Replacements or Repairs – What’s better for your NYC Sidewalk?

Are you getting tired of frequent Sidewalk Violation Notices at your doorstep by the New York City’s Department of Transportation (DOT)? Off all the 12,750 kilometers of sidewalks in NYC, why does your sidewalk keeps getting noticed by the City, you might be wondering. The repairs you got done a year ago were already too burdensome on the pocket, and here is yet another notice ready to cause upheaval to your account this month. With all the increasing expenses and our economy taking a new blow every few days, managing the $$$ becomes a bit of a strenuous task, and with such violation notices popping up once in a while could be simply disastrous for one’s mental health. Anyone would get super worried with this frustrating situation and anxiously try to find a long-term solution to these problems.
Whether you’re living in Queens or Bronx – every part of the New York City is monitored by the NYC Department of Transportation and all the sidewalks are kept under radar. With the rise in tripping incidents and an awareness among the people to instantly report these instances, the DOT is bound to be more active in their scrutiny. All major cracks and sidewalk disruptions are noticed by the DOT and intimation is immediately sent to the property owner whether it’s a domestic property owner or a commercial building owner. While concrete sidewalks are known for their durability and longevity, there are some exceptional cases when even concrete starts to give up and problems begin to stir. For a detailed info on why your sidewalks are cracking, make sure you give this blog a read first! It’ll help you understand whether your case is eligible for a sidewalk replacement or repair.
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You’ve been repeatedly notified of pending repairs to your sidewalk and frankly – it’s getting way out of hand for you. What should you opt for? Is it feasible to get temporary repairs done, or should you get your sidewalk replaced once and for all? The temporary repairs might slowly take out the dimes from your pocket, repeatedly, but the replacements will cause you one huge and expensive hole in the budgetary list.
Let’s weigh the pros and cons.
Pros of a Sidewalk Replacement
1. It’s a one-time job. If you’ve been constantly getting violations issues by the DOT or your sidewalk was installed with poor quality cement in the mix, this problem may be recurring. If you’ve decided to take the plunge, all you have to do is find the right contractor. Once you’ve applied our helpful tips and gotten hold of the RIGHT guy for the job, call them in for an inspection of the damages. The contractor will come in and take the necessary measurements and laborers will take only a handful of days to first uproot your existing sidewalk and then replace it with a modern and more durable concrete or any preferred material.
2. You can experiment with new styles and change the outlook of your vicinity by following a few tips and tricks, mentioned here. Long gone are the boring shades for your sidewalk! Now you can modify how your sidewalks look based on your personal taste and uplift the outlook of your house and make it look more modern and unique. From adding some greens, to some stones, painting your sidewalks to adding geometrical shapes, anything can be done from scratch if you’re opting for a full replacement.
3. No more violation notices and constant monitoring sessions by the DOT. This should be the best-selling point, right?
4. You contribute to the safety of your neighborhood by eliminating any chance of future trip hazards or any serious injury to the pedestrians. Eco-friendly is the way to be in this age and with the newly invented concrete mixes these days, you can play your part in reducing the carbon footprint from your planet!
Cons of a Sidewalk Replacement
1. The huge impact on your pocket. Yes, this has to be the biggest consequence of installing a new sidewalk. You might not be able to make any expensive purchases for a few months, but trust us, it is worth it. If you compare the cost of a sidewalk repair, it depends on the number of flags in your Sidewalk Violation Notice and the severity of the existing damage in your sidewalks but the cost of a complete sidewalk removal and repair will cost you about three times more. If you are hiring a private contractor, the cost of a sidewalkreplacement could be different per square foot so it is necessary to discuss the bids with more than one contractor to get the best shot. Yes, the total cost would sound appalling at first – but this is a one-time investment which will easily last you a decade if properly cared after. For maintenance tips you can head over to this blog and save your sidewalk from future damages.
2. It is obvious more time consuming to get a replacement done as compared to a few quick fixes in the sidewalk such as filling a gap or fixing a stub-toe. Removing the previous sidewalk and pouring new concrete mix will take more time than an ordinary sidewalk repair and you might get a bit annoyed of the heavy machinery and disruption outside your property for a few days or a week. The noise, debris and the lack of mobility caused by the renovation work and the large equipment blocking your driveway might sabotage your daily chores for a while. But if you’re ready to be strong willed and strong headed for a few days and endure the temporary obstruction, it will be long before you must go through this again.
Bottom-line: If you can bear with some disturbance and a one-time worthy investment, then there’s no better choice to go for! Replacements are better than repairs if getting violations is a frequence occurrence for you. Say bye-bye to those hefty violation processes!