If you're lucky enough to have a driveway, you're probably already familiar with how it can improve the value of your home. Too infrequently reflected upon, the driveway does more than mark the threshold of your property; it is a passage from the chaos of the outside world into the sanctity of your home.
That may sound somewhat dramatic, but a driveway has its roots in medieval castles, although the compound noun's first known use was in the latter half of the 19th century. Consider that by the 1850s, houses in Britain and the wider world were typically reached by traversing dirt paths – paths built for people, not for vehicles or even horses necessarily. When the wealthier people who had horses built their houses, they wanted some assurance that dangerous people weren't going to be accessing their property through the larger roads and ambush them in the dark, so they took inspiration from a castle drawbridge and created driveways.
As a result, when you cross through your driveway, you and your guests are subconsciously drawing from that history, feeling safe, protected, and welcomed when you pull up close to your home. That's why it's a shame that most homeowners don't pay much attention to how their driveway looks or functions – especially if you've lived in your house for a fairly long time. When you don't pay much attention to your driveway, you can neglect important repairs that can impact your home's aesthetics and increase the possibility that your car gets damaged as you use it.
Repairs and Upgrades
Your driveway will naturally need repairs over time simply by being used. In some instances, if a driveway wasn't installed particularly professionally, it can increase the need for repairs at a later date. If your driveway is just an afterthought, you can ignore necessary repairs and cause expensive problems later on. The most common repairs are:
· Filling in cracks or lines (which can grow to impact a driveway's foundation
· Fixing crumbling asphalt is often caused by shoddy workmanship and might need a brick border to prevent crumbling.
· Oil stain removal
· Filling potholes
· Removing a sunken apron
Because a driveway is the first thing guests see when entering a property, many people choose to upgrade their driveway, whether that's with welcoming but secure wooden driveway gates that are slowly open to reveal your property or just by planting new plants grass to make everything look fresh and healthy.
The Many Benefits of a Driveway
If you take good care of your driveway and upgrade it when possible, you'll find it can increase the kerb appeal of your home, in the process increasing the value of your home on the market. Thinking of your driveway often will also increase the chance that you make repairs when necessary, reducing the likelihood that there is an accident or vehicle damage due to crumbling surfaces. Perhaps the most important benefit is that having a beautiful driveway will improve your everyday life as it is something you can appreciate whenever you enter or leave your home.
'This is a collaborative post and the author's views do not necessarily reflect those of our blog. We may receive monetary compensation for our endorsement and or recommendations'.
