A Tiny Crack in This Homeowner’s Sidewalk Ended Up Costing Her Thousands

Many homeowners assume their city or town takes care of sidewalk maintenance, but in truth, that’s often not the case.

One Arizona woman named Annie Bailey learned this the hard way when a crack in her sidewalk spiraled into a costly repair bill, complete with permits and contractor fees that reached into the thousands of dollars.

Could this have been avoided? Potentially, which is why homeowners must be aware of the upkeep needed to prevent unexpected expenses.

Who's responsible for sidewalk repair?

In Tucson, where Bailey lives, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks that border their property. However, the rules vary by city and state, according to attorney Golnoush Goharzad, owner of Goharzad Law.

For example, in New York City, the upkeep of sidewalks falls to the property owner, the same as in Los Angeles.

By contrast, Denver charges property owners $150 a year for the city to handle sidewalk maintenance, while Chicago divides the responsibility between property owners and the city.

In other cities, responsibility depends on the cause.

For example, in San Diego, the city handles sidewalk damage linked to accidents, water line failures, ground settling, or city-owned trees, while homeowners must pay if the problem comes from trees on their property.

You’ll want to confirm the specific municipal codes in your area to understand who bears the responsibility for repairs.

"Dig into your city’s rules or give city hall a call," advises attorney Joshua M. Kimura, of Kimura London & White.

The true cost of sidewalk repairs

Bailey was quoted a whopping $3,200 for her sidewalk repair and charged an additional $150 for permit fees to have the work done. How much it will cost you, again, will vary, but a couple thousand should be expected all the same.

"The price will vary depending on the length of the repair and the type of repair you need done," says Miguel Vazquez, the owner of Vazquez Construction, a concrete company in Milwaukee. "On average, we charge a range of $500 to $1,500 for sidewalk repair. But a full sidewalk installation can cost around $2,000 to $4,000. Permits typically hover anywhere from $50 to $150."

Vazquez says a sidewalk repair involving caulking or sealing when there are small cracks will be cheaper than a more complex repair involving mudjacking, which is done when the sidewalk's concrete slab is uneven.

In short, the costs for a sidewalk repair can add up fast, so maintaining your sidewalk can help put off a big bill.

How to maintain your sidewalk and avoid major repairs

Sidewalks won’t last forever, but small steps can extend their lifespan and reduce repair costs.

Vazquez says the best way to avoid expensive repairs is by maintaining your home's drainage system so that rain flows away from your foundation and sidewalks.

"Water can damage your sidewalks by seeping into the soil below it," he warns. "When the water underneath freezes, it causes the soil to shift and leads to uneven sidewalks. The same occurs when water seeps into sidewalk cracks and causes them to expand as it freezes."

He says another way to cut costs is to get cracks sealed as soon as they appear.

"When a small crack occurs, we use sealing and caulking to immediately close it up and prevent further damage," says Vazquez.

Vazquez adds that preventive steps like cleaning sidewalks and trimming back tree roots can also help.

"You should have someone inspect your sidewalk once a year, as well," Vazquez recommends.

That way, you can tackle minor problems before they snowball into a major, expensive fix.