Our 20 year-old asphalt driveway needs resurfaced. How long can we expect a 1 1/2" mill resurface to last? The quotes we have are between $6,000 and $8,000 for approximately 4,800 square feet of surface. If the repair will only last a short time, would we be better off to replace the entire driveway?

The going rate around here is about 1000s/f will cost you $2k to add a 2" resurface while a R&R will run $3k. The complete R&R may last as long as your first drive, 20 years is about it. The 2" resurface will likely crack at each end after 1-2 years right where they did the cut out at the ends. The rest of the drive will last about 10-15 years if cared for. Your quotes are on the low side, I'd consider getting those same folks to quote a totall R&R also, you'll get 20 years. By the way, the inches quoted are uncompressed inches, 2" equals 1 1/2" compressed and the 3" is compressed to about 2 1/2"

I would say it depends on the company (if they suck or not.. lol)... we had our last house driveway capped (about 1 -2 ") , not milled, about 9 years ago and it is in perfect condition still. New house is going on 4 years and looks great.

Milling is when they grind off the top layer and remix new asphalt and lay it back down right? I think that lasts just about as long. They do it to lots of the roads around where I live and even with heavy traffic, they last a long time.

How much more would it be to replace the whole thing (did you get any quotes?)

And.. how long is your driveway!? Lol

I would say it depends on the company (if they suck or not.. lol)... we had our last house driveway capped (about 1 -2 ") , not milled, about 9 years ago and it is in perfect condition still. New house is going on 4 years and looks great.

Milling is when they grind off the top layer and remix new asphalt and lay it back down right? I think that lasts just about as long. They do it to lots of the roads around where i live and even with heavy traffic, they last a long time.

how much more would it be to replace the whole thing (did you get any quotes?)

and.. how long is your driveway!!!!?? lol

The drive is long and includes a partial circle. It is approximately approximately 350'.

WOW! That's cool! (Although expensive to fix)

Mine.. is.. well... 1 car wide, 2 1/2 cars long.

Wish it was much longer. :(

What is the condition of the existing driveway? Are there alligator cracks, see:

Pavement Management (http://www.westvalley.edu/att/Pavement%20Management/pm_01.htm)

Alligator cracks are a sign of a bad foundation (soil most likely). If you have a lot of those type cracks, removal, restoring a good foundation, and new paving are best.

You say mill resurface. I assume you are talking about milling off 1-1/2 inches and putting back the same thickness surface. If this is the case it is running up the cost considerably to mill. But if the additional height with just an overlay is too hard to regrade and tie-into, you need to mill. Some folks just mill enough to get enough depth for the overlay at the door(s).

If you just have small, narrow cracks the milling and/or overlay should suffice.

Do you know the depth of the existing driveway? If not, you should try and estimate by digging down beside the driveway.

If you mill and resurface(I'm guessing without seeing the driveway now) and don't have bad allig. Cracking I would expect maybe 15 years life.(Depends on total depth existing).
Removing existing, good repair of subgrade and repaving should do another 20 years.

There are so many variables (what kind of loads are on driveway-it only takes one heavy truck one-time to cause distress, what is the total thickness of blacktop--minimum 4"--just a guess-varies with conditions).

My neighbor just replaced his driveway (house is about 5 years old?? Why I don't know)but he got an excellent job. He used a major state roadway contractor. I don't know what it cost but a lot of those type contractors have to do their work at night and maybe want to utilize their equipment during the day, too.

I worked for a State DOT Highway Department as a construction engineer. What the states look at very closely is the quality of the mix of hot mix asphalt. If you can get whichever contractor to use one of those state driveway mixes you will get good material. States do get into doing driveways sometimes when homeowners driveways are disturbed by widening etc.

Hope I haven't confused the issue too much.