Slope Direction
Water should move away from the house, not toward it. A slight, planned slope is designed into the pour. Even a small backslope can send runoff toward the foundation over time.
Runoff Destination
Where does the water go once it leaves the driveway? A driveway that dumps runoff onto a neighbor's yard or into a low spot in the lawn creates new problems while solving old ones.
Transitions to the Street
The apron — where the driveway meets the street — matters for both drainage and appearance. Grade differences at the street need to be handled cleanly.
Existing Drainage
New concrete work shouldn't fight existing drainage patterns. If gutters, downspouts, or graded landscape features move water a certain way today, the new pour should work with them.
When Drainage Is Part of the Project
Sometimes a driveway replacement is a chance to fix a drainage issue that's been quietly damaging concrete for years. That's worth talking about up front.
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