Concrete removal looks simple until you're standing over a slab with rebar through it. What's actually involved — and what it takes — depends on how thick the concrete is, what's reinforcing it, and how much there is. Here's the picture.
What gets broken out
Concrete removal covers more than driveways.
- Driveways, patios, and sidewalks.
- Slabs and foundations.
- Footings and retaining structures.
- Reinforced and rebar concrete.
Thickness and reinforcement
A four-inch patio is quick; a thick, rebar-laced slab or footing is not. Reinforcement has to be cut and separated as the concrete comes up, which adds time and equipment to the job.
Weight drives the haul-off
Concrete is dense, so the cost of getting rid of it is about weight, not volume. A modest-looking pile can be a lot of tonnage, which is why concrete jobs are priced on how much material is coming out.
Recycling instead of landfilling
Broken concrete doesn't have to go to a landfill — it can be crushed and recycled into base material. Diverting it keeps disposal costs and environmental impact down.