We finished a "remodel from he@#" a little over a year ago and had no money to put on either a deck or patio. The token "porch" is all we needed for a CO, but now, coming from a house with a HUGE deck, everyone is itching for some outdoor living space. We have a kitchen nook slider, kitchen nook door, and a mudroom door that all need some sort of exit. Unfortunately the nook slider is very close to the right end of the house and has a descending grade to the driveway My preference is to be up high (like a deck), but not loving the look. A patio would be beautiful, but low. Could we incorporate both in different areas? Can a patio be raised without breaking the bank? Any suggestions are welcomed!