Should You Repair or Replace Your Pavers?
When a driveway or patio starts sinking, cracking or fading, a lot of Jacksonville homeowners assume they need all new pavers. Sometimes that’s true. Much more often, the pavers themselves are fine and the problem is underneath them. This page walks through how to tell the difference and what affects the cost of each option, so you can make a good decision before you spend money.
We’re Jax Exterior Cleaning & Paver Sealing, licensed and insured since 2019. Our focus is paver repair and sealing. We don’t push repair when replacement is the right call, and we’ll tell you plainly which one you need.
Why Repair Is Usually Possible
Concrete pavers are built to be lifted and reset. That is one of their big advantages over poured concrete. When a section sinks or heaves, the pavers can come up, the base can be fixed and the same pavers can go back down. Most paver problems are base problems, edge problems or sand problems, and all three can be repaired.
When Repair Makes Sense
- The problems are in specific areas: a sunken apron, a root-lifted walkway, a low spot on the pool deck
- Most pavers are intact, with only some cracked or chipped
- The pavers are faded or stained but structurally sound
- Joints are empty and pavers are loose, but the layout is fine
- You like the look of your pavers and want to keep them
Faded pavers are a good example. Fading is a surface issue. Cleaning and sealing, with a wet-look finish if you like, can bring back a lot of the color without replacing anything.
When Replacement Might Make Sense
- A large share of the pavers are cracked, crumbling or broken
- The whole surface has failed, not just sections
- You want a different style, color or layout entirely
- Matching replacement pavers are no longer available and many are damaged
- You’re expanding the area or changing its shape
If replacement is what you need, we’ll tell you.
What Affects the Cost of a Repair
Every job is priced after we see it, and estimates are free. These are the factors that matter most.
Size of the affected area
Fixing one sunken section is a smaller job than resetting a whole driveway.
Cause of the damage
Settling from washed-out base, tree roots and failed edges each take different work. Roots can add steps, especially if an arborist needs to be involved.
How much base needs rebuilding
A minor dip may only need bedding corrected. A deep low spot may need base material added and compacted in layers.
Replacement pavers
If some pavers are broken, matching replacements affect the cost. Discontinued styles take more effort to match.
Access
Pool decks, screened areas and tight side yards can take more care than an open driveway.
Add-ons
Cleaning, sealing, a wet-look finish or colored joint sand all factor in.
What Affects the Cost of Replacement
Replacement involves removing and hauling away the old pavers and base, preparing new base, buying new pavers and installing them. Size, paver style, demolition and site access all drive the price. In general, it’s a much bigger project than a repair, which is why it’s worth confirming you actually need it.
The Option in Between: Repair, Re-Sand and Seal
For a lot of homes, the best value is a combination: repair the problem areas, re-sand the whole surface with silica joint sand (or colored sand as an upgrade), and seal it. The result is level, tight and protected, with color brought back, using the pavers you already have. Our re-leveling and re-sanding page explains that process.
Sealing Protects Whichever Way You Go
Whether you repair or replace, sealing is what protects the investment. It helps keep joint sand in place against Florida rain, protects color from the sun and makes stains easier to clean. Our paver sealing carries a 3-year sealer warranty, and repair work is backed by our 60-day craftsmanship guarantee.
Questions to Ask Before You Decide
Before committing to new pavers, ask a few questions. Where exactly are the problems, and what is causing them? Are the pavers themselves broken, or just dirty and out of place? Will new pavers fix the cause, or will the same roots, drainage or failed edge damage them too? Any honest contractor should be able to answer these. If the cause isn’t fixed, replacement can end up with the same problems a few years later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you give me a price over the phone?
We need to see the pavers to price fairly, but the estimate is free, takes about 5 to 10 minutes and you don’t need to be home.
Can you match my old pavers?
We reuse your existing pavers wherever possible and match replacements as closely as we can.
Do you install new pavers?
Our focus is repair and sealing. If you truly need replacement, we’ll tell you honestly.
How do I start?
Call 904-444-9190, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM.
Why Homeowners Call Jax Exterior Cleaning
- Repair-first: we fix what is wrong underneath before we touch the surface
- Licensed and insured, in business since 2019
- 200+ Google reviews at 4.6 stars
- 3-year sealer warranty and a 60-day craftsmanship guarantee
- Silica joint sand, with colored joint sand as an upgrade
- Regular work in gated and HOA communities
- Free estimates, and you don’t have to be home
Where We Do This Work
We handle this repair across Jacksonville and the communities around it, including St. Johns and Fruit Cove, Mandarin and Bartram Park, Intracoastal West and East Arlington, Nocatee and Ponte Vedra Beach. Neighborhood pages: Julington Creek Plantation, Durbin Crossing, Beacon Lake, RiverTown and Deerwood. See all of our service areas.
Get a Free Estimate for Repair or Replace Advice
Call 904-444-9190 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM) or fill out our free estimate form. Estimates are free, you don’t have to be home, and Zach will get in touch with you about times and scheduling.
Licensed and insured, in business since 2019, with 200+ Google reviews at 4.6 stars.