Eric Babin, President, Babin Custom Builders

You can customize your home’s driveway to suit your taste and preference. There are several types of driveways to choose from when you are constructing a new home or thinking of a new driveway. A driveway has a great impact on the curb appeal of your home hence it should be safe for the users and well maintained. Most homeowners want their homes to look stylish, attractive and durable, one of the areas that you can improve or modernize is the driveway. Commonly used materials by Niceville custom home builders in driveways are cement, brick, asphalt, cobblestone and natural stones.

Cement or concrete driveway

This is the most common type of driveway found in most modern homes. It is considered part of the exterior landscape since concrete makes a home more appealing and elegant. You do not require a lot of money to have a cement driveway installed on the other hand it is easy to maintain. This is because no annual resealing is required as in the case of blacktop or asphalt driveways. There are different categorizes of concrete driveways which include decorative, plain and exposed concrete.

Concrete driveways are very long lasting provided cracks are correctly filled and mended. These driveways are very decorative since you can achieve a color variant by tinting them. They can also be given an attractive finish to match the theme in your home.

Paving driveways

Paving driveways are very beautiful and greatly improves a home’s curb appeal. Pavers have great aesthetic impact and design flexibility. They are available in a wide range of materials like clay brick, natural stones, cobblestone and many others. Let your designer or architect choose the pattern that best suits your home. The paver type has a subset referred to as permeable pavers. This type absorbs water thus improving on drainage of storm water. Remember this is a costly investment because of the materials used and cost of labor.

Asphalt driveway

Asphalt is the most economical driveway to install. Its initial cost is lesser as compared to the other types. However ,asphalt driveway needs regular maintenance. It requires resealing after 2- 4 years hence making maintenance costs very high. A classic asphalt driveway is plain and gray in color.

Brick driveways

This type of driveway is very stylish thus making it expensive. Even though a driveway made of bricks can last for many years it becomes uneven with time. This calls for yearly or frequent maintenance. These driveways have a decorative effect and will improve the value of your home in case of a resale.

When choosing the building materials and style for your driveway ensure it offers ample parking and adequate entrance to your home. In case you own several cars, you can consider including an additional parking pad on one side. Moreover, Niceville custom home builders will help you choose a design that matches your house and street. Any kind of construction material is appropriate as long as installations are done properly and in accordance with the building codes. Proper and regular maintenance of your driveway is important if you want to get long term service. Therefore, choose a driveway that will give your home an attractive and elegant look.