Strategies for Steep Mountain Driveways

One of the many decisions you’ll have to make when search for a mountain lot revolves around the pre-construction costs associated with lot preparation. Unlike urban areas you’ll find that buying a piece of land may include having to spend money on drilling a well, putting in a septic system as well as grading the lot for the home site and driveway. If a lot with long mountain views is on your list of “must haves” you may have to figure out how to carve a driveway up a steep grade because let’s face it, the higher you go, the better those views! in this article, we’ll cover some of the options for making it easier to make the ascent to your house with views. And don’t assume that a four-wheel-drive vehicle is a quick solution. Not all your guests will own one. Further, if you plan to Airbnb your property, you’ll need to come to grips that unless you make it easy to access your house, many potential renters will stay away.

Let’s Get Grading: Taking the Steep out of the Hill

Depending upon how large your parcel is, you make have the option to lessen the grade of your driveway by creating switchbacks. Akin to the time-tested switchbacks you have no doubt traversed on a favorite hike, the method here is fairly simple. Instead of drawing a straight line from the road to your house, you can significantly lessen the steepness of the ascent by excavating back and forth from side-to-side of your lot. Your contractor will have to take care not to create problems with erosion if he/she has to cut into the hillside. You’ll also have to balance ease of access with the cost to install. The longer the linear length of the drive, the higher the price will be. Ultimately, you’ll need to find a solution that works best for your budget.