Who do I call for this? (Driveway advice)

[Tonks]

We are looking to add a semicircular driveway to the front of our house since our kids are about to hit driving age. I’ve been starting to get quotes from driveway companies, and it has made me hit the brakes. I have realized that we will have only about 10 feet of non-concrete yard after we do this driveway. So it will be a major exterior feature of the house.

I’m confident it can be done it a way that actually adds value to our curb appeal as well as to the functionality of our house, but I don’t know beans about design so before we spend a HUGE amount of money, I feel like I should call someone to double check me on material choice and design. We could do a billion materials (plain concrete, stamped concrete, pavers, a border, etc.) and a couple versions of layout.

Who do I call to ask for design advice? Is this the purview of a landscape designer? Landscape architect? Around here there are driveway companies who come and install driveways but they just ask you what you want and give you a quote. While they assure you things will look good, it’s a lot of $$$ to spend without having someone really assess your overall color scheme, design, etc.

Advice welcome and thanks.

 

[tyty333]

We've had a few houses in our neighborhood extend driveways or do circulars. Both used pavers. I believe it was the paver
companies that helped them with the design.

 

[Tonks]

We've had a few houses in our neighborhood extend driveways or do circulars. Both used pavers. I believe it was the paver
companies that helped them with the design.

Hmm. Maybe the next couple driveway companies will be better with design than the one I met with today.

 

[marymm]

Maybe research landscape architects and/or landscape professionals in your area -- it sounds like you might like a front yard landscape plan including the driveway, or perhaps only a driveway landscape plan -- both plans would address the driveway's appropriate placement and layout based on your property's size and terrain, materials, drainage, any permits etc.

 

[kenny]

I wouldn't call anyone regarding a new driveway.
I'd give my kids more credit.

I'd keep that money and have my teenagers learn how to negotiate the real world of driving right at home.
Backing up safely is an essential driving skill to learn.
If I spend big buck$ babying them, by providing a back-up-less driveway, I'm keeping them less-experienced, skilled, confident, and safe.
If I can't trust them to figure out how to use our driveway as is, why in the world would I let them drive at all?

Better they crash into something on our property than on someone else's property.

Plus, all contractors lie; the job will almost certainly take longer and cost more than their quote.
If a contractor's quote is truly honest and accurate they would lose business to the vast majority of contractors who lie (with unrealistically-low bids) to get their jobs.

It reminds me of all the diamond vendors who sell tiny too-thin solitaires with melee on all 3 sides.
We all know it's not as safe as a more-substantial ring, but they have to be competitive or else they'll lose business.

 

[tyty333]

^ Kenny's School of Hard Knocks

 

[Tonks]

I wouldn't call anyone regarding a new driveway.
I'd give my kids more credit.

I'd keep that money and have my teenagers learn how to negotiate the real world of driving right at home.
Backing up safely is an essential driving skill to learn.
If I spend big buck$ babying them, by providing a back-up-less driveway, I'm keeping them less-experienced, skilled, confident, and safe.
If I can't trust them to figure out how to use our driveway as is, why in the world would I let them drive at all?

Better they crash into something on our property than on someone else's property.

Plus, all contractors lie; the job will almost certainly take longer and cost more than their quote.
If a contractor's quote is truly honest and accurate they would lose business to the vast majority of contractors who lie (with unrealistically-low bids) to get their jobs.

Putting in a circular drive is not so that the kids don’t have to back up—it’s so that we have a place to park another car. I suppose we could do a parking pad instead but I thought this would look better. Right now the only place is directly behind me and I am not super interested in being blocked in or playing musical cars. We’re not technically supposed to park cars on the street overnight.

 

[elizat]

If you are looking at pavers, I'd think they can make suggestions. I feel like just a straight driveway, where it's about plunking down concrete or asphalt, is just less artistic. Pavers have patterns, colors, etc., to select from, so I think a paver company will have design ideas.

Do you care about losing most of your front yard? Maybe a parking pad is better then. I don't know if losing the front green space matters for your location and your property value. A parking pad that is there temporarily would be easier to rip out and/or turn into something else later than a really big driveway.

We did the musical cars growing up. It honestly wasn't that bad once you got used to it, fwiw, if you wanted to spend your money on other stuff. Especially if your kids are 16/17 and out of the house in a year or two and it won't be used anymore, it may be worth considering if it's worth it.

 

[kenny]

You can't park a car in front of your house on the street overnight?
EEK! Yuck!

I'd move to a place with no CC&Rs.

I heard there are places (Irvine, CA?) that are so anal that if your car leaks oil on your driveway they send you a letter telling you to get it cleaned up and get your car repaired.
If you don't obey they have their contractor clean it up and send you the bill.
If you don't pay the bill they put a lien on your house.

Those are creepy places that I could never call home.

 

[redwood66]

Hi. When you say semicircular are you talking about adding another entrance to your house from the road? Or using only the existing approach from the road?

The reason I ask is that your local road entity, city or county, may not allow a 2nd driveway to the road if you don't have a grandfathered situation.

 

[kenny]

Just do this.

 

[telephone89]

Do get various quotes from reputable companies, and ask about the local restrictions. Where I live, there has to be a certain % of the land that is still "land", and cant be developed or covered over. This is very important for drainage; imagine if every house was just a cement basketball court, the water would flood the streets and overwhelm the drainage systems. If that is applicable/something your area monitors, you will need to make sure you have an appropriate amount of non-developed land for that.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

To me, there is nothing more elegant than a circular driveway. i cannot help with the driveway questions,, but my living room was measured and so I can visualize 10 feet of land left in the front. I think this is still enough to make a lovely landscaping presentation in front of the circular driveway. One way to make the landscaping interesting is to berm (I hope the word is correct.) the land so that it not all the same height. You can put a nice birch tree that is beautiful to look at. So much you can do if you have those 10 feet. Yes, to a circular drive.

Annette

 

[Austina]

I don’t know about here (in the US) but in the UK there were numerous companies who specialised in doing driveways. When we bought our last house, we removed a lot of overgrown planting, and replaced it with brick pavers to enlarge the driveway. . The only thing I would say, is if you go down this route, make sure the contractor lays a suitable base, and then sands the pavers once it’s done. This stops the pavers shifting under the weight of the cars.

I love the look of an in and out driveway.

 

[Lookinagain]

Especially if your kids are 16/17 and out of the house in a year or two and it won't be used anymore, it may be worth considering if it's worth it.

I think this is a very good point. Is this just a temporary issue and if so, then I'd reconsider.

As far as only having 10' of yard left and whether the semi-circular driveway will add value, I think that really depends on where you live. Where I live, if my front yard was mostly paved or made of stone or some other material, it probably would not add value because having 10' of yard would look very out of place, and would probably reduce curb appeal not add to it. Also, make sure you talk to your building department and ask if you can have two "curb cuts" going to your house. Some towns don't allow that, or require a special permit, just like some towns only allow a certain number of cars parked outside in your driveway without a special permit, instead of in a garage.

 

[LilAlex]

since our kids are about to hit driving age.

Can you clarify this piece? Meaning: a lot more cars to shoehorn in...? Or: to engineer a less treacherous pull-in and -out...? Or...

I think the objective will drive the solution. Oh look what I did -- by accident. Oh again. Gotta stop

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Kenny--.
The reason towns, villages etc. have the no overnight parking in the street is a safety issue. The police make rounds at night of our neighborhoods and if a car is parked on the street with no police notifications they investigate. If you have an overnight guest, you must inform the police dept with the license number and name of the owner. Your visitor may only stay two weeks. You see, your mother-in-law can't stay too long. We all like it. You get used to it.
Each Spring the village inspects properties and issues violations for a myriad of things. Most people comply.
I think it really works.

Annette
Edit to Add. In our neighborhood you can only break-in during the day. Good working hours for a thief.