Maintaining driveway adds value, aesthetics
When it comes to considering home improvement, homeowners may be overlooking something that they use multiple times a day — their driveway. Paving or repaving a driveway can add monetary value to a property and improve its aesthetics, experts say.
There are many benefits to getting a driveway repaved with asphalt or tar and chip, said Tim Spangler, owner of Voelker Paving, a family-owned company in Butler that specializes in asphalt paving.
He said getting a driveway repaved helps to keep the dust down, allowing homeowners to more readily landscape in the spring and summer. It also makes snow removal easier in the winter.
“It keeps the home and garage a lot cleaner,” he said. “And it gives kids a place to play.”
Repaving a driveway also adds value to a property.
Spangler said homeowners should know the history of their driveway before they get it repaved. He said information about the subbase material, how the driveway survives in the winter and if they've had overlays before are all key details needed for the person who will pave their driveway.
“A driveway is only as good as what's underneath it,” he said.
He also cautioned homeowners to know what they intend to use the driveway for and to be aware of their budget.
According to Spangler, the general average price for asphalt is $2 per square foot, but it can vary.
If you don't have the money for what you want done at that moment, don't fret. Spangler said that driveway repaving can be done in steps. For example, you could start with just getting the subbase repaired.
Most driveways with asphalt can be repaved in a day, he said, so homeowners won't be displaced for too long if they decide to go with this type of improvement.
Homeowners looking for something a little more unique might want to consider decorative paving on their driveway.
Decorative paving can be done with different types of pavers, such as bricks or stones. It hasn't really taken off yet, said John Funyak of Funyak Landscapes in Mars, but it has recently gained some popularity in residential areas.
“We're trying to blaze that trail a little bit,” Funyak said. “It's a different kind of craftsman's approach to paving a driveway.”
While asphalt or concrete is cheaper — most decorative paver jobs can cost between $20 and $30 per square foot, according to Funyak — there are some definite benefits to decorative paving.
“It's more decorative and has a timeless kind of look,” he said.
He said the driveway will also withstand harsh winter weather much better, not cracking under pressure as concrete might.
Funyak also said that it's important to be aware of any foundational issues in your driveway before you go to a paving company.
Another type of specialized paving available is permeable paving. This is a different base underneath the driveway that becomes a drainage system as well — water runs down through the pavers on the driveway, Funyak said.
The time it takes to install a paver driveway is a little longer than repaving an asphalt driveway, but Funyak said the typical residential one could be done in a week. There are also less restraints as to which season a driveway is paved when it comes to decorative paving.
“The good news is we are not constrained as much as an asphalt company that does pavement or concrete that you stop pouring at a certain time of the year,” he said. “Really, if the ground and materials are frozen, we can lay pavers appropriately.”
