Front Porch Addition in Berkley: From Foundation to Finished

A front porch is one of the hardest-working additions a house can get. It's curb appeal, a place to actually sit, and — done right — a real bump in how the home lives. We recently completed a front porch addition in Berkley, Michigan, and documented the whole journey. Here's what the build looked like, stage by stage.

Stage 1: The foundation

Every porch starts below grade. Block foundation walls and piers went in across the front of the house — the structural backbone everything above sits on. This is the part of a project nobody ever sees once it's finished, which is exactly why it matters most: get the foundation right and the porch is solid for decades.

Stage 2: Timber framing

With the foundation set, the timber structure went up — posts, the main beam, and the framing for the entry gable. Timber framing gives a porch its character: you can see the bones of the thing, and it reads as crafted rather than tacked on. At this stage the porch starts to take on its final shape — you can stand in it and picture the finished space.

Stage 3: The finished porch

The finished porch is stone and timber, top to bottom. Stone piers and stone veneer anchor the front; the wood front door sits under an exposed timber gable truss; new stone steps and a walk lead up to it. The ceiling is wood beadboard with a chandelier, and the floor is concrete — a combination that looks warm and weathers well in Michigan winters. It reads as though it was always part of the house.

The details that make it

The difference between a porch that looks new and one that looks right is in the details: the beadboard ceiling, the light fixture choice, the stone work on the piers. Those are the decisions we work through with homeowners before and during the build — and they're what make neighbors stop and ask who did the work.

Thinking about a porch or addition?

A front porch, a rear addition, a back porch — additions like these are some of our favorite work. If you're in Berkley or anywhere in Metro Detroit and you're thinking about adding space to your home, we'll come out, take a look, and give you honest numbers before you commit.

Free estimates, no obligation

Ashor Construction is a family-owned, licensed and insured remodeling company serving Metro Detroit. Call (248) 568-0056 or request a free estimate through our website.