Im trying to stay away from using 3 different styles of flooring so interlocking pavers are out unless they look/ mold well with the brick.
Thanks for all the good responses. I thought of doing the cement laying myself and having my father in law oversee the work since thats what he did for a good 25 years but he said based on the amount of concrete I would require I would need a lot of helping hands to run wheelbarrows back and forth. He said manpower needed may just mean its better to hire someone.
I think extending the patio slab to the sides and staining it seems like the best choice, as I can always add a top layer of thin flagstone or red brick if needed.
Regarding drainage, both sided of the house have multiple drainage holes built in that funnel water to the street. These are also in the grass so the ground is properly piped for drainage. I have been monitoring all of them during the heavy rains and with the exception of the mulch bulking up on the drain holes, no drainage problems.
