BONUS TOPIC: CARPORTS, GARAGES AND DRIVEWAYS
Transcript of BONUS TOPIC: CARPORTS, GARAGES AND DRIVEWAYS
CARPORTS, GARAGES AND
DRIVEWAYS
BONUS TOPIC:
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CARPORTS, GARAGES AND DRIVEWAYS
If you’re looking for maximum street appeal (which you
should be), you can’t ignore the fact that your garage
or carport, along with your driveway, is going to impact
this. Those elements are at the front of the house and
on display for everyone to see.
Furthermore, your driveway is actually the first and
last experience you have with your home each day,
so it makes sense to invest some time, energy (and a
small slice of reno budget) in getting this space right.
It needs to look great, bring your vision to life and
function well too. By Erin
TOP 3 THINGS TO THINK ABOUTTHE LOOK: In a nutshell, your carport/garage and driveway must match your
vision board. Case in point, Lana’s driveway was a key design element of her
house. She chose man-made concrete pavers (also known as crazy paving) to
replicate the real cobblestone paving she saw in one of her favourite inspo pics
from Greece. This ended up being one of the most convincing design choices
she made to bring her vision of #santoriniinsydney to life.
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Reality
Inspo
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MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH ON WHAT IS EXPECTED IN THE AREA. IN
THE MORE SUBURBAN AREAS WHERE BONNIE AND I LIVE, A DOUBLE GARAGE
(AT LEAST) IS EXPECTED TO GET TOP DOLLAR. WHEREAS IN MANY INNER-CITY
NEIGHBOURHOODS, ANY FORM OF OFF-STREET PARKING IS CONSIDERED
GOLD. WHEN FLIPPING, ONLY PROVIDE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR CAR
PARKING THAT YOUR AGENT TELLS YOU IS REQUIRED. DON’T OVER-INVEST IN
THAT SPACE.
F L I P
T I P
This will depend on a mix of what you need and what you can afford. Both are great options. Either
way, make sure you choose materials that complement those used on your house to create a
connection.
Freestanding Garages
CARPORT OR GARAGEACCESS: You need to ask yourself what type of access you want to your house
from the garage. If you have, or want to have, direct access to the house from
inside the garage, it’s likely that this will act as one of the main entrances to
your house (for your family at least). This is totally convenient and something I
personally really like. One thing you should consider is that if your family use this
door, is there also a space to put the schoolbags and shoes that will inevitably
follow? Don’t go and build your mud room near the front door if your family are
never going to use that entrance.
SIZE MATTERS: Provided you have the space, don’t scrimp on the size of your
garage or carport. A single garage should be no smaller than 3.2 x 6 metres of
internal space. A double garage, therefore, should be 6 x 6 metres. And, if you’re
lucky and have the space, a triple garage can work at 8.6 x 6 metres. Whatever
you do, make sure you measure your car, too, as some cars are larger than
others. If you want to store other things as well (hello bikes, camping gear and
lawnmower), then you are going to need extra space on top of the above.
TWO
THREE
As with all things reno, you will need to check with your local council or a private certifier to find out
if your carport/garage/driveway plans will fall under exempt, complying or require a DA. Look back
at Module 1, Topic 6: From Vision To Approval to refresh your memory on this process.
Garages built into houses
This is hands down the most expensive option you can choose. Not to mention, it will require more
planning at the initial design stage of your entire home, as the garage needs to be structurally
sound and approved as part of your home’s plans. On the plus side, it will add value to your home,
and you can create access from the garage directly into your house.
Freestanding garages are often built when the
land requires it (like on a sloped block) rather than
being the most practical choice. They can also
be the best option when your home doesn’t have
a garage and you want to add one. You can go
for either a prefabricated or a non-prefabricated
freestanding garage. The second option is more
expensive, but it does allow you a lot more freedom
with what you do, and we love options!
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Carports
Of all the solutions that provide shelter for your car, carports are the most affordable and can still
look pretty damn good when designed to tie in with your home. There’s nothing worse than a
cheap looking carport, so if you do choose this option, make sure you execute it well.
DRIVEWAYSIn the world of driveways there are endless options. I recommend going for something that’s in
your budget and complements the façade of your house.
Driveways can chew up a big chunk of your budget, and the high cost of creating
them can rub salt in your reno-budget wounds. #ouch Bon felt this pain when she
received the quote for her dream driveway. She was forced to (temporarily) shelve
her plans for a sealed driveway and embrace a true farm-style rotor mill driveway
that was much kinder to her budget. But her driveway dreams aren’t buried, just
postponed. She hopes to seal the driveway in a few years’ time.
TRUE STORY
Rotor mill is a form of road base made from a mix of recycled asphalt and the road
base material underneath.
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A concrete drive is uber-practical and can look fab. Even though it will cost you less than pavers, it’s
still pretty expensive (especially if it’s a long driveway), but it should last a very long time if prepped
and poured properly. Make sure the look of concrete works with your overall vision board. If you’re
going for a traditional, rustic-style home, gravel or pebbles might be a better option.
If you already have a concrete driveway, bring it back to life by giving it a good wash with a high
pressure hose. If it’s still not bright enough for you, consider using paving paint or concrete paint
... but just be aware that this might flake over time depending on the product you choose, the
condition of your driveway and how much you drive on it.
WE CREATED A NEW DRIVEWAY
IN HOUSE 5 AND USED CRUSHED
STONES AS IT WAS CHEAPER
THAN POURING CONCRETE OR
LAYING PAVERS, BUT THAT WAS
STILL ENOUGH TO GET US TOP
DOLLAR FOR THE SALE. THE NEW
OWNERS HAVE SINCE INSTALLED
A CONCRETE DRIVEWAY.
If the romance of a driveway that ‘crunches’ floats your boat, gravel or crushed stones are for you.
Both come in loads of colours, are relatively cheap and provide that simple, rustic look. Because
the materials are loose, they will need regular raking and compacting. They can be dusty and
will likely need to be weeded. For these reasons, they can be better suited to smaller driveways
unless you can manage the maintenance. If you love this look but hate the maintenance, you can
glue the stones together using a gravel binder which gives the appearance of loose stones but
without the movement ... or the ‘crunch’ factor.
Concrete
With many roads made from this material, asphalt definitely has the durability cred to be considered
for your home’s driveway. It also comes with a stack of benefits when compared to concrete.
Asphalt is faster to prep, lay and cure. Expect to be driving on it within 48 hours of starting the job
– perfect for the busy parent on all those school runs. You can also expect to pay MUCH less for
asphalt than concrete and you won’t have the running repair costs because it’s flexible and won’t
crack with movement from the soil underneath. BUT (and it’s a big BUT) asphalt is black, so you
need to be comfortable that such a dominant colour won’t destroy the façade of your house. A
black, asphalt driveway in Lana’s forever home would have buried her #santoriniinsydney vision.
Asphalt
Brick pavers not only look great, but they don’t need a lot of maintenance either. A high-pressure
hose once a year will do the trick. Fancy patterns, such as herringbone, will look great but just
keep in mind that the material and install costs will set you back more cashola if you opt for a fancy
pattern, so be sure to put this in your scope of works document.
Brick
FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH A STEEP DRIVEWAY, ASPHALT ALSO GIVES MORE
GRIP FOR YOUR TYRES THAN CONCRETE. Tip:
DON’T FORGET TO ASK WHAT THE CURING TIME FOR YOUR NEW CONCRETE
DRIVEWAY IS. YOU’LL PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT A WEEK BEFORE YOU CAN
DRIVE ON IT, WHICH IS A CRUCIAL CONSIDERATION IF YOU’RE ON A TIGHT RENO
TIMELINE. YOU DON’T WANT TO UNWITTINGLY DELAY YOUR PROJECT BY A WEEK
BECAUSE NO-ONE CAN ACCESS YOUR PROPERTY DUE TO YOUR DRIVEWAY. IT
WILL LITERALLY BE LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY. #SLOW
Tip:
Gravel or Crushed Stone
F L I P
T I P
Also known as ‘exposed aggregate’ this is an old-fashioned concrete solution with exposed
stones mixed in for an added decorative edge. It’s a very durable surface that’s non-slip and will
last a long time. But beware, it can look dated and is more expensive that standard concrete.
Pebblecrete
Pavers come in a variety of colours, shapes, styles and price points making them a great choice
when you’re trying to bring your vision board to life on a budget. Pavers are very durable (often
coming with a lifetime warranty) and individual pieces can be replaced if needed. They’re non-
slip, skid-resistant and provide better drainage than a concrete slab. For a cheaper alternative you
could look at using a few feature pavers that are pricey and then surround those with cheaper
gravel or pebbles.
Pavers
T H E R E N O S C H O O L . C O M
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