Need advice - replacing concrete driveway

[merekc]

My sister is getting quotes to replace her concrete driveway. She has been offered two options from the same company. 4 inches concrete with rebar or 6 inches concrete with mesh. They didn't really give a good explanation for what the difference is and why one is better than the other.

Does anyone know anything about which is the better choice? We are in the Midwest, so we do have both extremes in the weather. The driveway is on a semi-steep slope, it is two-car wide and two-car deep.

Will one last longer? The mesh choice is $1,000 more.

 

[sbell111]

The six-inch driveway with mesh will last longer. The mesh will give it more stregnth in multiple directions and the additional depth will give it more mass to resist heaving in the winter.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) How long will she keep the house?
2) We have rentals, and plan to keep them less than 20-yrs.
3) So, we go for 4" with rebar.

 

[merekc]

They plan for this to be their last house. They are 36-40. So hopefully another 40 years or so.

 

[HayGan]

Honestly, right now is the absolute worst time to be buying something that has mesh or rebar intensity. The prices for those two particular products are thru the roof. (I work in the steel industry and those products are my specialty.)

If this can be held off for another year or two, I would definitely wait. If she can't wait I would go with the mesh reinforcement.