Good call on drainage—seen plenty of driveways turn into mini lakes after a good rain. If your neighbor's planning gravel, make sure there's a solid base underneath or you'll both be dealing with potholes sooner than later...speaking from experience here.
"make sure there's a solid base underneath or you'll both be dealing with potholes sooner than later...speaking from experience here."
Haha, can confirm! My folks had a similar setup years ago—neighbor wanted driveway access, and they went with gravel. Looked great at first, but after one rainy season, it was pothole city. Eventually, they both chipped in for proper grading and drainage, and it made a huge difference. Definitely worth getting it right the first time around...saves headaches (and suspension repairs) down the road.
Yeah, gravel can be deceptive. Looks nice and simple at first, but if you don't prep it right, you're basically signing up for constant maintenance. When we did ours, I insisted on proper compaction and a decent drainage slope—made all the difference. Still get the occasional pothole after heavy rains, but nothing like before. Honestly, spending a bit more upfront saves you from endless patching later...plus your car will thank you.
Gravel driveways really can be tricky. When we first moved into our place, we inherited one that looked great for about a month...then the rains came. It turned into pothole city overnight. After a couple rounds of patching and frustration, we finally bit the bullet and redid it properly—compaction, geotextile fabric underneath, and proper drainage grading. Made a huge difference. Now it's been two years, and while it's not perfect (still gotta rake it out occasionally), it's nowhere near the headache it used to be.
About your neighbor wanting driveway access through your property, I'd just say be cautious. We had a similar situation with a neighbor who wanted temporary access during their remodel. Seemed harmless enough, but it dragged on way longer than expected and caused some awkward conversations later. If you do consider it, definitely set clear boundaries and expectations up front...and maybe even get something in writing.
Your driveway story hits close to home—I totally get the frustration with potholes and maintenance headaches. But I gotta gently push back a bit on the neighbor access thing...
When we first built our house (which was its own saga, believe me), our neighbors were in a similar bind. They asked if they could temporarily use our driveway while theirs got redone. At first, I was pretty hesitant—had visions of awkward confrontations or property damage dancing in my head. But after talking it over with my partner, we decided to give it a shot—with clear boundaries and an informal written agreement, just like you suggested.
Honestly, it turned out way better than expected. Sure, there were some minor inconveniences—like their contractor's truck blocking us in once or twice—but overall, it actually strengthened our relationship with the neighbors. They were super grateful and respectful about the whole thing, and now whenever we need a favor (like borrowing tools or helping move heavy stuff around), they're always quick to lend a hand.
I agree that caution is smart, and getting something in writing is definitely key. But I guess my point is: don't assume it'll automatically become a hassle or strain neighborly relations. Sometimes these temporary arrangements can actually foster goodwill—just depends on how clearly you communicate expectations and how well you know your neighbors.
Anyway, just wanted to share another perspective. Hope it works out smoothly for you either way...and good luck keeping those potholes at bay!
