Q: What exactly does Armadillo do?

A: Armadillo repairs walkways and driveways. We fix tripping hazards by cutting away or filling in sudden changes in elevation, fill in and seal cracks and fix pits and surface imperfections. We also seal surfaces to extend concrete’s lifespan.

More flexible and economical than the big firms, Armadillo is focused on serving municipalities and property managers who want a responsive contractor who adds value at an economic price.

Q: How much will I save compared to other methods?

A: Typically you save 70 to 90% compared to replacement costs. Replacement costs for concrete in Saskatoon is about $13 per square foot for large jobs such as driveways, more for smaller jobs such as sidewalks. For example a typical city sidewalk segment is 25 square feet which would be about $325 to replace or about $35 to repair. A slab 300 to 800 square feet costs $3,900 to $10,400 to replace or about $400 to $800 to seal and extend the life by 7 years or more.

Q: What do you mean by "Reduce Lifetime Cost"?

Concrete is expensive to remove and replace. Our methods will double the lifespan of your walkways and driveways for less than 1/4 the cost of replacement. The surface of the concrete is like the roof on a building. You re-shingle or re-roof from time to time to protect the building. Cracks are like holes in a roof, letting in water that weakens the subsoil and accelerates freeze-thaw damage. Concrete surfaces, weakened by salt, should be re-sealed about every 10 years with a high quality, penetrating sealant (not the surface sealants sold at the big-box stores). The cost is less than 10% of the replacement cost, but will double the lifespan of the concrete. Seal and repair your concrete to greatly extend the lifetime of your investment. On average, about $1 on maintenance will save $5 to $10 on replacement over the long term.

Q: Is there a by-law that I must follow?

A: The City of Saskatoon by-law states: “If a walkway, driveway or parking space is provided, it shall be maintained so as to afford safe passage thereon under normal use and weather conditions.” Other municipalities may have similar by-laws.

Q: What is the liability risk?

A: As an example, the City of Toronto spent $10 million to compensate 157 slip and fall events at an average settlement cost of over $60,000. Compensation by private companies would be in addition to this. Cities and property managers find it more cost effective to keep walkways in good repair rather than paying massive liability costs. Accidents caused by poorly maintained walkways are usually not covered by insurance.

Q: How high of a rise constitutes a trip hazard?

A: The American Disabilities Act states anything higher than ¼” is unacceptable. Any rise that could cause customers or clients to stumble or trip is too much. Extra care is needed for the mobility challenged and sight impaired.

Q: When will the work be done?

A: We do our work at a time most convenient for our customers.

Q: Is this the same method used by the City of Saskatoon to repair sidewalks?

A: Yes. We use city approved methods for crack repair and trip hazard removal. However a specific repair may require a modified approach which is more appropriate.

Please contact Armadillo if you have any further questions.