How many s/f does the $3500 cover? Most neighborhoods are either concrete driveways or asphalt. I have never seen both in the same neighborhood. Also, I've never seen asphalt in this area. I'm in the Charlotte, NC area. After the pad, how much s/f to the road? Here, it would run approx. $2.25/sf for concrete drive, labor and material.

Do you get heat in the summer and snow/freezing in the winter? That may make the difference besides price. We have an asphalt and it does take constant repair due to the extreme cold in the winter. Just a thought.

In my neighborhood, there are all kinds of driveways. People have concrete, asphalt, cobble stone, brick apron with pea gravel. Most of the lots are large with alot of room between the driveways, but ours is asphalt with a concrete apron and is 6 feet from the next door neighbor's concrete with a concrete apron. It looks fine to me.

In this area, I prefer asphalt because it is more forgiving with all the tree roots. Asphalt will bulge when a root grows over it, whereas concrete will crack. If the root gets big enough the asphalt will crack , but it doesn't look as bad as cracked concrete.

Our current house has concrete dyed to match the asphalt outside of the garage (more durable for turning around) and then asphalt down the driveway and a concrete apron. That might be a way to go.

Asphalt driveways done properly aren't all that much cheaper than concrete, if at all. Asphalt is a petroleum product and pricing follows the oil markets.

Asphalt driveways done cheap and dirty are all too common in the South. There are quite a few shady operators. I used to get them knocking on my door with the "truck load of hot asphalt I just have to get rid of -- make you a real deal" story all the time.

Be cautious.

We are in SC and chose concrete.
I am glad we did. I hate hot asphalt in the summer especially when your heels get stuck walking across it.
Also, if you have kids, it is not fun to play on asphalt when the temps are hot.

We're in Alabama and have always had asphalt until we built 5 years ago. DH and our GC both wanted to do concrete. Last longer. Asphalt is a wearing surface and won't last as long w/o upkeep and will have to be done over. Concrete lasts "forever" if done right.

Our neighborhood has both, but driveways have to be tinted charcoal (looks like asphalt) where seen from the street. The charcoal tinting is very expensive. The rest of our driveway and turn arounds are ochre (buff color). It was less than the charcoal and looks better than raw concrete, imo.

The concrete does not get as hot as asphalt. Do a broom finish and let leaves fall on it while it hardens - makes impressions that are pretty. We covered ours with plastic and kept wet while it cured - poured in September when temps are still high. Keeps it from cracking.

Whichever you decide, do a good job on the base or neither will last long.

Here is a link that might be useful: our house

The main thing I dislike about asphalt is how hot it gets in the sun/summer. It's a real pain, and I would expect it's even worse in the South.

Allison, you have an absolutely gorgeous home. It's simply lovely.

Thank you, Creek Side.