Determine Wear and Tear vs. Damage
First, it’s essential to distinguish why your driveway looks a bit worse for wear. Is the surface starting to crack, stain, or develop potholes? Or has natural erosion done a real number on your rental’s driveway surface? Something as minor as a water pipe leak in the yard could erode the soil under a driveway, as a result of breaks or holes – a major eyesore. Conditional on how damaged your driveway is, you may be able to resurface it, or, in more severe cases, it would be time to replace the thing in its entirety.
Options for Replacement
One of the more budget-friendly driveway materials is asphalt. Unfortunately, asphalt doesn’t last as long as concrete and can easily start to reveal wear and tear after just a few years. If you catch the damage early, it’s oftentimes only on the surface. If that is so, you may be able to add another layer to your existing driveway to get back its functionality and appearance. However, if the issue turns deeper or affects the soil beneath the driveway, you may have to re-do the entire thing.
Spring or early fall is a suitable time to fix or replace an asphalt driveway. Outside temperatures play a significant role in the quality of the asphalt as it is laid down, so it is significant to prefer and pick a time when extreme temperatures won’t be a major factor. Additionally, make it a point to pick a professional paving company with quality guarantees. A bungled asphalt job can deplete your property values instead of expanding them!
Though the start-up costs are mostly higher, concrete driveways mostly last longer. Concrete will still display marks of wear and tear over time, and you ought to make a choice when the time is right to address complications that have grown. One of the prime problems with concrete is cracking and flaking. By the time visible cracks form, it’s an indicator that the surface integrity is failing. Repairing the surface may be an excellent (although temporary) option for small cracks. You can even refinish the entire surface to restore a concrete driveway’s solid appearance.
But take note, if you have drainage troubles or cracks wider than a quarter-inch, a patch job won’t work. Water will continue to seep under the concrete, freezing, thawing, and wreaking havoc on your driveway’s foundation. If you detect wide cracks, uneven surfaces, pooling water, or other dilemmas, it’s likely time to replace all or part of the driveway.
Obligation for Landlords
One final thing, landlord-tenant laws in most places state that it is the property owner’s responsibility to keep the property in a habitable condition. If your rental’s driveway is so damaged that it is unsafe to walk or drive on, it’s time to replace it. Holes and cracks can fill with ice and become safety hazards for your tenants, while potholes can damage their vehicles (and yours!).
Along with the rest of the property, it’s relevant to conscientiously monitor the condition of your rental property’s driveway, listen to tenant concerns, and take the right measures. It’s not worth the legal and financial risks to let unsafe conditions go ignored and unattended.
Knowing when to repair or replace a rental’s driveway can be burdensome. But the good news is that you don’t have to make important decisions like these on your own. Take into account giving our Argyle property managers a call. We can absolutely help you budget for larger repairs and renovations your property needs and even supervise the project itself. To learn more, contact us online.