Brooklyn has more street trees than any other borough, and tree roots are the single largest cause of sidewalk damage here. The brownstone blocks of Park Slope, Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene and Crown Heights combine mature trees with century old walks, which makes root heave the most common reason Brooklyn owners receive a DOT notice.
Repairing around street trees
A sidewalk damaged by tree roots cannot simply be re-poured over the roots. The tree is protected, and cutting major roots can kill it or make it unstable. The repair has to work around the root zone, often by adjusting the grade of the new flags, widening the tree pit, or using a flexible approach at the tree. We assess the tree and the walk together so the repair passes inspection and the tree survives.
Brownstone stoops and areaways
Brooklyn rowhouses bring concrete problems beyond the sidewalk. Stoops, areaways, cellar entrances and rear yards all age, and the concrete around them spalls and cracks. We handle these alongside sidewalk work so the whole frontage is addressed in one visit.
Commercial strips and driveways
Along commercial avenues in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Flatbush and Bushwick the issue is more often heavy delivery traffic and driveway aprons breaking down under vehicle loads. Those walks need to be poured thicker than a standard residential flag, and we build them to the DOT specification for driveway crossings.
Neighborhoods we cover in Brooklyn
- Park Slope
- Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Bay Ridge
- Flatbush
- Williamsburg
- Crown Heights
- Sunset Park
- Bushwick
- Fort Greene
- Carroll Gardens
If your block is not listed, that does not mean we do not cover it. Call (718) 283-4399 and we will confirm.