I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of asphalt driveways, could use advice please.

I have to completely rip out and replace my long and narrow asphalt driveway, it's in terrible shape, no change to layout, but the base (regrading) needs to be redone as well.

I've gone out to bid to 3 different vendors who were recommended by lots of people, 2 have come back within about $1,000 of each other, the 3rd is quite a bit more than the other two. Another homeowner used the 3rd vendor and was pleased with them, although hers wasn't as expensive as didn't involve as much work as mine, but hers was more than what I was quoted by the first 2. The homeowner told me it's important that a good lasting driveway should be done with a 1.5" binder and a 1.5" surface layer to equal 3" total - a base and two layers. The 2 lower priced vendors bid with a total of 2" or 2.5", so I don't know if this is sufficient?

Additionally, I have steel curbs, which are beat up but intact, the first two vendors think they can salvage and reuse. The 3rd (pricey) vendor quoted ripping out and replacing ($270 to rip out + $4800 to replace, yowza!), which all of them told me the price of steel right now is expensive so replacing is very expensive, I don't have to replace them. However, the lowest priced vendor said they have a machine that can straighten and think they can reuse, that they don't make them like mine anymore. I know the steel curbs help maintain the driveway reducing cracks, etc, but lots of driveways are done without them. I live in the Midwest. If they can reuse them I will do that.

My driveway has been measured around 1500 sq ft +/-, they all measured it differently.

This same homeowner also told me to "watch in the quotes that no one lists a price per ton for the undercut tbd at install time, they can get you here for a ton after the fact". This is something that is listed on the expensive 3rd vendor's quote, but not listed at all on the other 2.

Thanks!