Repaving the Driveway: Question

[Fern]

Preparing to sell my house down the road, in a year or so.

The driveway is not in great shape, lots of deep cracks, etc. It's starting to go, tho no potholes yet, just lots of cracks which i've tried unsucessfully to fill (the cheap liquid asphalt got tracked in on people's shoes and gummed up my wood floors.)

So the question is, do you think repaving the driveway (a long one) at considerable expense ($6K+) would be considered basic maintenance, and therefore something i should do before putting on the market? Do you think it would make a big difference in someone's 1st impression?

[Snoopy2645]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

Personally when looking to buy a house the driveway was not an issue for me JMO I was looking more at what is wrong with the house than the actual driveway or even the garage

[fultron]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

It would help with curb appeal but you'll never get back your investment in the sales price.

When I bought my house the driveway was so cracked and full of holes it was like a roller coaster. It didn't stop me from buying the house though. I'd prefer a bad driveway to a leaky roof or shaky foundation

[34saving]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

Personally I'd fill in the cracks with the cheap stuff and then seal the whole thing. That would cost A LOT less money, but I'd think you'd still get most of the curb appeal. Also, is your house a starter or a mover upper? If it's a starter I don't most people in that market would even notice. However, people looking in the "mover upper" category might notice because they know how expensive replacing a driveway is.

[Fern]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

You'd probably consider my house a 'starter' house. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and about 1650 s.f.

To save $$,and also becus i think it's more attractive, i had been thinking of having them pave only the sloped portion of the drive, and then lay gravel at the upper end of driveeway closest to the house. It's a good sized area with space for another car to side of garage. It's level there, and completely surrounded by stone walls, so gravel wouldn't go anywhere or get in grass. Between the gravel section and the paved section i thought a 3 foot wide apron of belgian block would be a nice transition.

I may just pay to have the part that's worst repaved, or something like that and to heck with perfection.

[gakline]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

I'd just have someone reseal it. They should fill in the cracks too. Shop around for the best prices and make sure you let the other person know that you're taking other bids.

[VJW]

Re: Repaving the Driveway: Question

The driveway is not in great shape, lots of deep cracks, etc. It's starting to go, tho no potholes yet, just lots of cracks which i've tried unsucessfully to fill (the cheap liquid asphalt got tracked in on people's shoes and gummed up my wood floors.)

Just fill the cracks with a polymer cement (Vinyl Cement) a few of weeks before you put the house on the market. It has superior adhesion properties and should stay in place. The patched cracks will look better than the open cracks.

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