While the weather’s getting warmer and the better time of the year is just around the corner, the season of House renovations is coming too. Whether you are planning something on a small scale, or if you’re getting ready for a grand home renovation the time is almost here.

During the summer months, a lot of homeowners are getting ready to fix or completely change their Driveway. While it’s not something that needs fixing every year, the driveway is like the roof of the home. It’s supposed to last a lifetime, but sometimes you need to change it.

No matter what your reason for changing renovating your driveway is, many times this part of the house can boost the resale value of your home, and help you win that on-going my home looks better feud with your neighbour.

Driveway Renovation and What You Need to Know

If renovating your driveway is on your to-do list this summer, then you definitely need to plan a lot of things. Research is mandatory, and it’s always best if you are prepared for the costs that come with fixing up the front portion of your house.

The easiest and cheapest way to make your driveway look better is to resurface it. Sometimes that means to completely change the look of the driveway, but in most cases, it won’t require more than a day or two work.

Why it’s Advisable to Resurface Your Driveway?

While driveways aren’t the busiest routes, they still need basic maintenance every three to five years. Weather, tires and other factors may be the reason, but you still have to do it, as it’s less costly than building a new one every 10 years.

Because driveways are supposed to last you a lifetime, we would suggest that you take good care of yours. Because of the costly nature of driveways here are the most often used materials for driveways and their cost:

Gravel

Gravel is the type of material that can suit any type of house. While it’s very versatile, it’s also quite cheap for initial installation. Depending on the size of your driveway, gravel can be very cost-effective, or it may cost you quite a lot to maintain.

It tends to work best on smaller areas. The costs are quite small too. However, if you’re planning on doing a larger area, you might want to take into consideration the costs. Especially if you are planning for a long-term use.

Asphalt

The good looks and darker colour of asphalt are quite often very attractive for homeowners. While they look great and will fit any type of architecture, asphalt is quite expensive for installation and later for maintenance. Every three to five years you will have to reseal it.

However, it’s better for places with snowfall because asphalt retains heat very well. This means that you may save your shovelling in the winter.

Concrete

Probably the best and most popular choice is concrete. Settling on this type of material means that you will have a durable, good-looking driveway for decades.

It does require a bit of maintenance, but it’s not very costly. The best thing about concrete is that it can be laid in various forms without limitations. It also looks good with almost all types of buildings.

Pavers

If you are looking to increase the resale value of your home, or you just want that extra luxury in your home, then pavers might be your choice.

They look amazing on all types of homes and are also pretty durable. It is more expensive for installation, but it has almost no extra cost for maintenance later. Also, when opting for pavers as your choice of material it might last you a lifetime!

Crushed Shell

Deciding on crushed shell for the type of material to be laid on your driveway means that you will get a unique look. It’s great if you want your house to stand out from the rest in your neighbourhood, but it’s also a great way to introduce colour to the house.

You can choose from clam, oyster and scallop to present that eco-friendly look to your home.

Bricks

Bricks may be the best-looking type of material for a driveway. That’s in our humble opinion. However, if you decide to opt-out for bricks you should be ready to pay the price. Because of the hard installation, bricklaying is expensive.

If you are ready to spend a bit of cash on your driveway, you can introduce beautiful designs and patterns to the front of your home. Brick driveways also look amazing when coupled with any type of greenery like grass and bushes.

Brick driveways are also amazing for the resale value of your home, and they do last a lifetime with little to no maintenance whatsoever.

Is It Better to Pave or Cement a Driveway?

Before you choose the right material for you, there are some questions that you might ask yourself.
Well, a big dilemma seems to be if it’s better to pave or to cement the driveway. That is definitely a hard question to answer because every household is different.

As you might have noticed, paved driveways are better for increasing the value of a house. If you are treating your house as a property you want to invest in, and eventually get a return on the amount that you’ve spent, then definitely go with pavers or bricks.

If you are looking for a sleeker modern design, then you should consider asphalt and concrete. They tend to hold well against weather and time itself, with the first one being a bit more expensive and demanding more care.

If you want a unique look then take a look at crushed shells. And if you need your driveway to be done fast, then gravel is the perfect option for you.

How Much a Driveway Renovation Costs?

This is a question that excites everyone who is planning this type of construction. Typically, the starting price for driveway renovation is around AUD$3. However, it can double pretty easily and even go north of AUD$10 per square metre depending on what type of work you want. For the renovation of the whole driveway prices vary, but for a typical one, it starts at around AUD$1600. It’s always best to request a quote and calculate all the costs including material, transportation, workforce and time. Also, give yourself a bit of room for extra unexpected expenses.

The post Rival Your Neighbors With the Best Looking Driveway appeared first on Fantastic Handyman Blog.