Picked asphalt over concrete for my driveway repave in Bothell last month

I had to choose between asphalt at $4,200 or concrete at $6,800 for my sloped driveway near 522. Went with asphalt and the crew finished in one day, but now I'm wondering if I should have spent the extra for concrete that would last longer. Anybody here had regrets after picking one over the other for their own driveway?

2 comments

2 Comments

lilykelly1mo ago

Asphalt's actually the smarter move for a sloped driveway in Bothell, not a compromise. Concrete's rigid and doesn't flex with the ground shifting underneath, especially on a slope near 522 where the soil's always wet during rainy season. You'll likely see cracks in concrete within a few years, then you're patching or replacing sections that cost way more than a simple asphalt sealcoat. Plus asphalt's way easier to fix if you ever need utility work or drainage changes under the driveway. Your guy finished in one day too, which means less mess and hassle compared to concrete that takes a week to cure.

nguyen.tara1mo ago

Is it just me or does every big decision come down to the same trade-off between cheap and easy now versus expensive and maybe better later? @lilykelly makes a solid point about the soil up here, that wet clay near 522 shifts like crazy and concrete will just crack and look terrible. I feel like people forget that a driveway is part of the yard's system, not just a flat surface, and asphalt moves with all that nonsense. Plus the one day install is a huge win for sanity, waiting a week for concrete to cure while you park on the street is a special kind of headache.