It was constructed on large footers with piers poured around treated posts with substantial enough beams in the floor system engineered to carry the weight. It would tend to look odd if viewed from outside the porch, but in this instance it faced a deep ravine so it wasn’t a concern. The material used was cultured ledgestone applied to a stucco base coat and flashed accordingly to the roof lines above. The limestone shoulders are real stone. Thanks for your question!