Instead of removing those concrete front steps, save some time by building a wood deck over and around them. A well designed front porch or deck is an inviting feature on most homes.

From the top center of the deck, use a pencil and tape measure to mark the layout of the first sleeper on the concrete. Start a 1/2 inch from the house’s foundation or concrete edge.

They're poured concrete, formed into steps over a wooden ramp. Stucco on the sides of the porch is applied over a standard 2- by-4 wood-framed wall. The bulk of the structure is wood, not concrete.