A cracked driveway is one of the best ways to make a bad first impression to buyers.
If the driveway looks old, worn or ugly, or is just gravel it’s like a grumble and a frown to potential buyers, says Barfoot & Thompson Coatesville Agent Shane Anderson. A smart clean driveway on the other hand is like a smile and a handshake.
“A driveway that is cracked, broken, lifting up does put a lot of (potential buyers) off,” says Anderson. “First impressions really do count because first impressions sell.”
Anderson says in his experience vendors double the money they spend on upgrading the driveway. Conversely if the driveway needs $10,000 spent on it and you do nothing, a potential buyer is likely to bargain you down $20,000. They double the cost in their mind.
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A nice driveway indicates that the house is well looked after, says Anderson. A driveway with weeds growing out the cracks suggests the vendor hasn’t maintained the property well.
At the very least kill off all the weeds, have the driveway professionally cleaned and consider filling holes and sealing it. DIY products are available or specialist driveway repair companies can be enlisted to do the job.
If your driveway needs replacing the options range from around $40 per square metre to $200, says Jeremy Wyn-Harris, managing director at Builderscrack.co.nz. There are many different driveway surfaces available, says Wyn-Harris. They all have pros and cons.
Gravel is the cheapest option, says Wyn-Harris. Gravel is easy to lay and permeable meaning that runoff into the storm water system isn’t an issue. One the downside, loose gravel has a habit of moving. You can use a honeycomb base to reduce this problem, says Wyn-Harris.
Anderson cautions against using gravel if you plan to sell because women in particular don’t like walking over it in their shoes. It can be muddy in the winter and dusty in the summer, he says.
Concrete is more popular than loose gravel and the first choice for many people. Clean new concrete can be eye-catching. Concrete is also low maintenance, and good for water run-off, says Wyn-Harris.
Concrete comes in many varieties. It can be made to look like aggregate, it can be textured, resemble brick and/or colour/accents. Concrete can be protected with a sealer, which ensures it remains looking clean. It has a lifetime of 25 to 50 years.
Typically concrete would cost $80 to $140 per square metre depending on your needs.
Asphalt is another popular option and costs $60 to $100 per square metre according to the Builderscrack.co.nz cost estimator tool.
As a petroleum-based product it is quite flexible and not as prone to cracking as concrete. Asphalt is good where there are contours, he says. Wyn-Harris himself is about to put an asphalt driveway into his own property.
Unlike concrete asphalt can be resurfaced. It can be repaired more easily than concrete. The cons are that it’s not ideal for steep driveways. It can also be sticky in the summer when it’s very hot and you don’t want to be walking it into the house.
Resin-bound gravel looks good and isn’t loose, says Wyn-Harris. The resin locks the gravel into place and it’s an aesthetically pleasing solution. It can be added over the top of old concrete, which is an advantage. It is permeable.
Likewise pavers, tiles and cobblestones are all permeable and can be lifted more easily if you need access to the services below the driveway. The cost ranges from $80 to $200 per square metre. Granite or basalt cobbles are at the higher end of the price range due to the amount of labour needed to install them, says Wyn-Harris.
Rural properties sometimes have very long driveways, says Anderson, which can be prohibitively expensive to seal. Having said that, buyers see a sealed driveway as the mark of an elite lifestyle property.
