Concrete Replacement Hamilton

At Hamilton Concrete Contractors we replace concrete across Hamilton and the wider Waikato, on driveways, patios, paths, garage and shed floors, and commercial yards. Replacement means the old slab comes out, the ground underneath gets rebuilt, and a new slab goes down. It is the only one of the three remedial options that lets you fix what actually went wrong, because a repair and an overlay both leave the original base where it is.

Not every tired slab needs replacing, and we will tell you when it does not. Where the base is sound we would rather resurface it and say so. Where panels have stepped, the ground has moved or the slab is breaking up across the whole area, replacement is the honest answer. We look at it, tell you which of the three you are dealing with, and the price comes back in writing.

Out, rebuilt, repoured.

Miss QQ

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“From the very beginning, they were professional and friendly. They answered all my questions clearly.

Get Your Free Replacement Quote

Tell us the rough area, what is on it now and what is going wrong. We come out, look under the slab where we can, and send the price in writing.

★★★★★

5.0 on Google | 10+ years in the trade

Replacement Work

Concrete Replacement Jobs We Take On in Hamilton

Six kinds of replacement cover almost everything we quote. Driveways make up most of it by area, and the base rebuild underneath is where the value sits. It runs off the same crew and plant as every other kind of concrete we lay around Hamilton.

Driveway Replacement

Driveways are the replacement we do most, and the old slab usually tells us why it failed before we break a single panel out. Cracking in a grid pattern points at the base. Cracking along one line points at a missing or badly placed joint.

We break out, cart away, rebuild the base in compacted layers and repour to the finish you pick. Where the driveway meets the kerb, the crossing comes into it.

Patio, Path and Courtyard Replacement

Patios, paths and courtyards come to us when the surface has gone past patching and the area is small enough that replacement is not much dearer than a good repair.

These are the jobs where access decides the price. A back courtyard that a machine cannot reach means the old slab comes out by hand and goes out by barrow, and that is hours rather than materials.

Garage and Shed Floor Replacement

Garage and shed floors we replace when the slab is dusting badly, has broken up under point loads, or sits too low and takes water in from the driveway. The last one is the common one and it cannot be fixed by resurfacing.

A new floor is the chance to get the level and the fall right, and to put a damp proof membrane under it if there never was one.

Partial Replacement and Panel Swaps

Sometimes only part of a slab has failed, and we cut out and replace the affected panels rather than the lot. It works where the joints give a clean line to cut to and the rest of the area is stable.

Be aware that a new panel will not colour match an old one. If the difference will bother you, say so at the visit, because that changes the recommendation.

Break-Out, Cartage and Disposal

Break-out is the part of a replacement people forget when they compare quotes, and on some jobs we price it as a standalone. Breaking, loading, carting and paying to dump reinforced concrete is real money before any new work starts.

Thickness, whether there is mesh or bar in it, and how close the truck can get all decide what it costs. Reinforced slabs come out slower than plain ones.

Commercial and Yard Slab Replacement

Commercial and yard slabs are the replacements we stage, because the site usually has to keep operating while the work runs. We take out and repour in bays so part of the yard stays usable throughout.

On a commercial job the replacement is also the moment to correct the joint layout and the falls, which is usually what shortened the life of the slab we are removing.

The Build

How a Concrete Replacement Runs

Five steps, and the first one is the one that decides whether you spend the money at all.

Assessment and the Repair or Replace Call

We look at the slab, the cracking pattern and the ground around it, and tell you whether you are looking at a repair, an overlay or a replacement. That conversation is free and it sometimes ends with us talking you out of the job.

Written Quote and Crossing Check

The price comes back in writing with the break-out, the cartage, the base work and the new slab as separate lines. Where the work touches the vehicle crossing, council approval goes into the programme at this point.

Break-Out, Loading and Cartage

The old slab gets broken, loaded and carted away. Reinforced concrete comes out slower than plain because the mesh holds it together, and access decides whether that is a machine job or a barrow job.

Base Rebuild, Falls and Steel

This is the part you are actually paying for. We dig to depth, deal with whatever the old slab was hiding, compact the base in layers and reset the falls before any steel goes down.

Repour, Cut and Cure

We pour, screed and finish to the texture you picked, then cut control joints while the slab is young and place them where the old ones should have been. You get cure times and the date it takes traffic.

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Concrete Replacement Prices in Hamilton

A full concrete replacement in Hamilton runs $120 to $180 per square metre with the break-out included. That covers taking the old slab out, carting it away, rebuilding the base and pouring the new one in a plain or broom finish. Decorative finishes sit above that range.

It is worth seeing the alternative next to it. Resurfacing a slab that is structurally sound runs $40 to $80 per square metre, so where the base has not moved, an overlay is less than half the cost. That is the comparison we walk you through on site.

Break-out on its own is quoted on thickness, reinforcement and access. Partial panel replacement is quoted per panel. Figures on this page are a guide as at August 2026 and not a quote, and we price properly after seeing the slab.

Replacement work	Guide range (Aug 2026)
Full replacement, including break-out	$120 to $180 / m²
Resurfacing instead, where the base is sound	$40 to $80 / m²
Break-out, cartage and disposal only	Quoted on thickness and access
Partial replacement and panel swaps	Quoted per panel

What Moves the Price of a Replacement

Vehicle load. A 100 mm driveway suits cars, utes and vans. A boat trailer, horse float or truck changes the slab thickness, steel and excavation. Tell us what will park on it before we quote.

New driveway or replacement. New work starts with excavation and a prepared base. Replacement also includes breaking out the old slab, carting it away and checking why it failed.

Finish choice. Plain and broom finishes sit at the lower end. Colour, exposed aggregate and stamped work add materials and labour on pour day.

Ground and base. Fill, soft ground and an old base that has moved all need attention before a new driveway is poured. The base is where the long-term result is decided.

Drainage and slope. Falls must carry water away from the garage and house. A channel drain or soak pit can be part of the job where the section does not drain naturally.

Site access. A truck that reaches the pour is the cheapest outcome. Tight access needs extra planning and labour, which adds hours.

Shape and edges. A long straight driveway is quicker to form than the same area cut into curves, steps, narrow returns or several parking bays.

Vehicle crossing. Where the driveway meets the kerb, we allow for Hamilton City Council approval and inspection in the programme and quote.

Why Us

Why People Replace Concrete With Us

Six things worth knowing before you pay anyone to break out a slab.

We Tell You When Not to Replace

Replacement is the most expensive of the three remedial options, so we check the other two first. If the base is sound and the surface is the problem, we will say resurface, and we will say it even though the smaller job is worth less to us.

The Base Gets Rebuilt, Not Reused

The whole argument for replacing rather than overlaying is the ground underneath. So we dig it out, prove it, and compact it back in layers. A new slab dropped onto the old failed base is money spent buying the same problem again.

Break-Out and Tip Fees Are in the Quote

Demolition, cartage and dump fees are a real line and they are on the quote as their own number. A replacement price that looks unusually sharp is often one where break-out has been left out and turns up later.

Joints Placed Where the Old Ones Failed

An old slab tells you where it wanted a joint. We read the cracking before we break it out, and the new joint layout goes where the concrete has already shown us it needs to move.

Crossing Approval Handled in the Programme

Where a replacement touches the kerb, Hamilton City Council requires the vehicle crossing to be approved before construction and inspected by staff throughout construction, and a like for like rebuild is no exception. We allow for that in the programme rather than discovering it on the day.

One Crew From Break-Out to Final Cut

The people who break out the old slab are the people who pour the new one. Nothing gets handed between crews at the point where the base is open and the decisions are being made.

The Decision

Repair, Resurface or Replace, and How to Tell

Three options exist for tired concrete and most people are quoted only one of them. Knowing which you are actually looking at is worth more than any price you will get.

Repair suits a slab that is sound apart from local damage. A stable crack over solid ground gets stitched and filled, a spalled edge gets cut back and rebuilt. The test is whether the ground has moved. If it has not, a repair holds.

Resurfacing suits a slab that is structurally fine and cosmetically finished. The base has to be stable and level, because an overlay follows whatever it is laid on. Over a slab that has stepped, it hides the symptom for a season and the movement carries on underneath.

Replacement is the answer when the ground under the slab has failed, when panels have stepped against each other, or when cracking runs in a grid across the whole area rather than in one line. Those are all signs the problem is below the concrete, and no surface treatment reaches it.

Hamilton ground is why this comes up so often here. Council geotechnical records describe the Hinuera Formation under the city as interbedded pumice gravels, sands, silts and peat, varying markedly across a single site. Add cut and fill on a levelled building platform and you get two different ground densities under one slab. A slab will always find that join, and replacement is the only one of the three options that lets you deal with it.

Reviews

Hamilton Concrete Reviews

Every review below is a Google review left by a customer, pulled live from our profile.

EXCELLENT

Based on 10 reviews

Amit Sharma

My driveway was cracked all over and needed replacement as it was very old and worn off. I called Hamilton Concrete Contractors for a quote and consultation. Olly came over the next day to have a look and suggested the solution that best suited to my driveway's condition. I really liked the friendly vibes from Olly and he sounded like he genuinly cared. I got 3 more quotes from other companies but they were very transactional in my opinion. I liked Olly's approach and vibe so decidied to go ahead with him. He did an exceptional job for me and I am happy with the service.

kritika arora

We had an outstanding experience with Hamilton Concrete Contractors. The team was professional, punctual, and highly skilled. They handled our concrete project from start to finish with great precision, ensuring a smooth and durable finish. Their attention to detail and quality workmanship was excellent, and they kept the site clean and safe throughout the process. Communication was clear and consistent, and all our questions were answered promptly. We are extremely happy with the results and highly recommend Hamilton Concrete Contractors for any residential or commercial concrete work in Hamilton.

Seyi Oluokun

Tested and trusted. They have proven that they are reliable for any construction project. Highly recommended to all and sundry.

abah boniface

They are absolutely reliable, they kept to the agreement and they delivered the job smoothly

Damilola Oscar (J Hanameel)

One of the best at this. I am very excited to work with them. You can trust them too, I strongly recommend!

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Common Questions

Concrete Replacement FAQs

The questions people ask before booking a driveway, answered here so you do not have to ring for them.

What does it cost to replace concrete in Hamilton?

$120 to $180 per square metre including break-out, for a plain or broom finish. That covers removal, cartage, the base rebuild and the new slab. Decorative finishes sit above it. For comparison, resurfacing a sound slab runs $40 to $80 per square metre, which is the number worth knowing before you commit to a replacement. Prices here are a guide as at August 2026 and yours comes in writing after we have seen the slab.

Should I replace or resurface?

It depends on one thing: whether the ground under the slab has moved. Resurfacing works where the base is stable and only the surface has gone. Where panels have stepped against each other, or cracking runs in a grid across the whole area, the problem is underneath and an overlay will not reach it. We make that call on site and we tell you which one you have, including when it is the cheaper of the two.

Do you take the old concrete away?

Yes, and it is priced as its own line. Breaking, loading, carting and dumping reinforced concrete costs real money before any new work starts, so we show it separately rather than burying it. What it costs comes off the thickness, whether there is mesh or bar through it, and how close a truck can get to the slab.

Do I need council approval to replace a driveway?

For the vehicle crossing, yes. Hamilton City Council requires every vehicle crossing to be approved before construction and inspected during it, and that applies to a like for like rebuild as much as a new one. We allow for the approval and the inspections in the programme. The driveway inside your boundary is a different question and we go through it at the site visit.

Can you replace just part of a slab?

Often, yes. Where the control joints give a clean line to cut back to and the rest of the area is stable, we cut out and repour the failed panels only. The thing to know is that a new panel will not colour match an old one, and it never fully will. If that will bother you, tell us at the visit, because it changes what we recommend.

How long does a replacement take?

Longer than a new pour, because the old slab has to come out first. Break-out and cartage is usually a day on a domestic driveway, base work another, then the pour. The slab is cured from the day it is poured, foot traffic comes after a day or two, and vehicles after seven days, ten through a Hamilton winter. You get the dates in writing with the quote.

Why did my concrete fail in the first place?

Usually the base, occasionally the joints, rarely the concrete itself. A slab cracking in a grid pattern has lost support underneath. A slab cracked along one line was asking for a control joint that was never cut, or was cut too shallow or too late. We read the old slab before we break it out, because whatever caused it is still there and it is the thing the new slab has to be built around.

Do you replace commercial slabs and yards?

Yes, and we stage them so the site keeps operating. We take out and repour in bays so part of the yard stays usable throughout. A commercial replacement is also the moment to fix the joint layout and the falls, since those are usually what cut short the life of the slab being removed.

Free Replacement Quotes

Get a Free Concrete Replacement Quote

Tell us the rough size of the area and the finish you are after. We come out, measure it and send the price in writing. Call 07 808 6940.