Concrete Driveway - Installation and Process:

We had an exposed aggregate driveway and wanted to replace it with a gray concrete driveway. As we started our research we found that beyond the basic concrete driveway, you can do a decorative stamped concrete driveway that has a lot more curb appeal. Of course, the more intricate the driveway the higher the cost to the homeowner. The advantages to using concrete to pave your driveway is that it is durable, requires very little maintenance, and provides a solid appearance. A concrete driveway can have a variety of patterns or colors and textures vary with each project. In terms of concrete driveway thickness, the pavement should be at least 4 inches thick and slightly more if you plan on having heavier vehicles drive on it. To help water drain properly, the driveway should be sloped at 1% or more.

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As you look into your options keep in mind that the decorative concrete driveways can run as high as $15 per square foot (multi-pattern designs) while even the basic stamped concrete driveways will cost $8 per sq/ft. Experts recommend that any concrete slab you have poured in your driveway should be sealed. A sealer should be applied especially if you live in an area where the driveway will be exposed to freeze/thaw conditions. Penetrants and film-formers are the 2 popular varieties of sealers and contractors will tell you that the penetrating sealers give you the superior protection from moisture. After we chose our driveway contractor (see below on finding one), the project went along as planned. It required about 3 days of work including demolition of the aggregate driveway, laying of the gravel base, and pouring the new concrete. The cost worked out to about $7.5 per square foot, but that included demo and install. With 720 square feet to be done, we had considered a more decorative design but decided against it due to price. The crew cleared our old driveway in no time and we watched as the planning and setup was done for the new driveway. The one drawback was that our cars had to be parked outside for a few days as the driveway was installed and it had to cure as well. We are lucky that our driveway is very short so our cars could be parked in the court while the concrete cured. The new look is just what we wanted and definitely a huge improvement over the exposed aggregate that we had before. The cost was $5400 but it could easily have been $10000 or more if we had went with a more intricate design. Paving a driveway is not cheap since labor eats up most of the expense involved with the project. The big plus is that concrete lasts a long time - in many cases 30 years or more if installed properly.

Concrete Driveway Cost:

Paving your driveway is a mid-range home improvement project. Our driveway is about average size in our neighborhood with 720 square feet of space that needed to be torn out and then redone with fresh concrete. Over the years some damage and cracking had occurred - tree roots are a big culprit where we live. How do you know if the estimate you get from a contractor if reasonable? Ask around, get multiple bids, and look online at websites like Costhelper.com that have postings from other homeowners who have been involved with similar projects. Our 3 bids averaged about $6500 for the driveway and we went with one of the lower bids. The company was reputable enough and they had done work in our neighborhood before with satisfactory results. The high bid was about 25% more than the average and they provided nothing more than the other 2 companies. Be warned that there are contractors that look to take advantage of homeowners in these situations. The concrete driveway cost of $5400 for us seemed like a good deal and so far we are happy with the results.

Concrete Driveway Contractors - Paving Contractor:

Finding a concrete contractor will probably prove to be the toughest part of the project. We wanted to get 3 estimates for our concrete driveway so we started with a contractor we found on Craigslist. Another paving contractor was found by word of mouth from a neighbor who had done something similar a few years back. Also, we used the website http://www.concretenetwork.com/contractors/ to locate another driveway contractor. The first thing to do is get references from any contractor you plan on working with. Then check their name with the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) and also make sure they are properly licensed. Discuss the details of the project with them and come up with an estimate that includes the tearing out of the own driveway if applicable. Most concrete contractors can supply you with photos of their work and even help in the design process if you plan on doing a stamped concrete or decorative look. Above all, you need to feel comfortable with the contractor on a project of this scope. Don't just go with the lowest bid if you aren't comfortable with the company or people involved. Sometimes spending an extra 10-15% for piece of mind is well worth it. Also, get a timeframe for the project so that you know it will be completed by a certain date.

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