Paver Sidewalk — Cracked Concrete Sidewalk Out, Pavers In
The concrete sidewalk along the house has a slab tipped up at every joint; it comes out, and a paver sidewalk that can be lifted and reset if the ground ever moves goes in.
A paver sidewalk replaces a cracked or heaved concrete sidewalk with pavers on a base built for Minnesota frost. JMB Builders breaks out and hauls the old concrete across the Twin Cities metro, digs the base below the old slab, compacts class 5 in lifts, and sets the pavers on screeded sand with edge restraint and polymeric sand. The walk is pitched to shed water and a tripping lip never comes back. Priced per linear foot.
- Priced per linear foot of sidewalk
- Old concrete broken out and hauled off
- Class 5 base compacted in lifts, edge restraint both sides
- Quote from photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
A poured concrete sidewalk is a row of slabs on dirt. Frost gets under one slab, lifts it, and the joint next to it becomes a lip you catch a toe on. Mudjacking lifts it back for a while; grinding the lip leaves a scar; and the next winter moves a different slab. At some point the walk is more patch than sidewalk, and the fix is to take it out and build the walk on a base that is meant to move with the ground.
A paver sidewalk is that base with pavers on top. We break the old concrete with a breaker or a skid loader, haul it off, and dig out the dirt that was under it, which is almost always topsoil and clay that was never compacted. Class 5 goes in and is compacted in lifts, bedding sand is screeded over it, and the pavers are set to a pattern with a soldier course along both edges. Rigid edge restraint is spiked into the base on both sides so the walk cannot spread, and polymeric sand locks the joints.
A sidewalk on the city boulevard between the curb and your lawn is city property, and replacing it in pavers needs the city's right-of-way permit and their say on the material. We handle the walk on your lot without that; for the boulevard walk, ask the city first and we build to what they allow.
What you supply
- The paver style and color, picked at a supply yard or from our samples; we order and deliver them
- The width you want; most sidewalks go back the same width or a little wider
- A word with the city if any of the walk is on the boulevard between the curb and your property line
- Any change to the route, such as a curve to the driveway instead of the old straight shot
What JMB supplies
- Breakout of the old concrete sidewalk and haul-off, including any old steps that go with it
- Excavation of the uncompacted dirt under the old slab and the utility locate before we dig
- Class 5 compacted in lifts, geotextile fabric where the soil calls for it
- Screeded bedding sand, pavers set to the pattern with a soldier course on both edges, wet-saw cuts
- Rigid edge restraint spiked into the base along both sides
- Polymeric sand swept in, compacted and set with water
- The walk pitched to shed water away from the house, sod repair along both edges
- Photos of the finished sidewalk in your job folder
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Length and width of the walk, and whether it is straight or curved
- Thickness of the old concrete and whether it has wire or rebar in it, which slows the breakout
- Access for a skid loader to break and load the concrete, or breaking and carrying by hand
- Paver choice: a standard concrete paver vs. a large slab or a clay brick
- A step or a landing at the front door or the driveway end rebuilt on the same base
- Grade: a walk along a sloped side yard needs a low edge on the downhill side
- Any portion on the city boulevard that needs the city's right-of-way permit
Send a photo down the length of the walk and one close-up of the worst joint, with a rough length. Most sidewalk replacements are quoted from photos.
How long it takes
A front sidewalk from the driveway to the door: two to three days including the breakout. A long walk along the side of the house to the back yard: three to four days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Front sidewalk from the drive to the door
The most common replacement. The old slabs come out, the base goes in, and the walk goes back in pavers with a soldier-course border, often widened a foot so two people can walk side by side.
Sidewalk along the side of the house
The narrow walk between the house and the lot line that carries the trash cans to the curb. Pitched away from the foundation so it stops sending meltwater to the basement wall.
Sidewalk with a landing at the stoop
Where the walk meets a concrete stoop, the top course is set tight to the stoop and a wider landing of pavers gives you a place to stand while unlocking the door.
Boulevard sidewalk in pavers
The public walk between the curb and your lawn, replaced in pavers where the city allows it under their right-of-way permit. Built to the width and grade they set.
Paver Sidewalk — Cracked Concrete Sidewalk Out, Pavers In: questions, answered
Is a paver sidewalk better than concrete in Minnesota?
For a walk that keeps heaving, yes. A concrete sidewalk is slabs on dirt, and when frost lifts one slab the joint becomes a lip for good. A paver sidewalk sits on compacted class 5 that is built to move with the ground, and if a section ever settles the pavers come up, the base is fixed, and they go back without a seam. Pavers also handle salt better than a broom-finished slab.
Do you remove the old concrete sidewalk?
Yes. The concrete is broken out with a breaker or a skid loader, loaded and hauled off, including any wire mesh in it. Then we dig out the dirt that was under the slab, because it was almost never compacted and it is the reason the slab heaved. The new base starts on firm ground, not on the old grade.
Can I put pavers on the city sidewalk in front of my house?
The sidewalk on the boulevard between the curb and your property line is city property, even though you shovel it. Replacing it in pavers needs the city's right-of-way permit, and some cities only allow concrete there. Ask the city first; we build to what they allow. The walk from the public sidewalk to your door is yours and needs none of that.
How deep does the base go under a paver sidewalk?
Deeper than the old slab sat. A sidewalk carries foot traffic, not cars, so the base is thinner than under a driveway, but in Minnesota it still goes below the topsoil into firm ground and is compacted in thin lifts so frost does not find a soft spot. The exact depth depends on the soil under your walk, which we see once the old concrete is out.
Will the pavers spread or get a lip like the concrete did?
Not when the edges are held. We spike a rigid edge restraint into the compacted base along both sides of the walk so the outside courses cannot creep into the lawn, and polymeric sand locks the joints so the pavers act as one surface. A paver walk with no edge restraint, which is what a lot of do-it-yourself walks are, spreads and sinks at the sides within a few years.
Can the new sidewalk be wider or take a different route?
Yes, and it is the time to do it. A lot of front walks were poured narrow and straight from the driveway to the stoop. Once the old one is out we can widen it, curve it to the driveway, or add a landing at the door. The base is dug to the new shape, so a change in route costs little more than the extra pavers.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed October 1, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All pavers pages
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