House has a crappy looking driveway, 34x18ft wide. Cost to redo it quoted at $5600. Then I wondered about asphalt, quoted cost $4900. Is it normal to have an asphalt driveway in Dallas barbs? The house brick is painted white, with black trim

 

What's the brick and or color have to do with the driveway?

 

I would think the biggest concern with an asphalt driveway in the south would be the heat that it attracts/holds.

 

I wonder if asphalt gets mushy in the TX heat?

For me, I would spend the extra $700 to redo the concrete. Concrete should last your lifetime, and you're not diverting much from neighboring houses.

 

Its a personal choice, I have always had asphalt driveways, current spec house had concrete and I absolutely hate it,

After 15 years it showing some age and unlike asphalt there is no way to slap a coat of sealer on it to make it look new.

Asphalt is laid down hot, like several hundred degrees, a hot summer day is nothing!

 

Six of one and half dozen of the other.

Asphalt is smooth and clean and easy to shovel in the winter. But it will decay and crumble along the sides if not contained by a side wall. It will also get dips and have depressions if a car or heavy object is parked at the same spot consistently. Don't dare try to jack up a car on a hot summer day on asphalt. It will leave an indelible mark and depression. On hot days it does in fact "flow" and can be marred easily if a tire is turned on it. Asphalt requires sealer every couple years to maintain surface integrity. If in winter, just a small open spot will allow asphalt to practically clear itself if snow and ice covered during a sunny winter day. Debris can stick to a hot asphalt drive on a hot day. I have experience every single one of these conditions. But I like asphalt. But I'm also in a northern climate.

Concrete, all concrete will eventually crack at some point. Concrete looks good. It can take high heat with little or no effect to the condition or movement. You can jack up a car with no marks left on the surface. Heavy parked objects will not leave a depression. In cold climates concrete will heave if a proper base and drainage is not installed. The expansion cracks are a pain in winter when shoveling snow. Difficult to repair when it cracks. Salt and cold weather can ruin the surface (note...salt in of itself will not harm concrete), because micro cracks will let water freeze and expand causing pitting. You must or should use a sealer every several years. Debris will not stick to a hot concrete drive. All in all, a concrete drive looks good. In a southern climate as the OP is in I would without doubt go with concrete.

 

I live in north Louisiana (West Monroe), 4 hrs east of you on I-20. I live in the country & my asphalt driveway is about 125 ft. or so.
In your situation, I think, I'd just look at sealing the cracks in the existing concrete, then painting it for appearance. Once its sealed, you just take a paint roller & roll the paint on. Or at least that's the way we used to do it years ago. In the suburbs where appearance matters to some, I'd just get some white paint & make it look like new, but the choice is yours obviously.

FYI, I'm not a concrete guy, so maybe some of the experts who are familiar with concrete driveways in the deep south can correct any of my misinformation.

Good luck...

 

Any intention of ever walking on this surface in bare feet? If so, asphalt would not be a good choice. For the difference in price, I would go with concrete but it's your call.

 

In reference to what Dixie2012's post. Problem with paint is eventually it will flake and chip and look worse than nothing.

 

Paint will also make the concrete slippery when wet. Solid concrete stains rarely peel - they just wear away but won't hide the cracks even after they are repaired.