Remember Me
forgot your password?

Keep Your Driveway Up With the Joneses'!

We are always hearing about curb appeal and how it will improve our chances of selling if we pay attention to it. Well, technology has come up with a great way to help us to improve the curb appeal of our driveway, and this is also the latest idea so it will give your home the edge in the property market.

It is called stamped driveways or imprinted driveways, and you can even have one by just giving your existing driveway a 'face-lift'! It is a form of textured patterning and you can also use color to brighten up the concrete and to add more interest to the front of your house.

The resulting effect on your driveway from stamped concrete can be almost anything you want. Many driveways have a contrasting color border running up each side. Others have dyed the concrete a dull red and 'marked in' tile shapes for a Tuscany paved look. It is also possible to design your own driveway pattern and call a contractor in to complete it for you.

There are many contractors offering this technique, you will find them on the Internet, listed under Stamped Concrete Contractors or Flatwork Contractors. If you have had experience with concrete, you can also order your wet mix of Portland cement and try it yourself.

Portland cement is available everywhere, and - no, it does not come from Oregon! Portland cement can be made anywhere in the world where the right materials exist and in fact it was invented by an Englishman in the 19th. Century when he experimented with burning lime in his own kitchen stove.

Amazingly enough, since then it has been modified, improved and added to, but never replaced; it is one of the strongest materials to be found. Before you start planning how to try and pour your own concrete driveway, there are several precautions that should be taken.

Of course, we all know that it is not just a question of pulling on your rubber boots and slopping around in 4" deep concrete drawing pretty lines! First of all, if the driveway is large, the concrete may be drying at the far end while you are still trying to level out the beginning. Also, in hot weather areas, an inexperienced worker will not be able to work at a fast enough pace to complete the task before the concrete is 'set'.

Another point to be considered is that the concrete must not be too 'sloppy' when you are planning patterning, as the pattern could just blend away. You cannot start the patterning too soon either, as you must first allow for any excess water to surface.

It is definitely a job that is best done by the experts, however if you can do the 'groundwork' (no pun intended!) then you could save yourself a large percentage of the cost. This is the most time consuming part of the job.

It will also help if you speak to the concrete delivery service in your area, they can often advise you on re-bar and/or mesh reinforcement etc., and their drivers will often take on the part time jobs - and bring the tools!(These will need to be hired as it must be ensured that any air bubbles are out of the concrete.)

Most people can take on the preliminary preparation work. It is a question of building a rough wooden framework (often called shuttering) in the desired shape of your driveway. This is simply to stop the concrete from dribbling away at the edges and is usually removed after the driveway has dried, so it can be as rough as you like.

The shuttering is then filled with gravel to about 4" deep (or take the advice of your contractor). Some contractors will recommend a small channel in the center of the driveway to drain excess water off into the street; you can also ask for this if your house slopes in that direction. Other factors that they take into account are expansion joints and sealers for the driveway.

If you are comparing quotes for the delivery of your concrete, make sure they are all offering comparable services. One of the pitfalls is to choose a cheaper quote, but it may not include a pump truck. This will be needed if the concrete mixer cannot get close enough to your driveway to 'dump' the concrete.

Just a word of warning, if you are considering pouring a new driveway, some local building inspectors like to be informed of this, it varies from area to area. However, it would hinder the sale of the house if you had to hold everything up while you got approval and pre-approval is much easier!

Karen Hoeve

Karen Hoeve is a Raleigh NC real estate agent. Her passion for helping people find the perfect place to live makes Karen the one to call if you're ever looking for Avent West real estate.

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Real Estate Articles
  • More from Karen Hoeve

Truth in Lending Act- Get Updated

By: Liane | 24/11/2009
Commonly referred to as the TILA, the Truth in Lending Act was originally enacted in 1968 based upon a Congressional finding that economic stabilization would be enhanced and competition between financial institutions and other lenders engaging in the extension of consumer credit would be strengthened by borrowers’ informed use of credit.

Making Your Home Environment Friendly in Easy Ways

By: Maria | 24/11/2009
The green movement these days has affected many areas of everyday living. There are people who modify their careers going eco-friendly in terms of practice and materials used. And helping the environment could be started right in your own home. There are simple easy ways to make your own abode be able become a part of this cause. The first step is to change the ways of practice concerning your appliances and home areas with energy saving measures.

Top 5 Mistakes in Making Lowball Offer for a Purchase Deal

By: Maria | 24/11/2009
First time home buyers may be in some kind of difficulty even before getting into the purchase deal itself. Making an acceptable offer is perhaps a nerve-racking task for some. And with that kind of condition, there are many pitfalls encountered.

Sand or Gravel – Making the Right Choice for your Landscape

By: Rose | 24/11/2009
The salient choice in the different components of landscaping is an extremely prioritized reality that defines the quality of your home improvement project. You resort to landscape in enhancing the value and overall impact of your home exterior particularly in improving its curb appeal. The use of sand or gravel in this home improvement endeavor equally holds a salient role to play in the result of your landscaping task.

Title Company – Its Importance in Buying your Dream House Hassle-Free

By: Marikor Hidalgo | 24/11/2009
Home purchase is probably a dream come true for most potential home buyers who have waited for this privilege to finally happen. In the midst of the pressing economic condition and financial unrest, it is inevitable that you may encounter opportunistic people and scammers who usually prey on unknowing victims.

MLS Ontario: Get Your Property Listed

By: Article Manager | 24/11/2009
The multiple listing services in Ontario provide an opportunity to make real negotiations between a listing broker and the buyers to finalize a reality deal effectively.

Flat Fee MLS Listing: Real Estate Information at One Place

By: Article Manager | 24/11/2009
The Flat fee MLS listing is one of the most economical and important tools for sellers in the real estate market and their properties in the reality market place.

Executive Office and Warehouse space in Irvine

By: Mike Diesen | 24/11/2009
Orange County has emerged as a business hub which can weather just about any economic storm. It is also likely to remain as one of the preferred choice on the target lists of investors and of the people will to rent the executive office space. In the Orange County, Irvine has been emerging as a place that has caught special attention of the developers and is now on the eyes of tenants too.

Condo Loans Becoming Stricter

By: Karen Hoeve | 03/04/2008 | Mortgage
The rules will state what percentage of units is allowed to be rental units. If you are planning to be a full time resident, you will want a complex which has a low percentage of rentals. (You also need to ask if the condos above you, below you, and to either side of you are rental units. This may be the reason why the condo unit is up for sale!)

How Easy is it to Buy a Home?

By: Karen Hoeve | 31/03/2008 | Real Estate
It is really quite easy to buy a home, and it is also a great idea right now, but what are the pitfalls involved? Well we all know the obvious foreclosure risks; I think most of us have read enough of that in the newspapers.

The Real Estate Alchemist: Dust to Diamonds

By: Karen Hoeve | 19/03/2008 | Real Estate
If the house is structurally sound, you just need to bring it up to snuff with the surrounding neighborhood. This is ideally a cosmetic job- one that'll require minimal funds and maximum sweat. You want to mine out a job you can do without hiring any outside contractors.

Get on the Trolley to a Hot Neighborhood

By: Karen Hoeve | 18/03/2008 | Real Estate
Buying a property in what might become an up and coming neighborhood can be a path to high points and big dollars with your housing investment. But, there are some points to consider when scouting one of these potential neighborhoods.

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary- How Green Does Your Garden Grow?

By: Karen Hoeve | 17/03/2008 | Gardening
Although gardens have that illusion of being "green" just by their very nature, truth is, in most garden centers, the supply sources for many gardeners, you will likely find rows of chemical pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, products that have been linked to serious illness and the production of carbon dioxide.

Quality Public Education

By: Karen Hoeve | 14/02/2008 | Real Estate
In 2004 Forbes magazine ranked Raleigh, North Carolina's Wake County Public School System ( WCPSS ), third in the nation for "Best Education in the Biggest Cities". It's no wonder, as Greater Raleigh is able to provide superior education opportunities in both public and private settings. WCPSS is a national leader on the education front.

Rescue your Backyard From Boredom

By: Karen Hoeve | 13/02/2008 | Real Estate
You see them everywhere: empty, unused yards and wallflower decks adorned with nothing but a lonely barbeque. All over the country, the typical American backyard is a mass of untapped potential. So unnecessary! If you want to make the most of what your home has to offer, don't take this important living space for granted.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.57, 8, w1)