Driveway cross-over change, any advice

uncle_ant · Apr 03, 2007 1:08 am

Dear members

We have found ourselves in the situation that our crossover and driveway are not going to line-up to well. I think it is going to be a really akward angle to drive into, back out of.

When purchasing the block and getting the house sited, the land and roads were not ready to look at. But, we asked for a block with left-hand side access to get the aspect we wanted.

The house got sited to the right-hand side of the block as the left-hand is our 'living' side; our backyard if you like.

Can anyone offer any tips or advice in getting this crossover changed? I have read some information from our local council and understand that it will be at our expense and that our neighbours must be consulted (at which there are presently none). I have emailed a query to council, but have no reply yet.

You can just see the crossover to the left of the photo. From the crossover to the garage entrance is approx 5.5M and when I stand there and look at the angle think 'no way' it is just going to be a real pain.

I think that applying to council to have it widened would be the best option.

Thanks

Tony
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/uncle_ant/Frontfromaccrossstreet.jpg

commodorenut · Apr 03, 2007 7:33 am

I dunno how hard it will be, as all councils seem to have different ideas....

However I can tell you my experience.

Basically our driveway lip was in around 7m from the left boundary (looking from the street).

At our expense, we ripped it up, started it 3m from the left boundary, and widened it to 4.2m

We had to replace the old section of lip with guttering as well.

This was all at our expense, and on top of that, we had to pay a council contractor $400 to come & refill the ashphalt that the concreter had to cut away to fit his formwork in.

perryr · Apr 03, 2007 8:06 am

Unfortunately, you are in the hands of the council with this one. You need their permission to rip up the cross over and put a new one in, and as you rightly said - it will be at your expense. In the long term it will most likely be worth it, because you will have to live with whatever you decide on.

Another option is to phone a few of the concreters around, ask if they do that sort of work, and see if they will do the dealing with the council for you. Make sure you get an all inclusive price.

Best of luck!
Perry

3timesbuilda · Apr 03, 2007 9:14 am

Why not just have a bit of a bend in the driveway, makes it a bit more intresting. In one house we built with a fairly long driveway (about 30m from memory), we deliberately put a bend in which gave us more privacy (it was up a slope) and made it more intresting.

Sometimes it is nice to break the mold a bit.

3xb

epiphany · Apr 03, 2007 10:00 am

We have to change our crossover because it's on the wrong side completely.

With our council, we just needed to pay a $50 fee & they came out & inspected the existing crossover to make sure the footpath is strong enough to take the weight of a vehicle (otherwise you have to replace that section of the footpath as well). They then gave us permission to change the crossover (no consultation with the neighbours required) & a set of guidelines about how to do it.

The change is at our expense & we have to remove the existing crossover at the same time. The council come back to inspect the crossover while it's boxed, to make sure everything is ok before the concrete is poured.

We have to get our driveway done anyway...& every concreting person I've spoken to has said it's no big deal to do the crossover (they all know what to do).

So check with your council about getting it moved &/or widened (some councils also require you to get special permission to widen it past the usual 3.5m). But it should be a very straightforward process - especially if you get a driveway done at the same time.

sneakersss · Apr 03, 2007 10:42 am

We're in the same situation. Although we're not that worried about it (putting a curve in the driveway) and are prepared to live with it.

However, what would be a rough ballpark figure to extend/widen a crossover?

The sales person at our estate told us that to relocate a crossover would cost roughly 2k. But since we would only want to extend and not relocate, I'm assuming it shouldn't as much.

epiphany · Apr 03, 2007 5:36 pm

2k seems awfully expensive.

We have The Longest Driveway in the World & it is costing about $4k for the whole thing, including the crossover.

mattwalker · Apr 03, 2007 5:39 pm

epiphany

We have The Longest Driveway in the World & it is costing about $4k for the whole thing, including the crossover.

Just how long is the Longest Driveway in the World???? :lol:

epiphany · Apr 03, 2007 6:55 pm

Loooooooong. Round about 85sqm...& that doesn't include the crossover, the bit at the front door (& the path getting there...+ 2 steps) & the step at the laundry door.

pasey25 · Apr 03, 2007 7:13 pm

2k is pretty reasonable for a standard crosover

commodorenut · Apr 03, 2007 9:41 pm

Ours was 120sq m stencilled concrete, with the relocated crossover, for $7.5k
We got him to make it a bit thicker & use the next size up mesh as well, so it could take heavier vehicles if required (like a tow truck..,,,, yes, I'm into cars!)

mattwalker · Apr 03, 2007 10:32 pm

epiphany

Loooooooong. Round about 85sqm...& that doesn't include the crossover, the bit at the front door (& the path getting there...+ 2 steps) & the step at the laundry door.

Lol... Thats a long driveway!!

commodorenut

Ours was 120sq m stencilled concrete, with the relocated crossover, for $7.5k
We got him to make it a bit thicker & use the next size up mesh as well, so it could take heavier vehicles if required (like a tow truck..,,,, yes, I'm into cars!)

Into cars...thats insane! I am jealous as hell though :lol:

uncle_ant · Apr 03, 2007 11:12 pm

Hi everyone

Thanks so much for your replies, I appreciate the advice! I will get in touch with the council via phone, I think emails are not going to work.

Did consider a bend in the driveway, but when standing at the garage and looking down to the crossover the angle is really just wrong. I am thinking that even with widening it will still be a curved driveway, which is OK by us.

Good advice, and interesting to hear others experiences. Hopefully our council will allow this.

Will get onto to this after Easter.

Tony

Huey · Apr 04, 2007 12:55 pm

Looking at your block I think you are building in Claremont Park. I looked at getting a new crossover at the rear of my corner block for a back gate and it would have cost about $2K (while the gate itself was only $600). I would have needed to get a council approval form and also approval from the developers. You could contact the Villawood maintenance supervisior for the development to point you in the right direction for getting approval.

uncle_ant · Apr 04, 2007 9:16 pm

G'Day Huey

Yes, I am at Claremont Park. Thanks for the advice, it is appreciated.
I will get in touch with Villawood after Easter, I have found them good to deal with so far.

I am thinking that the $2K will be money well spent.

Tony