Jacey, nice to see you are still here, many aren't after this length of time. I'm having a little chuckle here as when I originally read your post, my first thought was "move house", but I didn't want to sound so rude as to say so. It reminded me of my first house which was at the flat end of the street but the other end was very much "mountain goat territory" and the driveways reminded me of yours. After living in the homes for years, some spent mega amounts removing rock and excavating to create a garage more at road level and from there the stairs started zig-zagging to the front entry, new front entries were even created at a lower level, but the stairs still continued inside the house, there was just no escaping the climb. I wondered how you even got your wheelie bins up and down the drive. Hope you are enjoying your new home, long term I think you made a very wise decision.

given enough space i would prefer a less steep driveway sloping diagonally across the block with walking path and a reversing bay and extra parking at the top of the slope so you can drive down instead of reversing and there's easier access for less able bodied users

hi kate, i have got this reply from the engineers. Now builder will give me some suggestions for portico without piers. so still house will be push back half meter and fecade will change no piers. If still you can give me some suggestions will be greatfull please Check the reply from engineer bottom of the image. " Please see below comments from the engineer. Please let me know how you wish to proceed. As per the attached preliminary site plan and photos, the site has a steep embankment at the front. There is a portico alongside the driveway (you cannot have the driveway higher than the portico) there is only approx. 3m to 4m of driveway that can be graded. The maximum driveway grade allowed is 1 in 5 (20%) in the ramp between transitions of 2m long at 1 in 10 (10%) both at the start and at the end. This does not leave any ramp length and the driveway can only grade down 400mm over 4m. The site will need to be filled 400-500mm and the existing retaining wall to the right will not be high enough. Also a retaining wall will be required to the front. I suggest moving the house back 1.3m so there can be a ramp in the driveway and existing site levels/retaining walls can remain close to what they are. (some fill may still be required) Alternatively remove/reduce to portico and setback the house less"

Is that blue line a proposed new footpath ? Probably 95% of all foot traffic is you ( the dwellers ) so that is a lot of work for something that is basically a backwards step -- a bit better for visitors , but its you carrying groceries and sports gear etc , and you'd have to walk further . And having 2 footpaths would be weird ( if that's what you are considering ) -- I guess you could get give way signs and traffic lights installed on it haha ? The actual driveway is wide , theres a parking bay to the right of the double garage , so why take up even more space ? Like oklouise says , you could do a double entrance , come in on the new circular part of the driveway with the boat on , drive back towards the road , try and straighten up before you get back to the street , and then what ? Oh yeah , back back . So you spend $20k and back 4 metres less ? Or you back in from the road and save $20k ? Or you buy or build a little 'dolly trolley' -- 2 or 3 little tyres and a towball mounted on a trolley to make pushing easier ? You can even buy ratchet ones that make it possible to back uphill with no car ( mainly designed for caravans I think , but work on any trailer hitch ) or even an electric motorised version .