Our front porch is a treacherous concrete slab

Mazzey
by Mazzey

Unsafe for the elderly...disabled..( with no steps..no railings)

and my senior dog ( she is blind and has fallen off it numerous times)

There's no roof over it to protect us from the elements. Im on a fixed income...with limited resources.

What can I do to make it inviting and safe for everyone?

How can I make our front porch inviting..safe..shaded..

with a small budget?

  5 answers
  • Anne Anne on Jul 22, 2018

    Check with local churches to see if any have a men's fellowship that does projects for the safety and comfort of elderly neighbors. The Boy Scouts are another possibility. These groups offer free labor and, sometimes, use donated materials, which means no cost for you. You need a simply framed "roof" separate from your house roof, some railing, and a step. God bless you in getting this project done.

    • Mazzey Mazzey on Jul 23, 2018

      Thank you so much Anne for all your great suggestions. I will check with our local churches to see if they offer projects assistance. God bless you...

  • Heather LaBay Heather LaBay on Jul 23, 2018

    Depending on your budget you could get wood pallets to use as a fence to surround the walkway. Paint it a bright color to help make the house pop and maybe whatever color you choose make front door the same. Just a thought~

  • Mazzey Mazzey on Jul 23, 2018

    thats something to consider..

    Thank you Heather

  • Ted Rowland Ted Rowland on Aug 17, 2018

    Putting a roof over this is a major expense, and will require a good carpenter crew, and a permit from the city. Check with city offices. My friend needed his foundation improved, and the city issued a grant to do the work. These operate in 2 - 3 ways. Some are just straight up grants, and there is no repayment. On my mother's home, all work was done, and we had to repay $10,000 or so when we sold the home after her passing. The 3rd way is small payments, like $40.00 - $50.00 per month. (I think time is figured on 10 years), at little to no interest.

    The least expensive option, (uncovered), is to have 4" x 4" treated posts put into the ground, concrete mixed in, and build a hand rail in between them. Then it is capped with a 2" x 6" treated pine board. Solar lights can be placed on top, making it both attractive and lit at night. The top of the rail should be a "finish height" of 36", measured from the slab.

    If the slab is beginning to pit, tile it using porcelain or quarry tile. DO NOT USE CERAMIC, IT WILL CRACK AND BREAK. The last porch I covered and tiled was 15 years ago and looks new.

    • Mazzey Mazzey on Aug 18, 2018

      Ted...Those are some good options to consider also. Thank you so much

  • Mindshift Mindshift on Aug 17, 2018

    You do not have a front porch. You step directly from your house to a walkway that goes to the driveway. Adding furniture only narrows the walkway. If you want a porch you will need to add hardscape and put a roof over it. A least expensive option would be to start by placing 10' posts about 12' from your house. They need to be set at least 2' deep in concrete. Add a cross beam between the posts for stability. Place eye screws in the rafter tails behind the fascia of your eaves and in the posts in the yard. Stretch a tarp between the house and the posts using bungee cord connectors between the eye screws and the tarp grommets. You can buy shade cloth tarps at half the cost of shade sails: https://www.tarpsplus.com/black-mesh-tarps-screen-covers.html

    Place the chairs currently on your walkway under the shaded area. You have a lawn so your don't need to worry about hardscape to start with. If you use the space a lot you can begin to replace the grass with concrete pavers. Do a 5 x 10' section and add on as you can afford more pavers. Shade cloth will keep you cool even on a sunny day, but it allows rain to fall through to your lawn.