No walk should ever be "level". Layout where you want the walk. They should substitute the word "flat" for "level". This is very simple. Don't over think it(sometimes reading too much is not a good thing). Put away the bubble machine (the level). Finish grade the area between the steps and the driveway (the whole area without regard for the walk). Then excavate (dig) out for the base material that goes under your walk. Build up that base so that it is the thickness of the brick (most concrete pavers are abut 2-3/8" thick) lower than the adjacent grade. Use a board to "screed" (smooth the surface evenly) the surface to make it even (sloped, but not up and down). Then set your bricks. If there is a cross slope (right to left as you walk) on the adjacent grade, you should make sure that your walk has a slight cross slope in that same direction (you can use the bubble machine for checking the cross slope). If it is pretty lever from left to right, you may consider adding a slight amount of sand down the middle of the walk to add a slight crown to the walk. This helps the walk not become sagged in the middle over time and looks nicer (in my opinion) than a flat walk. Prepare the base just as you would to do it flat.

In your zone (Texas, for those who haven't checked your member page) this is a dead simple task requiring virtually no digging at all unless you need to drop the level of the pathway to be even with surrounding dirt. You don't need the fabric either; do a search of this forum for "fabric" to see all its disadvantages. You can lay your flagstones directly on the soil and plant or fill whatever you want in the cracks, or at worst put down a layer of sand under the stone. You just need to make sure each stone is fully supported with compacted soil or sand so you don't have the stones cracking. What I'm not clear about is whether you want to fit random shaped pieces of flagstone together, or whether you are using regular cut or paving stones of some uniform shape. If it is a real flagstone laying task, then you have the job of fitting the flagstone pieces together to make a nice shape, and nice joints. Depending on whether you want your path edges to be a certain shape or random, this can be tough or easy; in any event it is like doing a puzzle without using the picture on the box. We did a flagstone pathway; there is a photo of it in the thread linked below (finished product at the end of the thread). We actually laid down a bed of sand before the flagstone as we have drainage issues and that's a problem when it either turns to mud or freezes, which it does here more often perhaps than where you are. For the pattern, we mostly used the stone as is, cutting (with a chisel-thingy bought for the purpose) perhaps two or three pieces to fit. You "just" go out and flip (that's facetious, as they're heavy) the pieces around until you have combinations you like. Here is a link that might be useful: Thread with photo at end

brutuses, I'm just realizing that les917 also said "the full width of the porch." It didn't sink until you wrote the same thing! Wow, I never even thought of extending the step out along the entire porch because of the boxwoods (which are trying to hide the exposed foundation). I figured the step would just lead to the door, but I can see how a full length step would leave lots of room for sitting! Would you run the walkway just straight up to the step, but have the step run the entire length of the foundation? There are a lot of homes like ours in our subdivision and everyone has the same walkup, so it's hard to visualize. Plus I've only had one cup of coffee! I really appreciate the new ideas!

There is a metal roof with EXPOSED screws to the outside world. I don't think it is called 'standing seam'. I thought it was called R panel and than there is 'barn tin' which is ~ across the top. R Panel is a 'pseudo standing seam'...and if you had to buy a house like that, you will never be able to keep up with the polywashers that deteriate in the UV sun within 5 years of installation! You would likely be better off, carefully removing the panels, installing new roof deck and perhaps that radiant barrier?..which has it's own issues...and than, either go back with asphalt shingles or the true Standing Seam as janni seems to have pictured, or tile, or slate or even other various options.. I agree, it should be against the law for anyone to install R panel metal roofs on a house. They are okay on a barn, if you don't mind the drips of rain water here and there on the contents, but NOT on a house. It is a wood structure and you will have stained sheetrock ceilings that are no where close to where the water has come in by the time it's molecules cling and drift down till they are so heavy, the drop. If you do remove your roof, you might find someone who needs to construct a shelter, or desires some for interior decor, to take it off your hands and get some money out of the pieces that are fit. There are alot of artistic and imaginative folks in the world, I bet someone would have a way to use the metal, even if it included large animal shelter or hay storage...