Call Now For Paving Help: (804) 614-4099, or Toll-Free: (877) 546-8867
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Get 15% off and a FREE driveway or parking lot SAME/NEXT DAY INSPECTION! Deal Ends Thanksgiving! CALL NOW
Call Now For Paving Help: (804) 614-4099, or Toll-Free: (877) 546-8867
Get 15% off and a FREE driveway or parking lot SAME/NEXT DAY INSPECTION! Deal Ends Thanksgiving! CALL NOW
Richard’s Paving provides driveway asphalt paving, asphalt repairs, and seal coating to residents in Richmond, VA, the Northern Neck, and Middle Peninsula.
Welcome to the Richard’s Paving residential paving page. When you think about your home, you might not realize your driveway is the first thing people notice when they pull in to visit. Many people don’t think about it, but a gravel driveway can erode, become muddy, move around, and sink. Plus, a gravel driveway can make ice removal difficult and that’s important here in Central, VA since we’re famous for ice storms.
Furthermore, if you have an existing but old and cracking asphalt driveway, ignoring it or patching is only a temporary fix. The older your driveway becomes the more likely cracks and potholes will develop, and this will increase erosion. We’ve had clients whose driveway was literally eroding before their eyes after a nasty storm. Your driveway is just like anything else. The longer you wait to do something about it, the more expensive and expansive the repair or resurfacing can be.
Below we will talk more about the pros and cons of a gravel driveway and why it’s beneficial to pave it, or repair/resurface/sealcoat your existing asphalt.
If your driveway is gravel or has developed cracks, rain and wind can speed up erosion, wash stones into the yard, and make ice removal difficult or dangerous.
Livability is a key factor when determining the value of your home. When your driveway looks cracked, eroded, and unsafe, it will bring down your home's market value.
Driveways that have cracks and potholes are a major tripping hazard for your family. If the driveway is uneven and has potholes it can also damage vehicle's alignment.
If cracks and potholes develop where the driveway meets the home, it can allow rainwater to get into the subsurface and damage your home's foundation.
An asphalt driveway is much easier to install and repair than a concrete one. Sometimes, when an entire asphalt driveway needs to be repaired you only have to repave the top layer.
You can even repair small cracks and potholes yourself which makes it more cost-effective (although we don’t recommend it without experience).
Regular sealcoating is also less labor-intensive and ensures an asphalt driveway lasts 20+ years.
Finally, an asphalt driveway is a huge step up from a gravel one. A gravel driveway can wash out due to weather resulting in potholes. This gravel then has to be consistently moved and put back.
If you put two identical houses on two identical lots side by side, but give one a gravel driveway, which one will you prefer? Gravel is loosely packed and can shift, giving it a messy appearance. Gravel can also kick up dirt that can cake your vehicles and home.
Asphalt paving provides the same streamlined appearance as a concrete driveway, but is less expensive and more cost-effective to maintain.
Finally, depending on the market and real estate value in your area, paving your driveway can add an extra $5,000 – $7,000 to your home’s value.
If you have a gravel driveway, it’s going to require a lot more maintenance than an asphalt driveway.
Gravel is constantly shifting causing divots, hills, and empty spaces.
These divots and potholes can cause vehicles to g et stuck after an ice storm, and the gravel can spill off the driveway after a rainstorm.
When this happens you have to collect the gravel and fill the driveway back in.
Many people find this a hassle and paving your driveway requires much less maintenance and is mostly worry free.
Parts of Virginia receive a lot more snow than others but, we do get a lot of ice when rain freezes overnight. But, when you try to shovel snow and ice you create potholes in the gravel that vehicles can get stuck in.
Rainwater can cause a lot of runoff and it can shift gravel into the yard, cause mud, and the surface can become slippery when walking on it.
An asphalt driveway is much easier to shovel snow and ice off of, there won’t be any shifting rocks due to rainwater and snow/ice melts much faster when the sun hits the asphalt.
Driveway safety may be something you’ve never considered, but a gravel driveway can be less safe than an asphalt driveway.
Gravel can be kicked up and damage your vehicle, the rocks can get stuck in your tires, and the dust that’s kicked up can be breathed in.
Finally, a gravel driveway has shifting rocks that can be slipped on due to inclines, causing injury.
An asphalt driveway does not have these problems. It’s cleaner, won’t shift under your weight, and won’t hurt your vehicle.
Our schedule is filling up fast and you don’t want to miss out on fixing that asphalt before the holidays!
