ᐅ Repaving a driveway, drainage, costs?

Hello,

Does this question belong under 'Garage' (here) or should it be posted in the neighboring forum under 'Landscaping'?

We need to renew a driveway to the garage, about 50m2 (540 sq ft). Currently, there is a drainage system in front of the garage, but I have no idea where it drains to... Is this drainage absolutely necessary, or could the water be directed by slope "under the hedge" or towards the street for runoff?

Furthermore, a downpipe that currently drains onto the driveway from the side should be routed underground – can this be drained easily, or do I need to work with infiltration trenches or soakaways installed in the ground?

We have received a rough quote (only one so far), not itemized but including new gravel base (20cm (8 inches)) and paving grit (5cm (2 inches)), as well as reusing most of the old stones (disposal of old stones would have cost more than buying new stones at about 20 EUR/m2) arranged in a new pattern with approximately 15% replacement [at the sides], including 3-4 soakaways. The total is around 8,500 EUR gross, or 6,700 EUR "cash" 🙁

Since I have little knowledge in this area, I wonder if this is expensive or if that’s a reasonable price?

It should be noted that usually only passenger cars use the driveway, but it should be able to accommodate vehicles up to 3.5 tons due to an RV occasionally using it...

You are usually not allowed to drain water directly onto the street. Draining into a hedge is acceptable if the slope allows it.

The pipe from the garage roof is best connected to the same drainage system as the house. Depending on local regulations, this could be the stormwater sewer (or combined sewer) or an infiltration system. If necessary, the water can first be directed into a cistern.

I cannot accurately assess prices since I do the work myself. However, more than €120 per square meter (around $130 per square yard) net seems expensive to me.

The problem is that there are no plans for the house drainage system. The supply is technically documented in the plans, but I have no idea how accurate they are... Presumably, the drainage runs on the other side of the house and then around the half-basement (?) towards the street, so connecting to it wouldn't be that simple.

However, the downspout comes from the house roof and currently just drains onto the driveway, while the garage drains into the ground at the other end 🙂

Maybe it would be a good idea to find someone who could do the work in exchange for a stay at the holiday home, so both sides would benefit (officially, of course *ahem*!)...

Paving work can also be done quite well by yourself. Getting the subgrade to exactly the right level is a bit tricky but not difficult. Installing PVC sewer pipes is also not hard; the question is more about which utility lines you might hit when digging around like that 😉

I’m less worried about the pipes, but practically everyone involved isn’t exactly in the best physical shape, to put it mildly... Operating the excavator might still work, but using a shovel, screed, and similar tools requires not only the expertise (yes, there are videos 😉) but also physical fitness, which is mostly lacking.

And the group is not getting any younger either; one person who does a lot of the manual work is currently recovering from cancer...

BauPaar schrieb:

But almost all parties involved are not exactly the most physically fit, to put it mildly...

Then the only option is to have it done by professionals. Get several quotes, even if it takes longer. Our driveway is 70m (230 feet) long and changes slope about five times from right to left.