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Jun 26, 2008 10:01 am US/Eastern
Angie's List: Driveway Repair & Replacement
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
This time of year many homeowners will be thinking about replacing or repairing their driveways, but with so many options - which is best for you? According to a recent Angie's List poll. replacing driveways was one of the top 10 projects that people were going to tackle this year. Late summer tends to be the busiest time for these contractors so it's important to start thinking about it now.
Angie's List founder Angie Hicks says "When weighing the options about driveways whether to choose asphalt or concrete, you need to look at the whole picture to determine costs. on the front end, concrete is typically more expensive, but usually lasts longer and has less maintenance. asphalt, on the other hand, little less expensive, but requires re-sealing every three to five years."
Angie also warns, be prepared for sticker shock! "You shouldn't be surprised if you see an increase in cost to replace driveways this year especially when it comes to asphalt because it is petroleum-based. We talked to several suppliers and found they're seeing about a 20% increase in the cost of asphalt. Keep in mind both types of contractors, asphalt or concrete, might be adding fuel surcharges for driving and for transporting materials," says Angie.
She also recommends that before hiring a contractor check them out thoroughly and inspect their previous work. She says,"Some of the complaints we've seen on Angie's List about driveways included the driveway not being level, places where water might be pooling on a newly laid driveway, or that the driveway is cracked."
Angie's List hiring tips for a driveway project:
Do your homework on the various options for driveway materials.
Installing driveways is work best left for the pros since the project is large in scale.
Lead times for paving a driveway can be up to several weeks, so plan appropriately when talking with contractors.
Check out the driveway contractor's previous jobs. See if it shows any signs of problems.
In order to obtain an accurate estimate, have a sketch of the home and the desired driveway footprint. Walk the site with the paving contractor and have him/her mark where the paved driveway is to lay.
Talk to your contractor about an accessible area for materials. Ask about clean-up.
Talk to the contractor about installing proper slopes and drainage. Otherwise, you may end up with water pooling on the finished driveway, or draining into your garage or home.
If there are any municipal pipes that need to be raised to the finished height of the driveway, find out if the paving contractors' quotes include performing this task.
Driveway specifications may be subjected to certain community rules. To avoid wasting time and money, check if building a concrete driveway will result in any violation.
As the crew begins work, there will be some dust, dirt and noise from the equipment. Keep all windows and doors closed during construction.
Don't leave your car in the garage during the project!
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