The Finance Blogger


Upgrade your Home – Replace your Driveway

This is a second post on the subject of upgrading your home. This time we will discuss the relative scenarios regarding upgrading or replace your driveway. Many new homes are built with a paved driveway which lasts for a number of years and then begins to crack and crumble depending on the environment that exists in your area. A home with a bad looking driveway does not sell well!

Hot sun will dry out and crack driveways, while cold winters will do the same Replace your Drivewaywith the ice and snow getting in cracks to expand them and crumble your driveway in the spring when the frost comes out.

When people retire, they want to have items such as this upgraded and or replaced with new asphalt of interlocking brick. Get it done before you retire so you do not have the expense afterwords while living on a fixed income.

Replace your Driveway – Alternatives

There are alternatives to consider when it comes to financial issues. With the idea of avoiding spending money when it is not necessary, what can you do to ensure that your driveway lasts a long time?

  • Seal your Driveway Every year
  • Patch Cracks and fill any holes that appear
  • Replace with Interlock

Like anything else, looking after your homes maintenance in a timely manner will save you money in the long run. It does take some work and this can be a problem for many people, so they either get some one to do the work or they just ignore it until they have to replace their driveway because it just gets so bad.

Seal your Driveway Every year

An asphalt driveway can last for many years if it is properly looked after.  Sealing cracks before they get too large and sealing the entire driveway at least once every couple of years will ensure that your driveway will last more than 20 years in any kind of climate.  Without sealing, we have seen driveways that needed replacement after 10 years. A $50 can of sealant applied with a paint roller is an easy job for an afternoon for many do it your self hand men.

That is all it takes to maintain your driveway. Be careful of the people who knock on your door offering to seal your driveway. They do not always use the best sealant and will do a quick job that looks good for a month. Always use good quality sealant.

Patch Cracks and fill any holes that appear

If you have major cracks or small pot holes in your driveway always fill these first and then seal your driveway. Use a good quality tar based mix and seal all holes and cracks before applying the liquid sealant to your driveway.

Replace with Interlock

This is by far the most expensive. If asphalt costs $3000 to pave your driveway, then interlock stone is going to cost at least twice that much. Even interlock needs to be repaired from time to time, so make sure you keep extra stones around to replace those that crack in the middle of your driveway.

Design is important both for look and feel, however fancy designs can really drive the cost of the driveway replacement up as well. Take the time to review the alternatives before you make the plunge.

Replace your Driveway – Summary

  • Seal your Driveway Every year
    • %50 to $100 a year to maintain your driveway and keep it looking fresh for many years
  • Patch Cracks and fill any holes that appear
    • Add another $100 for patching and sealing, still pretty inexpensive
  • Replace with Interlock or Asphalt
    • Anywhere from $3000 to the sky is the limit depending on size, design and style.

For my money I would rather spend a few hundred dollars every year and seal my driveway to avoid spending significantly more on the driveway. for more info about home improvement loans, click here.

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One Response to “Upgrade your Home – Replace your Driveway”

  1. i want our driveway replaced, but my husband wants to seal it. our neighbors are spending money like crazy and i want to keep up with them. i think that this is nuts. how can i talk him into redoing the driveway.

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