Hello. I am at the end stage of building and, I am looking at doing A contained gravel driveway. It will have sidewalks on both sides of the drive. I like the way it looks and it will save me $1000. My builder is saying that he thinks that I will regret it because it will have the same maintenance as a regular gravel drive. What do you think?
Gravel drive with concrete edges
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For the savings, I'm not sure it's worth it. If you like the look, that is different calculus.
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I don't know how you think this will be less headache than a regular gravel driveway. If you like the look, you could just do an exposed aggregate pour in the middle instead of the gravel.
Any snow, or water, that gets on that, and you will get mudholes, and will always filling it in each year, just to keep it passable.
Any weight on it is going to compress the bedding underneath and cause ruts, then holes, then more filling.
Go the exposed aggregate route, or add a layer of crushed gravel to the top layer of wet concrete.
ED
Any weight on it is going to compress the bedding underneath and cause ruts, then holes, then more filling.
Go the exposed aggregate route, or add a layer of crushed gravel to the top layer of wet concrete.
ED
I think a gravel driveway with a border edge of some kind, (usually pavers), looks so much better than just gravel without a border.
Would have thought the savings would be more. I assume the savings in this case is "only" $1000 because the pros and concrete truck would have to be there anyway due to the concrete borders.
If you like a somewhat similar look and to probably save more money, a paver edge without a wide sidewalk area might be a way to go. Gravel has more maintenance, though maybe not if the person gets rough winters that can destroy concrete.
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I'm with FM on this 1, depending where you are located maintaining a gravel driveway may be much easier than maintaining a concrete one. As everyone knows concrete "will" crack especially if large loads drive over it. Gravel in the worst case just needs to be refreshed. Obviously if you're going the gravel route you need to do it correctly by putting in heavy rock, fabric and smaller rock to build up the base. I am surprised the savings is only going to be $1000, that's minuscule in comparison to the cost of concrete done correctly.
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I have a gravel driveway that has a good base. I never get potholes or ponding. I have had tractor trailers and 40 ton straight trucks on it without leaving a mark. Every 5 years I add a load of #1 crushed stone. In the spring I drag it with a pallet behind the zero turn mower and it looks great. It is very low maintenance.
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I didn't comment initially because you changed your mind so quick. But if you like the edged ("non-rural") look of a decorative stone driveway rather than just trying to save money, it is perfectly acceptable. Some thoughts:
- Check with AHJ or HOA as sometimes only concrete or asphalt is allowed, especially when you have curbs and sidewalks.
- If you have a typical suburban tract home with a short driveway, it probably isn't worth the effort and will reduce value. But can be an asset if considered an "e$tate" house, long driveway, or "motor court," so any extra expense or maintenance could be appropriate.
- If the driveway has a high slope, not a great solution.
- A wide "sidewalk" for containment is really overkill, just a curb or edge of concrete, metal, paver, soldier brick, etc is enough.
- Still should have a concrete apron at street, and better to have apron at garage.
- To minimize potholes and settling should be minimum 12" deep. Depending on soil conditions, 6" subbase, 4" base, then 4" chipped stone topcoat (about 1/2" size available in many colors, but do not use 3/8" pea gravel).
- Downside is maintenance for weed control and periodic raking/adding topcoat. More difficult to remove snow too.
You didn't give the parameters of the $1000 savings. Like the gravel base under a concrete slab for poor soils. Or how deep he was planning on a decorative stone drive. There should be more cost in deeper excavation, labor in compaction and edging which can offset the stone material savings.
- Check with AHJ or HOA as sometimes only concrete or asphalt is allowed, especially when you have curbs and sidewalks.
- If you have a typical suburban tract home with a short driveway, it probably isn't worth the effort and will reduce value. But can be an asset if considered an "e$tate" house, long driveway, or "motor court," so any extra expense or maintenance could be appropriate.
- If the driveway has a high slope, not a great solution.
- A wide "sidewalk" for containment is really overkill, just a curb or edge of concrete, metal, paver, soldier brick, etc is enough.
- Still should have a concrete apron at street, and better to have apron at garage.
- To minimize potholes and settling should be minimum 12" deep. Depending on soil conditions, 6" subbase, 4" base, then 4" chipped stone topcoat (about 1/2" size available in many colors, but do not use 3/8" pea gravel).
- Downside is maintenance for weed control and periodic raking/adding topcoat. More difficult to remove snow too.
You didn't give the parameters of the $1000 savings. Like the gravel base under a concrete slab for poor soils. Or how deep he was planning on a decorative stone drive. There should be more cost in deeper excavation, labor in compaction and edging which can offset the stone material savings.
The typical homeowner doesn't want to buy stone every year and then have to be able (and willing) to drag a pallet around. I don't see the "very low maintenance" in this vs asphalt (recoating every 3-5 years) or concrete (wash it).
It also depends on the length of the drive.
A short 40 feet, is easy maintenance, mine is 300 yards long, and gets ruts, and potholes, which need the old 9N, to take care of.
But we do what we have to, to get along.
ED
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A load of stone every 5 years is cheaper than blacktop sealing for a 120 foot driveway and parking area for 10 cars. Dragging a pallet takes a half hour. Our FL house has a concrete driveway that is about 2% of the size of our NY gravel driveway. It takes a couple of hours once per year to pressure wash it with a good gas powered washer and surface cleaning attachment. Washing the driveway shown above would take at least a day.
I got a price for blacktop in NY and it was $17K. The paving contractor said that if it was his he would keep it gravel.
Maybe in DC they don't, But here where the real world is many do.The average homeowner doesn't have a tractor.
ED
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