In alt.home.repair Keith Boeheim wrote:
Our home in western new york is 4 years old and the driveway is gravel.
There are 10+ other homes on the street built about the same time as ours
and had gravel driveways. A concrete flatwork contractor put in about 5
driveways last summer and did minimal excavation. He told the home owners
that by them driving on the gravel for 3-4 years was the best subbase there
could be and if he didn't have to excavate much it would also cost them
less. The problem I see is that the driveway is above grade and even
bringing in topsoil it would take a lot to feather it out so the lawn looks
flat. Any opinions on this contractor's statements or could he have
excavated so that the driveway was flat with the adjacent lawn?

Frankly, I think it's far easier to raise things up a bit than it is to
move everything around. I'd let him put in the driveway and get a
dumpload of crushed stone to put along the edges. The grass will
eventually grow up through the stones and you'll have a sturdy edge to the
driveway that will still drain well.

I'm thinking of putting in a driveway in the spring. Thanks for any replies.

If you wait untill somewhat late in the spring, yu'll have a chance to see
his work under nearly a years full exposure. While that's not the best
amount of time to see if he's wrong about the base holding up, it should
give you and idea if he's grossly wrong (since the other driveways will
start failing).



John
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