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| Hello All, I’m usually hanging out at Knots but I have a question related to my concrete driveway so I’m hoping that this is the right place. I bought a house 15 years ago that has a concrete driveway. The driveway goes on a decline from the road to my house at a fairly steep slope (about a 45 degree angle). When people pull out of my driveway they tend to bottom out especially if we are talking about a passenger car (Toyotas and BMWs are very low to the ground and always bottom out). This has really bothered me over the years and no one wants to come into my driveway for this reason. Even a Chevy Suburban once bottomed out because it is such a long vehicle. I’m hoping that the hump at the top of the driveway (probably put there to prevent water from careening down my driveway in a storm) could be somewhat flattened out. Or I was hoping that the driveway could be built up so that the hump is not so pronounced. I also have stone to the side of my driveway that I would like to pave with concrete. My question is: Is it better to get rid of the curent concrete driveway and start over and hopefully the driveway can be put in with a more gradual slope. Or, since the current driveway is in decent shape, can it be topped off with concrete and filled in with concrete where the stone is on the side of my driveway? I really want to resolve this issue but I’m not sure if it can be resolved. I’m also interested if anyone knows of the cost of putting in a driveway. It is roughly 400 square feet. Any help would be appreciated. By the way, I live in New Hampshire… |
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Replies
Hello Buzz - In my experience, it's very seldom that the best option would be to pour concrete over existing concrete - but you need to post a few pics to get a little more clarity. Lotsa good minds here at BT, but methinks your info. a little too vague without some clarifying photos. BTW 45 degrees? WOW now that's a steep climb home!
Huck et al,
The driveway slopes from the street down to my house, not vice versa. I will take some pictures and post but there is a lot of snow in these parts these days. There is no garage yet at the bottom of the driveway but I am comtemplating building one. I should go out and measure the slope. I said 45 degree angle but it may not be that steep. 30 degrees may be more accurate. I will try to take some pictures this weekend and post. Thanks for all of your posts...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Sounds to me like you need a garage with a basement and a lotta fill.
The driveway slopes from the street down to my house, not vice versa.
Well, that's very different (with thanks to Rosanne Rosannadanna).
Might just be that a "crank," a second, middle, pitch in the driveway might work, then.
The tricky parts is not creating a slough to pass water into the (potential) garage. This may suggest, as was posted earlier, a "bend" in the drive, if only for runoff control.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Yeah, we need pics.
45º sounds like the "impossible" driveway photos we bashed around last year about this time.
The "tricky" bit is that the approach to the garage has to be some flat, so that you don't either "high center" on the lip, or prang the overhead door getting in. Which has to be balance with getting from the street to the driveway without changing the drainage of the street. That sort of thing.
Your best bet overall will likely be one tear-out and one replacement, rather than trying to find the right grade, and also level the adjacent gravel and then also pave the gravel, too. (That, and a good paving contractor is less likely to "trust" a subgrade he did not install.)
I'm thinking the driveway needs to angle over to the street, not come off it at 90 degress, to lessen the slope. It would be involved, but might possibly be the only way to change the driveway incline. But I'd need to see some pics, and have some idea of property lines, etc., to know if that's even possible. From his description, it sounds like any driveway that follows the same path is going to end up the same slope. How about installing a ski lift from the street up to the front porch?
Hey Buzz,
Did your wife call Click and Clack a couple weeks ago about this?
Todd
No and I don't know who Click and Clack are. I will post pictures tomorrow on the driveway. Thanks.Regards,
Buzzsaw
Dont post them on the driveway! Post them here! - Huck (sick with a cold, housebound and bored, waiting for the phone to ring)
OK All,
I took the pictures of the driveway. No it isn't 45 degrees but I would say at least 30 degrees. OK I exagerrated.
OK help me out. I click on Attach Files and nothing is happening. Is anyone else having this problem?Regards,
Buzzsaw
Nope. Must be karma.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I've found that above 15% to be mostly unworkable. The previous photo was a 14% replacement of the 30% driveway the professional roadbuilder sold us. Maybe this'll help:PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
>> I click on Attach Files and nothing is happening. Do you have a popup killer running? Disable it while you upload.
>> I'm also interested if anyone knows of the cost of putting in a driveway. <<
Here in Relaigh NC 3.5" concrete flatwork is about $2.25 a square foot turnkey (materials included) for a fairly cut rate guy. If you want real nice work, figure $3 and up. I'd guess it is likely more expensive in New England, but be aware the prices for concrete flatwork vary greatly even within a locality. Also figure about the same cost to remove an existing driveway.
OK, it was the pop-up blocker that was preventing me from uploading the files. So I just disabled it. Here they are:
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Looks to me like all you really need to do is get a good running start to get out of the driveway. What you're wanting to do is get the front wheels off the ground so your car doesn't bottom out. It's one of the few times in life where yelling yee haw is acceptable and no one will think you are a silly redneck.
Enjoy!
I'm confused by the pics and the titles... (what else is new?)
So, the driveway slops down from the road to the house, or down from the house to the road?
The bottom out point is were? - at the road, or up by the house?
BTW - what is that white stuff on your grass? It looks all fluffy and mounded up, especially by your driveway...
Matt
The bottom-out point is where the top of the driveway meets the road. The house you see is my neighbor's house, not mine (the street is in between the top of the driveway and my neighbor's house if you look closely). I should've included a picture of the bottom of my driveway where it meets my house. The issue is that there is a hump at the top of my driveway. If someone pulls straight out of the driveway they will bottom out. If they cut the wheel at the top of the driveway (while on the hump) they may just scrape but it won't bottom out badly. Obviously the height of the vehicle is a variable here as my F150, Mercury Sable, and Ford Explorer do not hit at all.Regards,
Buzzsaw
The picture one person posted is using the idea of a switch back the lesson the grade. That sounds expensive. How about pouring a pad on each side of the entrance. Say 10' X 10'. So when cars go over the hump they're going over the hump at an angle to the hump. The pictures don't exactly show how far in the hump is.....but widening the entrance could be an option.
OK, here's my solution. Please let me know if you'd like to make a voluntary donation to my PayPal account. - Huckedited to add: sorry, didn't mean to be sarcastic. Just that's the best I can do with the limited info. (the pics are kind of hard to tell the whole picture from). Anyway, hope this helps get you (or anyone) thinking of some viable alternatives!
Edited 2/5/2005 2:24 am ET by Huck
Huck,
Thanks for all of the hard work on the picture. Sorry if my pictures were confusing. Your picture puts my new driveway cutting right into my front lawn. I should've sent a picture of the front of my house. There is really no other place to put the driveway so that is why I was thinking of ripping the old one up and installing a new one. The house that you see in the picture is my neighbor's house across the street. Regards,
Buzzsaw
Concrete driveways don't work in NH. Rip it out and start from scratch. If you have room to come off the street so it's not a straight shot into your garage you can lengthen out the driveway and reduce the slope. You'll still need the header at the street the keep the water flowing along the gutter line. I deal with these situations on a regular basis working for a residential paving company in Concord, MA. Without seeing it in person it would be difficult to figure grades, drainage etc. There is always a solution. Some pictures of your whole front yard and a rough plot plan showing length of your street frontage would help.
Thanks Excavator,
I will have to post some better pictures. Ya know, I'm surprised that you say that concrete driveways don't work in NH. It was poured back in 1978 and has been great for us. My only real complaint is that cars bottom out when you don't know how to navigate the end of the driveway. As I said, my wife and I have no problems because either our cars are higher or we know how to navigate it. WHen you say rip it up are you saying that I am better off with blacktop? Everyone I have ever talked to says that concrete driveways are far superior to blacktop. Please explain. I am interested in what you have to say and I will try to take more pictures this AM.Regards,
Buzzsaw
How about a grated concrete culvert in front of the drive to carry water away, then shave the diverter hump off?
SamT
I like this solution but am not someone who knows whether it is a viable solution. Thanks for your input and I'm going to look more into this solution. Thanks a lot...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Move the garage up the the second floor.
don't have a garage...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Regarding concrete vs. asphalt I have found that concrete tends to heave or crack with freeze and thaw cycles, on hills it has a tendancy to pull away from the garage or shift downhill. A deeper base will help avoid these problems. Concrete is more expensive to install than asphalt. Our driveways typically last 20 to 30 years without problems. Either way you decide to go, the existing driveway should be removed. A trench drain at the street should be avoided as it is expensive to install, would be a constant maintanence issue (keeping it clear of debris) and if the town decided to resurface the road they would likely rip it out in the process. If you could live with the water coming down your driveway and you could create a swale at the bottom pitching to one side you could eliminate the header at the street. As a last resort you could install a trench drain at the bottom. I would suggest a heavy duty concrete drain sold by Shea Concrete. They may have a website with a picture of it. The issue of keeping it clean still exists but at least you wouldn't have to worry about the town destroying it. I don't know how far from Concord, MA you live. If you lived close I could shoot some grades for you and give you some better advice.
Looking to buy an old house with very steep and short driveway here in southern France. Just read up on some great ideas and wonder if they can be applied here since its so steep and short run. Im surprised whoever designed this house did it this way and that they got it approved. I got the schematic of the land from the people who did the hydrology report who are still in business. I can attach it.
Its down slope. House sits at bottom with driveway entry on street on top. In looking at the plan and through google maps showing terrain height....it seems that if they had started on left side of house and parallel and turn towards the house may have worked. Either way its no an easy solution and any advice or help really appreciated it.
Here is what the hydrology report shows.
I can't make out the elevations and dimensions in your file. Do you have a higher resolution version. Where in the south of France? I'm sitting in Paris right now.
Thanks Mike. Paris should be nice this time of year. Not too cold.
I'm in Antibes and house is 30 minutes from here. Moved here a yr ago from Carlsbad, CA and while there are similarities in weather, landscape etc. some things I already miss.
Yes, the resolution is not that good and will try to get a better copy tomorrow when they open and will repost.
Provence. My wife and I have spent some time there. Paris is warm, but last year in March it snowed. Carlsbad. I grew up in Oceanside and still live in North County. Valley Center. It's all very much like the Med. Since your drive isn't to long your best choice would be paving stones. I don't know if they make concrete ones in France but that would be an option in the states. An option you have that you wouldn't have in the states is real cobble stone. I'm sure you could find some craftsmen to do it but you'd be on their schedule. (Normalmente). I have no idea of the cost of anything construction wise in France. Is this house a mas?
Oceanside, small world. We use to go to the harbor restaurant and know Jim Wood the ex mayor. Yes the weather is unpredictable down here too.
They're getting ready for the Cannes Film festival next week, and the mega yachts are arriving but the weather is perfect one day and very windy and cold the next.
No its not a mas. It was built on a hillside 20-25 yrs ago and it has numerous issues which i will deal with later but the driveway is key, which is not drivable as the house/garage its 25' down from street and only 60-70' length. So i'm hoping that they can re doit and I'm willing to pay 30-40k if the slope is redone with curve, if possible. Don't know much about driveways other than what I'm learning now. I think 100ft is minimum for 25' slope.
So my wife who speaks French will go tomorrow to the hydrogeology place who did the study and ask what can be done.
Thank you and have fun in Paris.
With that as a budget I can't imagine you having an issue.
Mike
Agree.
Only issue is that unlike public records in CA., here they are using Napoleonic land tax registry as their system. So its a lot more discovery.
Thanks
keep me posted