# building a driveway on a hill



## cdawg (May 6, 2014)

hello new to forum 
i''m wanting to make a new driveway on a hill and wanting any suggestion as too how i would keep the gravel on he hill so the water won't wash it away this is what i think i should do 
1 get cross ties to put on each side of the area i want the driveway 
2 fill in with field dirt to make it a smooth surface 
3 put down rip rock for the base 
4 lay down some stone dust so that it will sorta mind like concrete 
i tried to had a couple pics of the hill but it wouldn't let me sorry please any help is appreciated


----------



## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

cdawg said:


> hello new to forum
> i''m wanting to make a new driveway on a hill and wanting any suggestion as too how i would keep the gravel on he hill so the water won't wash it away this is what i think i should do
> 1 get cross ties to put on each side of the area i want the driveway
> 2 fill in with field dirt to make it a smooth surface
> ...


 Sounds good to me if rip rock is big rock 2"+ and stone dust is like 1 1/2 -3/4 minus. And tamped.


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

It all depends on the grade that the hill is. Helps to post a picture or satellite shot of the area where the drive is at.

The wife & I have friends that have a drive that is rock. It is yearly maintenance after Winter, to replace any rock that has gone to the bottom. They are close to the rock quarry where they get it. So it is cheaper then paying someone else to haul in a load every now and then.

They started out with a base of crushed, then just throw 1"-1 1/2" on top every other year.


----------



## cdawg (May 6, 2014)

Ok I posted a couple pics he driveway is gonna be on the right side of the electric pole behind the car


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

That shows nothing. All it shows is a street, curb and hill up to a house. Need a Satellite shot of the area. Normally in a town, they will require that you pour a Concrete drive or Asphalt.

The reason is that the rock material clogs up the storm sewers if it gets washed away. That along with any dirt material.

Are there any other homes with drives off of that road? Walk around or drive around and look at the other homes as to what they are using. Also have you even approached your city zoning board if they will even allow you to dig into that hill.

I would suspect that you may find out that there is buried utilities along that hill, that will put a quick stop to this project. I.e. Water, gas, Fiber Optic.


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I can see why it's for sale. Look elsewhere if that's the only avenue to the property.


----------



## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

I don't think you could build stairs on that hill to meet code. How far back can you excavate?


----------



## cdawg (May 6, 2014)

Hope this helps as to where and what im wanting to do I already contacted my utility company and they came and looked and said I was good to go and im out of city limits so no need for the zoning permit all is needed is to figure out a way to make it happen


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Again. Does anyone else on that street have a driveway on that hill? For what you are wanting to do. Will never work. Why. Because that grade is too high.

You cannot just go and start digging because one utility states okay. Majority of counties require Architect drawings, survey of the property to get the proper lot lines. The big one is as I stated above. Is there anyone else with drives on that side going into a traffic through-fare.

Post a Satellite shot from google Maps showing the overall area of how the other lots are set up.

Lastly is getting a bank to finance a build in an economically depressed area. Basically a lower income neighborhood that no one puts too much into the buildings.


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Can barely make out what street that is in Nitro, WV. Again, post the overhead from Google Maps, showing the satellite image of other homes how they have their drives on that side.


----------



## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

cdawg said:


> hello new to forum
> i''m wanting to make a new driveway on a hill and wanting any suggestion as too how i would keep the gravel on he hill so the water won't wash it away this is what i think i should do
> 1 get cross ties to put on each side of the area i want the driveway
> 2 fill in with field dirt to make it a smooth surface
> ...


 If you are going to pour concrete you should use 4-6 inches of clean stone 3/4 to1" and compacted on top of any base for drainage.


----------



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... You could have a nicer driveway by cuttin' the top off the hill, 'n usin' it for base lower on the face,...

Box it out at a foot deep, 'n backfill it with stone, compacted in 4" lifts,....

From what can be seen in the pictures, a mid-sized rubber tracked hoe with be my choice of equipment,...
'n a roller of course,...


----------



## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

While my sons driveway is flat, his neighborhood sports driveways that make your proposal look like the Nevada salt flats!! They are all asphalt. Down side is that they all use wheel chocks behind their cars all winter!! (bodio circle, milford, ma). So can you do it? Sure. Don't be discouraged by any negatives from this group. But will it cost? Yup!


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

ront02769 said:


> While my sons driveway is flat, his neighborhood sports driveways that make your proposal look like the Nevada salt flats!! They are all asphalt. Down side is that they all use wheel chocks behind their cars all winter!! (bodio circle, milford, ma). So can you do it? Sure. Don't be discouraged by any negatives from this group. But will it cost? Yup!


This is what it will end up looking like. Every home on that street never parks in their drive. Especially the two to the right of the one on the left.

This is what the OP will end up with. A drive that you are never able to use. If they would post the actual street location in Nitro, WV. Not keep it as if it is some huge secret. Then we could give better suggestions how to go about giving access to that lot.


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,.... You could have a nicer driveway by cuttin' the top off the hill, 'n usin' it for base lower on the face,...
> 
> Box it out at a foot deep, 'n backfill it with stone, compacted in 4" lifts,....
> 
> ...


I agree. You need to flatten the grade or you'll drive your bumpers into the street or high center at the top.

Take the proper steps with the powers to be for the approval/permitting process, then get the equipment in there.

We've got steep driveways around here but the approaches are more gradual.


----------



## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Or it could like this (39 bodio circle, milford, ma). The driveway by that mailbox goes up a wicked hill, is blacktop. And as you can see this neighborhood looks a LOT different than the pix put up by the last poster. Ron


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

ront02769 said:


> Or it could like this (39 bodio circle, milford, ma). The driveway by that mailbox goes up a wicked hill, is blacktop. And as you can see this neighborhood looks a LOT different than the pix put up by the last poster. Ron


That looks typical of what you see in Bartonville, IL.

My mom's parents had a drive that during Winter time was just wicked to get up and down on.


----------



## cdawg (May 6, 2014)

This is best I can do for sat. View I will not be parking on the hill I am removing the fence and pulling g on the flat area I shouldn't drag my bumper because I will be filling in the deep part


----------



## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

gregzoll said:


> That looks typical of what you see in Bartonville, IL.
> 
> My mom's parents had a drive that during Winter time was just wicked to get up and down on.


 I was posting that up as contrast to the "everything concrete" pix that you put up. Lot of the houses in this subdivision are on ledge and some creative work was done to get build able lots. That said, the "neighborhood" is mostly all $300k + homes, well kept up, nicely landscaped! no junk cars parked in yards, great schools, etc. Ron


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

cdawg, you do not know that until you get someone to survey that land. If it does extend that far back. I personally would pull in the other way off of the road on the left.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a good survey. Especially since the county is going to be the one to state if you can do the curb cut or not.


----------



## cdawg (May 6, 2014)

gregzoll said:


> cdawg, you do not know that until you get someone to survey that land. If it does extend that far back. I personally would pull in the other way off of the road on the left.
> 
> Do yourself a favor and invest in a good survey. Especially since the county is going to be the one to state if you can do the curb cut or not.


I had the land surveyed and I own what I circled I cant pull in the other way because i dont own that section


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

cdawg said:


> I had the land surveyed and I own what I circled I cant pull in the other way because i dont own that section


You will end up having to park on the street most likely. Unless you get someone out there to look at the land, engineer plans to give you the grade, width of cut for the drive. You are looking at just buying land at this point, to sell to a neighbor.

You are probably talking at least needing 20-25 feet to allow for a 10-12 foot drive, just to cut into the hill to give you the depth you need for a proper drive.

That would mean at least having the drive end at the edge of the lot at the back, with maybe 10' between it and the lot line.

You have a lot of homework to do with a local engineer, and same as having a surveyor stake out proposed curb cut area, the lot lines, the proposed driveway, etc.

Read through this study to begin with. http://transportation.njit.edu/nctip/final_report/DrivewayGradesVolumeI.htm

15% is usually max grade for drives in most areas. More info for you to read over. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_(slope)

Your county, along with the city should have a set of rules as to what the max set back on the drive can be, the max grade slope, etc..


----------



## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

The only option I can think of is retaining wall. Just throwing stuff out there.


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Robpo said:


> The only option I can think of is retaining wall. Just throwing stuff out there.


That is exactly what they are going to have to do.


----------

