New build: Asphalt v. paver driveway

[Anonymous]

As someone who has had both, you smell asphalt driveway when they first put it down, and when they seal it. That’s it.

Asphalt driveways need sealing every 12-24 months.

If you have little kids, I vastly prefer asphalt driveways. Better for chalk, bike riding, skate boarding, etc. We have a large driveway and even with a large yard, the kids still love playing on the driveway.

Paver driveways do look way better, and, to be honest, I would probably expect a house that expensive to have one.

[Anonymous]

Can you do a concrete slab driveway? Our street in our neighborhood has original 30 yr old concrete driveways but some of the other streets have asphalt and they're have to be redone fairly often (and look horrible with cracks and holes before doing so) so there's added maintenance cost later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
How expensive is the house?

This matters.

More than 2.5m, probably (a bit) less than 3m. (We've spent a lot.) I have slight fatigue in spending, and this seems like the first thing reasonably to cheap out on.

I prefer neither. Definitely not asphalt. That’s for low budget houses. Why not one of the other options? Surprised you aren’t required to do permeable.

[Anonymous]

We have never had weeds in our paver driveway.

[Anonymous]

You should get concrete.

[Anonymous]

I agree re concrete - it looks better than asphalt and is more expensive but is less expensive and less maintenance than pavers. I also agree that if you have kids it will be more fun for riding, drawing, basketball, etc.

[Anonymous]

What about small rocks like driveways at the beach?

[Anonymous]

I think natural concrete is harsh and ugly, and glaring in the sun. Asphalt in good condition looks nicer to me.

Another advantage of asphalt is that it soaks up oil drips. Delivery vehicles, tradesman vehicles, housekeeper vehicles often leak. If you have a showcase driveway then all those leaks are going to bother you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think natural concrete is harsh and ugly, and glaring in the sun. Asphalt in good condition looks nicer to me.

Another advantage of asphalt is that it soaks up oil drips. Delivery vehicles, tradesman vehicles, housekeeper vehicles often leak. If you have a showcase driveway then all those leaks are going to bother you.

You lose all credibility by claiming asphalt looks better than concrete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
How expensive is the house?

This matters.

More than 2.5m, probably (a bit) less than 3m. (We've spent a lot.) I have slight fatigue in spending, and this seems like the first thing reasonably to cheap out on.

Go for the pavers (correctly installed, for no weeds). Don’t contribute to runoff problems (any more than your new build already did).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about small rocks like driveways at the beach?

The DC area gets enough snow that you need to plow at least some of the time. That’s not a very practical solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about small rocks like driveways at the beach?

We have a house in OPs price range and we have small pea gravel driveway. Have nice stone edge around perimeter.

Then we have a service driveway for larger deliveries that is asphalt but is hidden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about small rocks like driveways at the beach?

The DC area gets enough snow that you need to plow at least some of the time. That’s not a very practical solution.

There are many houses on LI ans in CT and MA with this style driveway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think paver driveways make a house look much nicer. It sets the stage for everything that comes after. I have also seen driveways that are poured then stamped with a cutter type mold. I don't know if that is less expensive than pavers.

If you become committed to the asphalt, then at least line with either the brick of your home or pavers. Set it off.

Much cheaper, but like asphalt, you contribute to run-off and possible flooding concerns in your neighborhood, whereas with pavers, a lot of the rain seeps between them. It's the entire point of pavers - better for the environment.

only if you use permeable pavers and do not use polymeric sand. other wise regular pavers run off just as much water. weeds between the cracks in pavers. you WILL hate yourself shoveling a paver driver. paver drive WILL ice up much faster than asphalt or concrete. paper drive will not need seal coating like a asphalt.

if you really wanted to go eco frendly, you could build a water retention tanks under the drive and plumb you irrigation system to use the water. but that will add 20K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about small rocks like driveways at the beach?

The DC area gets enough snow that you need to plow at least some of the time. That’s not a very practical solution.

There are many houses on LI ans in CT and MA with this style driveway.

It is hard to get a professional to plow a gravel driveway, and it is also hard to use a snowblower on it.