Some home repairs and renovations are to better suite the preferences and needs of the homeowners. Others are done to increase the resale value of the home. Sometimes, a home project meets both of these purposes. It provides the homeowner with better functionality and look, while also increase the value of the home. The exterior driveway is one of those projects that can increase usability, while also making it more appealing to home buyers. Keep these tips in mind when redoing your driveway to also get a large increase in value on the dollar spent for the project.
Consider the material you will have poured.
There are multiple types of material that can be used to pour a driveway. Often, pouring a brand new driveway looks better than simply repairing cracked and broken concrete. Although concrete driveways are a common choice, sometimes repair of the concrete is not enough. To hold the increase in resale value on the home, consider going with a concrete that is extremely durable and strong.
Think about increasing your driveway space.
Driveways are generally used to park vehicles and recreational items. They are also used to walk on, allowing visitors and residents of the home to avoid walking over the grass areas. A home with a small driveway may have limited parking spaces when entertaining. Guests may be required to park in the street, or find alternative transportation to the house.
If you have a relatively small driveway, consider adding additional parking space. If the driveway contractor is already pouring new concrete or asphalt, it will be a simply addition. Keep spacing amounts in mind to ensure that you have enough space for additional vehicles. The average width for a two car driveway, for example is between 15 and 18 feet.
Play around with color driveways.
A colored or tinted driveway can actually add a lot of curb appeal to a home. A neutral color should always be used to prevent over powering the look of the home. However, clean looking greys and tans can look very nice on a newly poured concrete driveway. These colored driveways may also require less repairs, as cracks and damage can be less noticeable, depending on the color that is chosen.
Research necessary city regulations and code requirements.
Your professional concrete contractors should be aware of any city regulations or codes, such as street distance requirements and sloping level needs. However, you can prevent any problems by also becoming aware of these specific regulations. You do not want to finish your driveway work and have a city inspector force you to tear it up.
Some regulations are also for the safety of the home. For example, make sure that your finished pavement will slope at least one fourth inch per foot. Improper sloping in the driveway can cause a lack of release for excessive rain or snow fall. The driveway can quickly become flooded, leading into the home or the vehicles that are parked in the driveway. A repair for an improperly installed driveway can be more extensive than the actual work of pouring a new concrete driveway.
Driveways are crucial parts of any home. Without a driveway, homeowners would be limited on parking spaces and they would not have a smooth area to drive into the garage with. When repairing or pouring new concrete driveways, keep the value of the home in mind. If you can make repairs or renovations to the driveway that future buyers will enjoy, you are likely to get a lot of the costs incurred back in the sale of your home.