What is the Best Type of Driveway to Have?
Driveway installation serves more than just a specific purpose for a home, it also adds both a curbside appeal and improved resale value. Being capable of improving the value of your property up to ten percent, you can also enjoy the possibility of deducting the improvement from your taxes depending on if you use your home for more than purely residential reasons. A driveway installation can also be considered a taxable home improvement when the driveway is improving a gravel or dirt driveway. So when you decide on getting a driveway for your home, there are multiple material options you can choose from:
- Asphalt
- Brick
- Stone
- Concrete
- Gravel
- Cobblestone
- Crushed Stone
- Dirt
Each of these has their own qualities and advantages, however, some are considered not as capable as the others. Dirt and gravel, for example, are not considered an official improvement to your home. Both can break down and require particular upkeep depending on the details of the location of the home. The best two types of driveways are currently proven to be asphalt and concrete. Both are long lasting and tough against the elements. When you need driveway installation, you can trust e Squared Asphalt Maintenance to get the job done in your area. Call 254-716-8685 today to get your concrete driveway installed or repaired today.
Is it Cheaper to Asphalt or Concrete a Driveway?
As the longest lasting driveways, concrete and asphalt are the most commonly used driveways by homeowners in America. While asphalt tends to be cheaper, concrete lasts longer and needs less maintenance when correctly installed. With a working lifespan of at least thirty years, concrete outperforms asphalt which lasts at max twenty years due to its oil-based composition. To that extent, asphalt driveway repairs would exponentially build up faster than repairs you would need with concrete under normal circumstances.
While asphalt may have a sleek appearance for some homes, concrete offers a better implementation of a unique appearance or customization of the curb and driveway. For example, it can include stonework in the concrete, be patterned, or have a better overall appearance than the simple standard that comes with asphalt. Further benefits of a concrete driveway include:
- Remains cooler and does not absorb as much heat from the sun
- Easy maintenance
- Handles heavier loads
- Highly simple to maintain
With concrete especially, you can enjoy the ease of process when maintaining the appearance and upkeep of the driveway. At a minimum, you can sweep the surface and at most a concrete driveway can be cleaned off by using a hose and letting the aftermath dry in the sun. Concrete driveway installation can further improve your home with multiple more benefits if you choose us to install or repair it.
Do I Need a Permit to Widen my Driveway?
Driveway installation is a tricky process, perhaps a more difficult process is more so widening the driveway. For either, the process is dependent on the laws of the area for whether you need a permit to expand, install, or replace a driveway. eSquared Asphalt Maintenance is a trusted company that is certified to get the job done so you don’t have to stress about it. The reason we suggest that is the process even with a permit takes efficient planning and time. Your driveway is set up so that it can handle the weight of a heavy vehicle and should be where much of the water runs off onto so that the erosion around it does not bother the underside of the surface. Both the driveway installation and the widening process require the formation of concrete then paving it down correctly. When adhering to zoning regulation and site planning control, the driveway can end up as a beautiful part of your property.
Can you Pave a Driveway Yourself?
You can never go wrong when hiring a professional company like eSquared Asphalt Maintenance in Waco and Temple, TX to take care of your driveway. However, doing the project yourself is absolutely possible with the right equipment and knowledge. It also requires more than one person, preferably a team or group of people that both can adhere to the safety precautions of such a process while knowing the steps.
At a minimum amount, an installed driveway would need to be four inches in thickness if not reinforced. When the driveway is slab or concrete, there should be reinforcement especially when the soil is soft or is likely to erode even mildly. This can be done through materials such as galvanized steel or rebar that goes in during the pouring process that lays the concrete before making it an even and smooth surface. The surface should also have some slope to it to avoid standing water and encourage natural drainage. It should be remembered that improper installation is the primary reason concrete driveways fail and crack if not become malformed to the point that replacement is the necessary option. Instead of worrying about that, why not call us at 254-716-8685 today to schedule your appointment today for driveway installation.