• Extend the life of your driveway. Permeable Pavers are 4x stronger than concrete
• Enhance curb appeal and increase your property’s value
• Help you retain and redirect rainfall, preventing floods

Most of the time, if you take a survey of your land (look around) and consider the hardscapes (walkways, driveways, patios, etc.) these are the places where improving permeability could be a desirable solution. The most convenient time is when you start to notice these hardscapes breaking down due to the elements, or when you notice things like breakthrough moisture in your basement.

As a caveat, every property is unique and has its own stormwater story. So sometimes, permeable pavement can solve for stormwater drainage issues that aren’t due to the failure (or success) of existing hardscapes. The best way to understand the feasibility of stormwater on your land is to use our free tool, which will help you choose the right technologies for your land. Once you’ve entered your information into our system, one of our experts will complete your file with the information on soil, permeability, land grade, and more so you know exactly what to do. Start building your rainplan today!

Permeable pavement works well on driveways and walkways that have:

• Flat areas with less than a two percent slope (Two-foot drop in elevation for every 100 feet)
• Soil with a high infiltration rate (Allows water that is temporarily stored in the pavement to soak into the ground.)
• Little tree cover (Tree roots or overhanging tree canopy can negatively impact the pavement)
• Small spaces (Many stormwater features require a large footprint)

They are known for easy repairs and low maintenance. When concrete cracks and needs fixing, repairs can be costly. Alternatively, permeable pavers are easy to repair because it can happen one stone at a time. Permeable pavers also require 0% to 25% of the salt application of conventional materials in the winter months.

Rainplan offers several unique designs to fit your style and make your home stand out. They also have a higher resale value than concrete because of their longer lifespan and visual appearance.

Each incentive program is different and has its own unique standards and requirements based on the local government or region offering the incentive. Some programs will require a minimum project size of your rain garden or permeable pavers, some may require a minimum of impervious area to be treated. It varies from incentive program to incentive program.

Rainplan helps you discover what incentive programs your property is eligible for and understand the program’s specific requirements to ensure you maximize and receive your benefits!

Permeable Pavers are up to four times stronger than concrete and last two times longer than traditional driveways. Permeable pavers have joints which make it flexible and durable as the ground changes. Unlike concrete paveways, it won’t crack when there is an earthquake or when the ground beneath contracts and expands.

Permeable pavers on average cost $35 per square foot including both the material and installation cost. In most jurisdictions permeable packers are eligible for $10-$15 in incentives which brings down the out of pocket cost to $20-$25 per square foot.

MS4- The government incentive will give you a rebate of up to $3 per sqf with a $4000 cap on all properties.

MGC- The government incentive will give you a rebate of up to $14 per sqf with a $7500 cap on residential properties and a $20,000 cap on Commercial Properties.

PGC- The government incentive will give you a rebate of up to $9 per sqf with a $4000 cap on residential properties and a $20,000 cap on Commercial Properties..

CSS- There are currently no active incentive programs for Permeable Pavers in the CSS area.

Permeable pavers reduce stormwater runoff and filtrate water that runs through them which means cleaner water soaks into the ground. When water travels downwards through the varying layers, it is filtered, removing pollutants that would have otherwise entered our local water systems. The slow filtration also cools down the water which puts less pressure on our water systems.

Each incentive program is different and has its own unique standards and requirements based on the local government or region offering the incentive. Some programs will require a minimum project size of your rain garden or permeable pavers, some may require a minimum of impervious area to be treated. It varies from incentive program to incentive program. Rainplan helps you discover what incentive programs your property is eligible for and understand the program’s specific requirements to ensure you maximize and receive your benefits!

An impervious surface is one that does not allow water to soak through. Examples include roofs, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, patios, roadways…

There are several ways to retrofit or treat the runoff from impervious surfaces. Improvements can be made as simple as installing a vegetative buffer strip around the perimeter of a designated area, installing a tree island in a parking area; installing permeable concrete, permeable brick and concrete pavers; or permeable asphalt.

Let Rainplan help you discover incentives and technologies to best treat your impervious surfaces!

Impervious surfaces are surfaces that do not allow water to pass through them. On your property, these can be driveways, patios, sidewalks, parking areas and rooftops. Since water cannot go through these surfaces, it travels over them and picks up pollutants along the way which creates an environmental burden on our local waterways. Did you know that municipalities across the country charge property owners an annual fee for the amount of impervious surface on your property? Replacing impervious surfaces with pervious surfaces like permeable pavers can reduce this annual government fee and come with added benefits.

​​The soil classification from A through D indicates the permeability (how fast water is absorbed) of your soils. “A” soils have high permeability, while “D” soils have low permeability. In urban environments, you can have more than one soil classification on your property. The “soil classification” is the reported soils for your property either from the USGS national database or your local government’s GIS data about your property. Regardless the permeability of your soil must be tested and confirmed through a “percolation test” in order to determine if your soils are adequate or require additional design enhancements like an underdrain or soil amendment.

Let Rainplan help you find a contractor to perform a percolation test as part of their price proposal!