Repair or Replace Your Concrete Driveway in Spokane? Costs, Warning Signs and Approach Permits (2026)

Short answer: repair or lift a concrete driveway when the slabs are still in one piece and the cracks are narrow. Replace it when sections are broken up, heaving or crumbling, or when more than about a quarter of it needs work. In Spokane, Spokane Valley and the rest of the county, freeze-thaw and drainage decide which way most driveways go, and replacing the part in the public right-of-way takes its own permit.

Quick decision checklist

• Cracks under 1/4 inch, surface level: seal the cracks, patch, or resurface
• Sections sunk but intact: fix the water problem, then lift them (mudjacking or foam)
• A few broken slabs, the rest sound: replace just those sections
• Cracks wider than 1/4 inch, heaving, crumbling edges, or more than 25% damaged: replace
• Driveway older than about 25 years: replacement usually beats another round of repairs

Those thresholds come from HomeGuide's 2026 repair guide, which also flags standing water as a drainage issue a contractor should look at before anyone repairs the surface.

What each option costs in 2026

National installed prices from HomeGuide's 2026 cost guides:

• Crack repair: $0.50 to $3 per linear foot
• Patching and repairs: $3 to $8 per sq ft, or $300 to $3,000 for most driveway repair jobs
• Resurfacing (overlay): $3 to $5 per sq ft, about $1,200 to $2,900 for a two-car driveway
• Mudjacking (cement slurry lift): $4 to $9 per sq ft, with $300 to $700 job minimums
• Polyurethane foam lifting: $8 to $25 per sq ft
• Full replacement: $6 to $15 per sq ft, about $2,400 to $8,600 for a two-car driveway

HomeGuide puts mudjacking at 30% to 50% less than tear-out and replacement, but only for slabs that are structurally sound and have simply settled. A 450 sq ft driveway lifted by mudjacking runs about $1,800 to $4,100 in its numbers.

Why Spokane driveways fail

Spokane Valley's adopted climate table rates weathering as severe and sets a 24-inch frost line. Water that gets under a slab freezes, expands and lifts it, then leaves a void when it thaws. That cycle is why most local driveway failures trace back to water, not the concrete itself:

• Downspouts dumping onto or beside the driveway
• Washed-out or soft base under the edges
• Settled fill next to a newer garage or foundation

If you lift or resurface without fixing the water, the same slabs tend to drop again. Redirecting downspouts and regrading come first.

When resurfacing is a bad idea

Resurfacing hides wear, not structural problems. HomeGuide notes that cracks wider than 1/4 inch usually point to problems below the slab that will crack the overlay too, and that if the repair would need a new layer more than 2 inches thick, replacement is the better option. An overlay is only as stable as the slab and base under it.

Replacing the approach takes a permit

The part of your driveway that crosses the sidewalk and curb sits in the public right-of-way, and both cities regulate it:

• City of Spokane: a driveway approach permit from Engineering Services is required to build or modify an approach. The residential review fee is $96.78, review can take up to five working days, and a contractor qualified to work in the right-of-way then pulls a separate street obstruction permit. Replacements must be built to current City standard plans
• Spokane Valley: a City approach permit is required for approaches onto public streets. Residential approaches need a 16 to 30 foot throat, at least 5 feet from a side property line and 15 feet from an intersection curb
• Unincorporated Spokane County: approach permits go through County Engineering and Roads (509-477-3600)

Work that stays on your side of the sidewalk is usually simpler. Ask your contractor to confirm which parts of your job are in the right-of-way.

Repair vs. replace on a typical two-car driveway

Using the HomeGuide ranges above for a two-car driveway:

• Seal cracks and patch: a few hundred to about $3,000, lasts until the cause comes back
• Resurface: about $1,200 to $2,900
• Lift sunken sections: about $1,800 to $4,100 for the whole driveway by mudjacking
• Replace: about $2,400 to $8,600, plus tear-out and any base repair

Replacement costs the most up front, but it's the only option that fixes a failed base. When we replace a driveway, we dig out soft material, rebuild the gravel base, set reinforcement and joints, and pour an air-entrained mix built for freeze-thaw.

What to ask before you pick

1. Is the slab cracked through, or just on the surface?
2. Have the sections sunk in one piece, or broken as they dropped?
3. Where is the water coming from, and how will it be fixed?
4. Which parts of the job are in the public right-of-way?
5. What thickness, base depth and reinforcement are in a replacement bid?

Planning more concrete at the same time? See our Spokane concrete cost per yard guide and our Liberty Lake driveway guide.

Get a driveway assessment

Raven Buildings replaces driveways, aprons, walks and slabs across Spokane, Spokane Valley and Spokane County. Call 509-350-2016 or request a free quote, and see our concrete flatwork services.

Sources

• HomeGuide, "How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Driveway?" (2026)
• HomeGuide, "How Much Does Concrete Resurfacing Cost?" (2026)
• HomeGuide, "How Much Does Concrete Leveling Cost?" (2026)
• HomeGuide, "How Much Does Mudjacking Cost?" (2026)
• City of Spokane, Driveway Approach Application
• Spokane Municipal Code 17H.010.220, Driveways
• City of Spokane, Streets Reference Guide
• City of Spokane Valley, Approach Permits
• City of Spokane Valley, building code amendments and climate design table (Council record)