Devils Advocate wrote:

I'm building a deck at the entrance of my rear door. My question is, should
I attached deck to my house or not? Will it rot out house in anyway? Should
the deck be detached but just really close?

What would you do and how?

I would make sure, if you have any snow in your area, that the deck is a
step down from your backdoor.

Dealt with a house (rental) with bad door rot because the nice deck was
flush with the door (well, below the sill).

Which meant in the winter, that snow piled up (fine) but as it melted,
water pretty much lay on the lower part of the sill. For years and years.

Attach to the house? Yeah, but do it right and don't let water in.
If you don't, it WILL draw away from the house (it won't get closer).


Other issues to ponder?
My brother just fixed some clapboard stuff at my mom's and they put in a
'crete board as the bottom couple because her roof *does* drip and splash.