A Contractor or Utility Crew Damaged My Driveway. What Do I Do?

Short answer: Document the damage the same day with photos, measurements and the company's name, then file a damage claim directly with the company responsible, not your own insurer. Get a written repair estimate that separates the new damage from any old cracking. Keep the area marked off, and don't let the crew patch it before you agree on the repair.

OKC Driveway Repair Co. repairs driveways damaged by other people’s work across Oklahoma City, and documents the damage so owners can get it paid for. When a contractor damages your driveway, the hours right after it happens matter most. Evidence disappears, crews move on, and a quick patch can make it hard to prove what was there before. Here is what to do.

The same-day checklist

1. Make it safe. Keep cars off any broken or undermined area and mark it with cones or a trash can.
2. Photograph it now. Wide shots that show the whole drive and the equipment, then close-ups with a tape measure or a shoe for scale. Photograph any older cracks too, so new and old damage are clearly separate.
3. Get the company name. It’s on trucks, trailers, door hangers and locate flags. Note truck numbers if you can.
4. Write down what happened. Date, time, what equipment, and anything the crew said.
5. Don’t accept a quick patch as the fix. A crew may offer to throw cold patch or gravel in the hole. That can be a reasonable temporary safety measure, but agree in writing that it is temporary.

Who you file with

• Utility cuts. Gas, water, electric and telecom companies and their contractors are responsible for restoring what they cut. Anyone excavating in Oklahoma must notify OKIE811 first so lines can be marked, and the locate ticket and flags help identify who was digging. Call the utility’s claims line, give the address and date, and ask for a claim number.
• Tree services, roofers, landscapers, movers. A contractor is generally responsible for damage its equipment causes while working on your property. Contact the company directly and ask for their insurance information.
• Dumpster and delivery drops. Roll-off dumpsters and loaded delivery trucks crack slabs that were never built for them. The hauling company or the contractor who ordered the dumpster is the place to start.
• City projects. Ask the project contact for the restoration plan in writing.

Filing with your own homeowners insurance first can mean paying a deductible for damage another party owes. Start with the responsible company. Our driveway insurance guide covers when your policy comes in.

What your repair estimate should show

A clear estimate is what gets a claim paid. It should:

• Separate new damage from old. Adjusters discount pre-existing cracking, so the estimate should identify which panels the event broke.
• Measure everything. Square footage, slab thickness at a broken edge, and the extent of any base damage.
• Include the base. Heavy equipment often breaks the slab and crushes the base under it; a surface patch won’t hold.
• Price a proper repair. Saw-cut at the joints, a rebuilt base, dowels into the old slab, and matching finish.

If they won’t pay

Ask for the denial in writing. Send your photos and estimate to the company’s claims or risk department, not just the crew lead. Keep copies of everything. For larger amounts, Oklahoma small claims court is an option, and a short consultation with an attorney can tell you whether it is worth pursuing.

Bottom line

Photograph it, name the company, and file with them the same day. Don’t let a quick patch stand in for the repair. For a written, itemized estimate that separates the new damage from the old, call (405) 442-4044. If the damage is a hazard right now, see emergency driveway repair.