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Driveway Help

3.2K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  DSee  
#1 ·
Hello,

I just bought a short sale house that has been neglected for a few months.

One of the biggest problems is the driveway. 1/3 of the asphalt is gone, and the place is just a mess.
I am looking for a short term solution, just to get by winter, and then I plan on getting the entire driveway re-done next Summer.

I'm attaching a recent picture, and a "satellite" picture, just to give you an idea of the problem.


Image

Image
 
#2 ·
Not sure I see why the driveway as is could not get through the winter. Lots of folks have gravel driveways worse than that, and they get through the winter. Long term, it looks like you may want to rip up the driveway, remove incompetent soil, backfill to grade with structural fill, and repave, but there is no obvious hurry to do so.
 
#3 ·
I'm just afraid snow will make the situation even worse, and cars will end up getting stuck there, etc...


I also mentioned doing it during the Summer because I was under the impression this kind of repair needed to be done during the Summer. (Money is also a factor, a friend "guesstimate" it to be around $6000 to re-do it).
 
#5 ·
Not really....
I got the property for $50,000 under the "appraisal price", and everything takes forever to negotiate with the bank...
It took us almost 2 weeks just for them to agree on paying the water bill...


Also, would it be okay to replace everything during the Winter or is it really preferable to wait for Summer?
 
#7 · (Edited)
DSee,

I'd agree to waiting until summer to redo the driveway, besides most asphalt plants I know of shut down here in the winter (here they close just before Christmas usually). Frozen ground is something you wouldn't want them working on so wait till summer. Depending where you are located spring can be a mess to work in as well because of the winter thaw.

I agree with Daniel, gravel drives are nothing new and it appears you are not that far from the roadway. Where in Mass?

Come spring time I'd contact a few local asphalt/pavement contractors to visit your site and provide you with estimates, this is the only accurate way of knowing what it will cost to replace.

Good luck!
 
#9 ·
Yeah, I think you've got it. Gravel, maybe even some sacks of Quikrete for the more stubborn ones. It doesn't have to look perfect if you're going to rip it up anyway. But if it were me, I'd spend as little as possible, especially if it'll be covered in snow the whole winter.
 
#11 ·
Ayuh,... Is that the worst hole, just behind that car,..??

What can be seen in the picture looks quite livable, as is...

If ya wanta call some local pavin' contractors, ya might strike a deal, 'n have the driveway prepped, 'n graded in stone for the winter,...

Then in the spring, they can retune/ reprep it, 'n Blacktop it...
 
#17 ·
if its your own home, wait til spring & get some work done on it,,, IF its a rental, close your eyes :thumbup:

ALL short sale houses are neglected - IF the owners had the $$$, they wouldn't be losing their homes,,, this place has been neglected for years,,, short term, get some GABC & fill the holes then compact it,,, make certain the slope allows water to runoff & NOT seep into the ground.

there's plenty of dirt driveways up there that still work well :thumbsup:
You should be fine for the winter---there should be a deep gravel base under that bad asphalt-
-so getting stuck in a mud hole is unlikely.

If you feel something must be done---call the local gravel/stone quarry and
order a load of 'fines' or 'limestone screenings'

This is a fine mix that is easy to spread out by hand and
sticks well enough to get you through the winter.
No offence intended, but you've obviously been too pampered. There is nothing worrisome about that driveway. If you are planning on re surfacing it,
I wouldn't spend a cent on it now.
Sorry... I guess I overreacted a bit :)
I will leave it the way it is, and will re-do the entire thing next.

Thanks guys..
 
#14 ·
if its your own home, wait til spring & get some work done on it,,, IF its a rental, close your eyes :thumbup:

ALL short sale houses are neglected - IF the owners had the $$$, they wouldn't be losing their homes,,, this place has been neglected for years,,, short term, get some GABC & fill the holes then compact it,,, make certain the slope allows water to runoff & NOT seep into the ground.

there's plenty of dirt driveways up there that still work well :thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
You should be fine for the winter---there should be a deep gravel base under that bad asphalt-
-so getting stuck in a mud hole is unlikely.

If you feel something must be done---call the local gravel/stone quarry and
order a load of 'fines' or 'limestone screenings'

This is a fine mix that is easy to spread out by hand and
sticks well enough to get you through the winter.