color runs throughout slab; won't wear off like surface stains |
| Stamped concrete | $10–$18 | Highest visual impact; reseal every 2–3 years in Seattle's climate |
Final cost varies with slab thickness, base removal, access, slope, and reinforcement. Removing an existing slab, extra base work on soft soils, steep or tight access, thicker reinforced pours, and any SDOT right-of-way work add to the total, while per-square-foot rates usually drop as the driveway gets larger. The Seattle driveway cost guide breaks down each line item. We confirm with an on-site estimate before any work begins.
Driveway repair vs. replacement
Not every tired driveway needs a tear-out. The deciding question is whether the slab, and the base under it, are still sound. Typical fixes and the ranges used elsewhere on this site:
| What you see | Usual fix | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline or shrinkage cracks, no height difference | Clean and seal the cracks | $5–$15 per linear ft |
| One or two sunken panels on an intact slab | Slab lifting (mudjacking or polyurethane foam) | $3–$8 (mudjacking) or $5–$12 (foam) per sq ft |
| Scaling, spalling, stains, or a worn finish on a sound slab | Resurfacing overlay | $4–$9 per sq ft |
| A few broken or heaved panels | Saw-cut and replace those panels | $12–$22 per sq ft |
| Widespread cracking, a failed base, or drainage that can't be corrected | Full replacement | See the finish table above, plus removal |
Sunken panels can often be raised back to grade; see slab lifting and leveling. Surface damage on a slab that is otherwise solid is a job for exterior concrete resurfacing. Any repair that ignores the cause (a downspout emptying under the slab, a tree root, a soft spot in the base) tends to fail again, so a good assessment starts there. Replaced panels also rarely match the color of the original concrete exactly, which matters on a front-yard driveway.
Driveway project timeline
- Estimate and scope: site visit, measurements, finish selection, and a written bid.
- Permits, if needed: SDCI and SDOT permits only apply to some projects, but right-of-way work can't start until they are issued.
- Removal: breaking out and hauling the old driveway, usually the first day on a typical residential job.
- Base and forms: excavation, soft-spot repair, base compaction, forms, and reinforcement, typically one to two days.
- Pour and finish: one day for most residential driveways. Large or stamped driveways may be poured in sections.
- Cure: light foot traffic after 24–48 hours, cars after about 7 days, and full design strength at around 28 days.
- Seal: sealer goes on once the slab has cured long enough for the product being used.
Weather sets the calendar. Late spring through early fall offers the most reliable dry windows. Winter pours are possible with tenting and curing blankets, but they are more likely to be rescheduled. For a closer look at each stage, read the driveway installation process and timeline.
How to compare driveway bids
Ask every contractor to put the same specs in writing: slab thickness, base depth, reinforcement type, joint layout, finish, sealer, whether removal and disposal are included, and who obtains any SDCI or SDOT permits. A bid far below the others usually leaves out base work or reinforcement, the two things you can't see once the concrete is down. Our guide to vetting a Seattle driveway contractor lists the questions worth asking before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Seattle?
Installed prices run about $6–$10 per sq ft for a broom finish, $8–$13 for exposed aggregate, $8–$14 for integral color and $10–$18 for stamped concrete. Removing the old slab, extra base work, steep or tight access and right-of-way work add to that, so confirm the total with an on-site estimate.
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
Four inches over a compacted crushed-rock base is the standard for passenger cars. Driveways that carry RVs, work trucks or trailers are usually poured 5–6 inches thick with rebar, often with thickened edges at the street and garage.
Do I need a permit to replace a driveway in Seattle?
An in-kind replacement on private property needs an SDCI grading permit once it reaches 750 sq ft or more of paving (smaller replacements usually don't), and any work in the public right-of-way (the apron between the sidewalk and street) needs a Street Use permit through SDOT. We handle the coordination.
How long does a concrete driveway last in the Pacific Northwest?
A properly installed and sealed concrete driveway lasts 25–40 years in Seattle's climate. Drainage detailing and base prep matter more than mix strength for longevity here.
Can you repair a cracked driveway instead of replacing it?
Often yes. We assess crack width, depth, and whether the slab is settling. Hairline and shrinkage cracks can be sealed; structural cracks or settling slabs may need partial replacement or leveling.
What finishes are available for concrete driveways?
Standard broom finish is the most common. We also do exposed aggregate, stamped patterns, and integral color. Each has different maintenance and cost profiles.
How soon can I drive on a new concrete driveway?
Light foot traffic is usually fine after 24–48 hours. Wait about 7 days before parking cars, and longer for heavy vehicles; concrete reaches its design strength at around 28 days. Cold, wet weather slows curing.
Can an old driveway be resurfaced instead of replaced?
Yes, if the slab is structurally sound and the damage is at the surface: scaling, spalling, stains or a worn finish. An overlay won't fix settling, heaving or wide structural cracks; those need slab lifting, panel replacement or a new driveway.
Service areas
We handle driveway installs and replacements across King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Thurston counties, including in Bellevue, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Puyallup, and Gig Harbor. See all service areas.
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