A smooth drive home

ACode. well planned and constructed driveway should last as long as your house does, and wit h ca reful planning, you can avoid many common

drivew ayp roblems. Planning

Conside rt he layout of t he d riveway in relation t oyo urs ection. Give though tto where turning areas are needed, how the garage will be accessed, and how the finished driveway will connec tt o the garden. Draw an accurate plan of the section, showing wher eyo uw ant your driveway to go.

Conside rt he slope of driveway, assess where water falls and drain st oa void puddling and flooding, especially into your hous eo r garage. The driveway surface shou ldbea t lea st2 5mm above natur alg round to allow fo rs elf-drainage.

Your contracto rw ill advise where control join ts s hould go if you are using concrete. Thes ec uts allow for movement caused by temperature changes and drying shrinkage, to control where and ho wt he concrete will crack (e.g. in a straight line instead of randomly).

Your contracto rw ill be able t o gi v eyou planning advice t oen sur e yo ur driveway complie sw ith the New Zealand Building

Choosing a Contractor

As kfo r job references from any contractor you are considering using.

Discuss wit h yo ur contracto rw hethe rt he existing soil surface (subgrade) on which t hed riveway will be placed i ss ound enough fo rt he traffic load i tw ill support, o rw hether i tw ill need improving.

Ensur eyo ur eceiv ea writt enq uotation containing details of e verything tha tt he contractor has allowed for, including cutting of the control joints. Check whethe rt hey will bring protective sheeting (if necessary) t op rotect your house and garage from splashing during concreting and/o rus ing pigments for colouring.

Ideally only one contracto rs hould be involved in the wor k( the main contractor). If sub-contractors are used for any aspect of the job, thi ss hould be arranged by your contractor ,no t by you.

Give the contractor yo urs ite plan. Your contractor can note where the control join tss hould go and area st hat need to bep rotect edf rom damage (e.g. gardens, trees and letterboxes).

Discuss the kind of surface finish that yo uw ant. Remembe rt hat materials like asphalt and concret ea re variable materials and, while considered tough, durable and long-lasting, can ‘set’ differently in place su nder different conditions –e ven within the lengt hof t hed rivew ay i tself. A grav el d riveway will als ola st decades b ut r equire sr egular care and maintenance.

Once your brand new drivew ayis finished remembe rt o keep vehicles offi t for at least 7 days, longer if i t’s cold weather, then enjoy a smooth ride home.

Source: https://concretenz.org.nz/page/ residential_driveway