Agree with you Tony, that the whole premise is kind of sketchy. It would probably be better to ask if you can covert your concrete drainage swale to a pipe to convey the water away, and then fill over the pipe to allow planting into the swale now backfilled with soil. Obviously this will dry out faster than surrounding sod into real soil without concrete below, so the watering this one area will require is more so than the surrounding. It makes the case for this is "Probably not a good idea to explore in the first place". Include some pictures and perhaps an explanation of why you feel disposed to take this on in the first place, if you want answers that actually make sense. If you are determined to pursue the idea as you have laid it out, it would probably make more sense to bridge the concrete v-ditch with a rigid plastic cover that can support the weight, such as the cap to an irrigation valve box cover or similar, or make a reinforced concrete cap to span the swale, and then sod over it. You are still faced with the fact that a shallow depth of soil over a solid surface will limit rooting and so have less water available to grass roots. Probably not a real issue if you have a rhizomatous type of grass such as Bermuda Grass, which won't show the effects, but elsewise this area will need more water more frequently, and again, this is another reason that "this idea probably doesn't make any sense to pursue". I was recently asked to consult on a balcony garden on the 18th floor of a highrise building in San Francisco, where the original tiled concrete flooring with deck drains had been bridged with pressure treated plywood on shims to allow planting over it. I was amazed that the landscape designer had no interest in determining the condition of the sub level plywood, nor whether the deck drainage system was still functional, but wanted to start planting a new design immediately without any investigation of the conditions, nor any concern about liabilities involved with plantings and irrigation and drainage over structures that could potentially impact the neighbor below and result in a law suit. I see real parallels with your situation, and advise you to think this one through a little more carefully.

drmedusae, if you live in a zone 6 climate that isn't desert or mostly arid, this plant will only need a few thorough drinks of water per year at the most, especially if you keep it indoors. They are highly succulent and can go very prolonged lengths of time without water. Additionally, if you wish to lightly water this mesemb with mist, you really need to put it near a fan or some other ventilation source to prevent moisture from being trapped in the small crevices between leaf pairs. IME, the best method for watering these is a 'light' bottom watering, most often done during late summer/early fall or in early-mid spring, depending on your climate. In a zone 6 climate, my best advice would be that if you got another one of these plants, plan to NOT water it at all during the summer. Place it in a very sunny spot for the whole summer. Just make sure the soil temperature doesn't get too high, or you might get root death. If the inner leaves become soft during the summer as well, you may want to give it a small bit of water; I don't know what kind of zone 6 you live in or if you keep the plant indoors or out, so the leaves might not soften up. Misting the plant during the summer may also be a good idea, but as I said earlier, this requires good ventilation to stave off rot. I'm sorry your Nelly is going by the wayside :-( but gardening is a learning experience, and everyone on here has killed their fair share of cherished plants. Live and learn :-)

Given that we have actually attended the World of Concrete convention, I’d say I’m quite comfortable with the material. What you’re describing is pretty much a failure of the material in design or install, not typical. Even your average garage floor, which is the cheapest of the cheap in install and quality, doesn’t have the durability and etching issues you’re describing. The costs you’re describing are also WAY out of line for anything I have seen, even with fiber reinforced and stained, with multiple sealing passes. Especially on a slab, you’d be hard pressed to hit $12 a square foot all done and done unless you’re being seriously ripped off, especially on top of an existing slab - that makes everything easier :) Over timber framing the costs go up and the mitigation needed to create a good base becomes more complex, but still not significantly beyond a tile product. And the possibilities for design are vast (props to WoC again, I didn’t know half those techniques and products existed!). I agree it’s not a budget finish in some circumstances, but having a good mix design for residential finish application is NOT difficult to obtain, especially if you’re working with a good contractor and not just directly with the batch plant (easier but only if you know what you’re doing, like with any fabrication mill). I wouldn’t be scared off OP - if it is a look you want go for it. If you’re ‘meh’ about it, a cheap tile will be easier to manage, especially in a small space. But you can do a very nice job, even DIY, if you have a slab already and like the material. What can I say, I’m an optimist and concrete is fantastic stuff.

Tackle the aging roof first. The shingle colors available within your budget will have an influence on the paint colors you can use. If you think about it, you might want to have the roof checked for hail damage. In come cases, even older damage can be covered by insurance. Meanwhile, check out romabio.com for masonry stains for the bottom. Is that brick or stucco that the rocks are imbedded in? Can you remove the rocks and repair the surface before painting?