A concrete driveway is attractive to many homeowners, but unfortunately it can also be a bit impractical. Many people live far back on their property and have long winding driveways. Paving all that driveway would be challenging and often homeowners with long driveways such as these opt for a dirt driveway.
At Becker and Scrivens, we can update your driveway in multiple ways!
Dirt driveways can be dirty (hence the name), especially during the dry summer months and muddy during the spring months. All that dirt can cause coercion to the paint on your vehicle causing it to rust prematurely or cost you time and money at the car wash. Also heavy rains can cause large holes to form on the driveway putting additional stress on your shocks. There is a solution that will save your vehicle, save you money and improve the exterior of your home.
It’s time to think concrete!
But not just poured concrete - crushed concrete as well.
Concrete is the perfect choice for a driveway. Once installed, a concrete driveway requires very little maintenance. Using the right forms, as well as a high quality mix that is designed to withstand the ever-changing weather conditions of the Midwest, makes concrete the ideal product for a driveway. Concrete is strong and durable, lasting up to 50 years.
Having even a partial poured concrete driveway - say the area closest to your home, has many benefits. Grading for one. The prep work that happens before the concrete is poured ensures that water will drain away from the home, making sure water stays out of the walls and out of the basement. This puts less stress on the foundation, which means less potential for cracks and leaks as well as mold that can grow on basement walls when there is too much moisture.
Aesthetics is another reason to consider concrete for part (or all) of your driveway. Concrete drives give a cleaner look when approaching the home. The addition of a concrete sidewalk to the home or a concrete patio behind the home also adds to the overall clean crisp look of the home. That look is not only pleasing to the eye, it is also pleasing to the wallet. Adding concrete to the exterior of your home - whether it be a patio, sidewalk or driveway, increases your home’s value.
Looking to sell? Curb appeal is very important to buyers and what is more appealing than the french, clean lines of a concrete driveway, sidewalk or patio? Your return on investment will definitely be in the black if you are selling a home with concrete accents.
And concrete is customizable! You may not think so, but concrete can be stamped in a wide range of patterns including basketweave brick, cobblestone and stone tile. It also can be colored to match the exterior of your home or create an accent to your outdoor landscaping.
So make that smooth clean surface for your kids to shoot hoops on or express their artistic ability through chalk with concrete, then finish off the remainder of your long driveway to the street with crushed concrete.
Crushed concrete is a great alternative to concrete when you have a driveway that is 200 yards (or more) away from the street. Homeowners with large pieces of property often like to set their homes far off the road to keep down noise and then enjoy the solitude of their property. A poured concrete driveway that long - though possible - may be difficult to many homeowners. A crushed concrete driveway up to a poured concrete finish is a win-win.
Crush concrete is a cost effective option when driveways are long. It does require more maintenance, at least yearly, if not more depending on rain and snow, but holes and areas that wash away during downpours can easily be raked or shoveled into place. Snow removal can be a bit trickier, but having the poured concrete near the home will ensure that the area stays snow free and the melting snow stays away from the foundation of your home. In addition to poured concrete driveways keeping water away from the home, crushed concrete driveways also drain well. It can be especially important if you live in a lower lying area of the property.
Becker & Scrivens of Hillsdale and Montpelier Ohio is the leading ready mix supplier in the area. Now offering crushed concrete. We serve Hillsdale, Branch, Lenawee, Calhoun, Jackson, Steuben and Williams counties and are your concrete expert with answers to all your concrete questions. Tell your contractor you want Becker & Scrivens concrete for your next driveway - no matter how long.