If the walls are too tall, when you sit down, you feel like you're in a playpen. When you're sitting on the porch, you want to be able to see the outside.

138

That's something that will never be added as inexpensively as it will be at that time.

125

Having a couple of inches of a step down is huge for practical reasons. If the deck and the porch are at the same height, water can seep in.

116