Exterior staircase advice - attached to building or not?

[Jetboy]

I'm going to build an exterior staircase to a 2nd story room on my garage soon. I'm not sure which is better between building the landing and then the staircase being attached to the side of the building or leaving it off about 2 or 3".

Either way the landing will be supported by two columns and there will be a concrete pad where it starts at the bottom. I think it will be fairly sturdy either way. I plan to cut 2x12 stringers for construction.

So... should I attach it to the structure or not? If I do build it attached to the building, I assume I would install before siding. Siding will be vertical board and batten - faux board and batten with 4x8 sheets of hardie panel and battens placed on 16" centers if that matters.

 

[snobdds]

The top of the landing should tie into a ledger board. The bottom is anchored into the concrete pad. Then supported by posts in their own piers...

 

[Jetboy]

Thanks,

I've already built the landing. It has a ledger board and a columns on concrete piers. I also have a concrete pad at the bottom.

I'm trying to decide whether to do this:

Or this:

 

[titanpat57]

I would keep it far enough away to prevent leaves and debris form collecting, retaining moisture, and causing premature rot

 

[splitshot]

I would go siding, primed and sealed/painted before and leave room to do it again in the future. Top tied into a ledger as stated before.