What would you do with this driveway?
 

This is a house I am purchasing for remodel. I will say that the driveway is not as long as it looks in the photo. It is just a weird angle or something from Google Street View that makes it look like the house sits farther from the street than it really does. Both garages are functional.

Obviously the primary driveway needs to be removed. My question is should I repave it as a two car wide driveway, as it is/was? Do I repave it as a single car driveway, since it is a single car garage and there is more parking available in the other driveway? Do I rip both out and make one giant driveway that spans both?

I really don't know what would look the best and add the most value. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2176/housefronta.jpg

If you intend to use the garage in the house then repave the left one. If not intending to use garage then grass

Leave the right one alone.

I think it depends on how many cars you plan to park there. You could repave the left part of the driveway and have place for visitors to park...but I would say it also depends on the size of the yard. If the yard is already pretty good sized WITH the driveway there, then it may be worth repaving. If the yard is small, then I would take out the left side and replace it with grass.

If the garage in the house is going to be used as a garage, you'll want a driveway there. If it's going to be used for living space, add a patio and a sidewalk to the driveway that leads to the free-standing garage.

Both garages are going to be used as garages, not having a driveway on the left isn't an option. The question really is should it be a single car width driveway, double (as it originally was) or should I pave from the left edge of the garage on the left all the way over to the right edge of the garage on the right, creating one very wide driveway that spans both?

Ryan, if it was my house I think I'd have 2 seperate diveways but make them so the are almost a circle/or connecting drive near the house. This would leave a earthen strip in the middle where you could have plantings but also make it so you could drive-through. But then it your house and what really matters is what you want it to look like.

Just my:2cents:

...and congrats on buying the house!

Thanks, I like that. I think this is the route I may go.

Does your city have any goofy codes or ordinances that specify how much of your lot you can have paved? We did where I lived in Minnesota.

I don't know, that's a new one to me. I'll have to look into it. You would think even local governments would have better uses for their time.

The reason for a reasonable limit on paved areas has to do with run-off (much higher and faster for pavement) and overloading the drainage and storm systems in place or planned for.

Was the home purchased for remodeling for you to live in or is it a "flip"? There is a big difference in way and amount of money is put into it.

Obviously, the shrubs/jungle on the left side have to be removed or drastically trimmed. The detached garage certainly is that and looks like an orphan because of the elevation differences.

Personally, for the long term, as an owner, I would go with a single curb cut and a two car wide driveway that has a split off just off the street to the right for the garage. Clean out the jungle between the two existing drives and put in an vertical arborvitae between the house and garage and close to the front of the two structures.

If you are a "flipper" just clean up the jungles and put in a one car driveway. Buy some fertilizer and broadleaf weed killers and water well.

Dick