That your existing concrete is in good shape is key. Any crack in it would transfer through to the new material. So long as you create proper finish levels, you should be in good shape. Stamped concrete can look terrific. It's biggest drawback is the color not being integral to the slab, but just surface treatment. This is really no problem unless it is subject to harsh wear, which in this instance is probably not going to be the case. If the surface gets a chip or gouge, you'll see near-white concrete below. In most residential situations, it doesn't get that harsh of treatment.

Asking a contractor to match concrete is akin to calling in a baker and asking them to match the wedding cake, that you happen to have a sample of in your freezer from a couple of years ago. While they can get it close enough that everyone will agree that it's white and cake, there are going to be differences that the more discerning palates will undoubtedly notice. In your last picture, it looks to me like the contractor used a coarse broom finish, which is an extremely common finish. How rough it is depends a lot on the broom and the broom operator. There is no way to grind/"sand" this smooth without changing the character to yet another version of concrete that doesn't match your steps. If your contractor thinks there is, I suggest you'll be in for another surprise. (You had best get a sample of the end result before committing to the change.) Myself, I much prefer a ground finish over a broom finish. It's smooth and starts looking like low contrast terrazzo. (BTW, do not use an aggressive diamond blade for grinding or you'll be grinding it a second time in order to remove deep grooves. Grinding with carborundum stones would be all you need for smoothing. Also, keep in mind that it's not a 1-hour job. It would be more like a day of grinding ... so would cost extra.)

Thanks...I try. Too many people *think* a concrete floor is a money SAVING project. It is not. A SLAB floor is money saving. It is ugly, unfinished and can be very rough on the feet. A properly finished concrete floor is beautiful but very expensive. Most people think slab concrete is the FINISHED floor and therefore cheap. What they do NOT appreciate is how UGLY it is and how much it stains and etches and degrades over time (chalky dust on the surface all the time). They are very disappointed in a SLAB floor. When they are told the cost to fix a concrete slab floor they look at the refinisher like they have 2 heads and say, "Well if it's going to cost me $10/sf why don't I get hardwood and be done with it?"

Hello Kyle! The better option is painting the concrete. Using the concrete stain will look bad, in my opinion. In the picture, I see that area under your concrete ladder is Has an uneven surface that may be bad for water balance when raining. Anyway, I saw that you want to do it by yourself. Contacting a concrete company like this one https://www.fremontconcretepros.com/ is not a bad idea. But in my experience, it is better to pay a bit to professionals than having future problems that may cost you more than addressing concrete companies.