When a home remodelling project is going on, the driveway is often ignored. But this is wrong as the driveway is the first point of contact for guests. Your driveway can make or mar the first impressions of your home. It is advisable that you take your time in selecting a paving material for your driveway.
We’ll look at several important factors that you must consider when selecting a driveway for your home. We’ll show you how things like your budget, your climate, your driveway size, and the frequency of usage should influence your choice of driveway paving material.
- Shape and dimension
You must plan the shape and dimension of your driveway if you are building it. Most driveways are rectangular or square-shaped with enough space for only one car. Houses in suburban and rural areas will have more space to have varying driveway designs.
Before you begin constructing the driveway, predetermine your route and boundaries. Ensure that your driveway is wide enough for one car with extra room. If you want, you can consider other things like a parking space, turnaround and more.
- Maintenance
Your maintenance expectations will affect the type of driveway paving material you choose to use. The more durable the material you use, the less you will have to maintain your driveway. You can also improve the durability of the driveway by ensuring that there is enough drainage under the driveway, and the gaps between the pieces are filled. You can use interlocking pavers if you wish as only missing tiles will need to be replaced.
- Personal taste
Your personal style and taste should be involved when selecting the paving material for your driveway. The paving material you choose for your driveway influences the character of your yard and your house.
Go for paving material in your favourite colours, style, pattern, shape and texture. You can use different pavers with similar tones for a more beautiful, classy look. You can even use two or more colours in a single paver if you wish. You should also consider the architectural style of your home. You have several options when selecting a stone paver that suits your personal style. You just need to take your time.
- Local authorities
You must ensure that your local authorities approve your new driveway, and it doesn’t fall short of any government regulation. In some exclusive neighbourhoods, driveway and other home improvements are strictly regulated. Some homeowners associations in these neighbourhoods ban certain colours and materials.
- Beauty
The beauty of a driveway is a paramount factor when constructing or renovating it. No one wants something that looks hideous. A beautifully paved driveway can increase the beauty of a home. Select beautiful material that will go well with your home. Ensure that you select an experienced paving company to work on your driveway. You can get recommendations from your neighbours, and you can look at houses in your neighbourhood to get inspiration for your driveway. You can look at the pictures in magazines or on the internet to get inspired and come up with creative driveway paving ideas.
- Budget
Your planned budget is an essential factor to be considered before undertaking a driveway renovation or construction project. Regardless of what type of material you choose to go with, it must meet your budget. Natural stone pavers might look so good, but they are so expensive. But you can shop around for some stones that are not that expensive. If you are considering long-term prices, a stone paver might save you more money in the long run.
Timing can help you get by on a low budget. You can buy your paving stones in the early winter or late fall when suppliers will offer you a lot of discounts. If you aren’t renovating the driveway yourself, you might need to consider the installation cost.
- Local climate
The climate of your home city should be considered before opting for a kind of driveway. If you live in places where they have about 2-3 seasons for their climate, you can choose almost any kind of driveway for your home. But if you stay in other places, you must consider things like heat, snow and other environmental conditions. If you don’t consider your local climate, your driveway won’t last for long, and you will have to spend a lot of money to maintain it.