Disposable pavement
Just a silly thought, partly because I own a rental property which has a decaying asphalt driveway in need of replacing.
I've thought to "upgrade" to concrete, at around double the cost. It's a a BIG driveway, 110' long, and varied width.
My own house is 42 years old and the driveway seems completely good condition with no maintenance. Sure its got some cracks, but big deal, and a good designed driveway will have spacer anyway to reduce cracking.
SURELY in the long run I'm better off with a concrete driveway, saving cost and time on maintenance. If I BELIEVE the house will be around in 50 years, it's unconditionally worth a concrete driveway.
AND interestingly I'm told a concrete driveway is considered PERMANENT while asphalt is not, and will raise my property value AND properly taxes. Hmph... Save money to pay more taxes?!
Well, I judge in this decision also regards to debt. Adding a $10k driveway will add perhaps $6000 of interest on repaying my mortgage over the next 10 years. Added interest assuming delaying debt I would have otherwise paid down my mortgage faster. Of course it would be nicer to not think about the debt, but for me, I see it as a cost I'd pay down sooner than later as I could.
I just have to wonder about this peak oil thing. Asphalt is made of petroleum materials left over from distillation. It's a PERFECT use for a material left over from our oil consumption, BUT oil is declining and someday we'll have to repave our roads with more durable material.
On the other hand, perhaps "disposable" roads, like our society are intentional and good choices in a future which won't support as many roads as we now have?
If I sell my rental property in 5 years, probably I won't get my money back on a concrete driveway, maybe not even 10 years?! Who can say?
I should just bite the cost and get it done now, imagining all costs keep increasing anyway. It would be nice if rental income could actually pay for this, but the best I can hope for is reduced taxes on deductions.
Tough choices for a landlord, tough choices for cities, for states, and for a country living on borrowed time. We're SO lucky with our wealth and opportunity!
We OUGHT to invest more into a future that costs less money, less energy, especially given less may be available for us.
Maybe in 50 years we'll look back, seeing all the crumbling roads around us and wonder what we were thinking?! Maybe we'll also wonder why we "paved" so much good farmland?!
I've thought to "upgrade" to concrete, at around double the cost. It's a a BIG driveway, 110' long, and varied width.
My own house is 42 years old and the driveway seems completely good condition with no maintenance. Sure its got some cracks, but big deal, and a good designed driveway will have spacer anyway to reduce cracking.
SURELY in the long run I'm better off with a concrete driveway, saving cost and time on maintenance. If I BELIEVE the house will be around in 50 years, it's unconditionally worth a concrete driveway.
AND interestingly I'm told a concrete driveway is considered PERMANENT while asphalt is not, and will raise my property value AND properly taxes. Hmph... Save money to pay more taxes?!
Well, I judge in this decision also regards to debt. Adding a $10k driveway will add perhaps $6000 of interest on repaying my mortgage over the next 10 years. Added interest assuming delaying debt I would have otherwise paid down my mortgage faster. Of course it would be nicer to not think about the debt, but for me, I see it as a cost I'd pay down sooner than later as I could.
I just have to wonder about this peak oil thing. Asphalt is made of petroleum materials left over from distillation. It's a PERFECT use for a material left over from our oil consumption, BUT oil is declining and someday we'll have to repave our roads with more durable material.
On the other hand, perhaps "disposable" roads, like our society are intentional and good choices in a future which won't support as many roads as we now have?
If I sell my rental property in 5 years, probably I won't get my money back on a concrete driveway, maybe not even 10 years?! Who can say?
I should just bite the cost and get it done now, imagining all costs keep increasing anyway. It would be nice if rental income could actually pay for this, but the best I can hope for is reduced taxes on deductions.
Tough choices for a landlord, tough choices for cities, for states, and for a country living on borrowed time. We're SO lucky with our wealth and opportunity!
We OUGHT to invest more into a future that costs less money, less energy, especially given less may be available for us.
Maybe in 50 years we'll look back, seeing all the crumbling roads around us and wonder what we were thinking?! Maybe we'll also wonder why we "paved" so much good farmland?!
posted by Ares Olympus at 6:07 PM
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