Thank you so very much for your inputs. Except for Monicakm, central AC is rather low on the ranking, which really surprised me. Meeting with contractor to get a realistic price for putting in a dormer on garage attic, before doing the roof. Will make decision on bonus room once I know more about costs. So it seems like it's definitely master bathroom (and master bedroom make over) is next on the project list. I truly do not like the small conventional pre-fab shower stalls, usually 32”x32”. I’m a small person (4’11”) and I feel that is way too small. So I was trying squeeze 10pounds of “wants” into a 5pounds of real estate space. Wanted: - larger shower stall/area - double sink (not that we need it since DH and almost never get ready at the same time, but would be good for resale) - wet area (so I can hose everything down; we used to own a Chinese restaurant and I love being able to hose everything down in the kitchen area) But I have read many many online reviews against small wet-room, how everything gets wet, how you track wet feet in/out of the room, no place to put your clothes, and how many potential buyers would look at the room and would think about how much it would cost to gut the room/renovate it to “fix it”. Well, DH talked me out of the need for double sink, so I get to keep my larger shower. By moving the wall-hung toilet toward the entrance/furthest from the shower, there should be less water/moisture. What do you think of this? - I get my larger shower area: 4’x5’. - The shower floor will be one piece (stone/onyx or solid surface still researching); easier install, no grout/seams, easy to clean. See link for options - A glass wall between the shower and the sink - I don’t want to put another glass wall next to the toilet because I want the toilet area to not feel tight (both areas of my toilets now are pretty snug) - the bedroom is still a decent size 15'x12'. Masterbedroom layout: 2nd floor layout: Would you hate to open the door to seeing this right as you enter? I thought to put the shoes shelves there since the shelvings do not need to be as deep as a wardrobe, so there's more space in the landing area. sink: w32”x20”. I like the lip around so it keeps the water splashing in the sink area, instead of against the grout/wall tile. Yes, my King bed will be in front of 2 windows, and I will do lots of curtains like this: Monicakm: We do put in window air conditioners. Yes, a must have for those crazy humid nights. Yes, I do have to do more research on heat pumps. The HVAC guy who did my radiant floor heating told me about the newer tech ones that goes down to 17degrees (or even lower?). Lotteryticket: Yay on finishing your Mbath. Can you share pictures? I have no clue on the cost yet. Need to find potential bathroom contractors before I set a budget. Our 2-car garage is oversized. With the dormer planned, we would still have 1/3 of the attic for storage. Also have the basement for storage. Weedyacres: I don’t know much about plumbing, but I don’t know how to get plumbing across to put the bathroom on the right side of the room. Where I have the bath planned, it’s a straight shot UP from the basement, through the 1st floor pantry to the masterbedroom. I don’t think we can get the plumbing to cross the hallway from the 2nd floor bathroom (see 2nd picture). LARemodel: My elementary school days were in Pasadena/Glendale area, and I thought most homes have AC, so I was surprised to see your ranking. If we finish the room above the garage, it’ll really be for the kids and their friends/hanging out, and for the additional GLA so it helps when we list the house in the future. Linelle: Yup, just a nice 3rd bathroom so I don’t have to share w/ my future teenagers. Already, my 8yr DD keeps getting into all of my stuff/makeup, etc, that I leave in the vanity and medicine cabinet. Again, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts. Amanda Here is a link that might be useful: link to low curb one-piece shower floor

CigarLover first about previous post on heat pumps. As I've said many times, heat pumps are not for everyone or every application. Generally for California, heat pumps are not used except in all electric situations where nat gas service is not available. Main reason is California's ridiculous electric rates. Plus this will be a new system for a homeowner that appears to be a senior citizen most likely use to nat gas heat. Now to the original post and the system quoted. These are my observations and I will say from the start that I like AmStd systems. I do recommend a load calculation for both heating and cooling. For a mild climate, it is difficult for me to understand why you would need an 80K 80% eff furnace even a two stg VS model. Plus it appears you want to go up in size on AC condenser from a 2 1/2 ton to a 3 ton mdl. Why? I would ask dealer for the Matching AHRI Directory matching number. I did not see it although I may have overlooked it. For me a matching number is important. You are aware that the furnace quoted is a communicating mdl? I suggest you go to AmStd website and read the features on this furnace if you haven't already. I am not a fan of electronic air cleaners because of the regular maintenance required. I prefer a good 4-5" pleated media cabinet that has to be changed out once a year like the HW 200 model. Zero maintenance/cleaning. You need a good understanding of what routine maintenance is expected on the EAC. Any hot/cold spots in home? Has ductwork been thoroughly inspected? Does home have adequate return? If you only have one return, I would add another for upstairs living area. Flushing refrigerant line is an acceptable practice. However, line set must be correct size for new condenser. This is important! And. I regret to tell you many dealers are not as candid and truthful about this issue as they should be. IMO Here is a link that might be useful: Platinum SV Furnace

Not trying to yell at you, and I'm so sorry to be posting this as the plank looks great and its a very good solution for the space, but this is kind of a warning... A good part of that slab is supported by air unless you drilled it for metal rods projecting from the wall? The front edges of something like that are subject to a lot of stress from people pushing away from the surface and pushing down on the surface to push themselves up and away from it. Adding to that, wide surfaces cut like that are subject to cracking along the grain lines. Pile on more for visiting adult people or teens who may lean against it, if not outright sit on it. This type of thing needs to take loads of about 200 lbs or more that are not evenly distributed. One of the ways to view what you built is 6-10 inches of plank with very weak support on one long side, good support on one short side and air on the other two sides. Using some guesses at dimensions for that plank makes some point loads that the unsupported section can't handle - the plank may break OR the little 2x2 may break but most likely is that the front will simply crack off from a large person using it as a support. Followed closely by the softwood 2x2 worming its way off the screws over time or crack through - because roughly, the "business" part of the 2x2 is only the part above the screw. So that's the warning - because it looks scary to me. I am not competent enough to make any suggestions for you, but I'd ask around about it on a woodworking forum or two.

Disclaimer - We are the contractors in this story who saved the day, testified in court, and established a great relationship with the homeowner. An educated consumer is our best customer. On GC's and subs- 1- Give me a good price on this job and I'll shovel you tons of work. This is an old tactic used by GC's to drive the cost down / raise profits. After the first job the sub is fired and quickly replaced. Subs who haven't been burned by this before, or are hungry, are young, or didn't know this happened to them are easy prey to this scam. If the sub stays on and wants to get paid his full amount, he is quickly replaced. 2- My subs have been with me a long time. What is a long time? Months or years? Did you speak to the sub himself? 3- Most GC's have bare general knowledge about what their subs do. They don't have the specific knowledge of the trades. If you have specific concerns about waterproofing, it's best to ask the sub directly before the job starts. Having done your homework on John Bridge, or Fine Homebuilding will help you immensely. 4- GC's are salesmen who add 25% to 35% to what the sub is charging to make their living. IMHO most GC's view subs as commodities not skilled craftsmen and are not willing to pay a skilled craftsman the rates they deserve. The best craftspeople I know around the world are all self employed and don't work for GC's. Most work aside the GC, directly for the HO. On the rare chance I do work under a GC, the HO is actively involved in the process and has usually brought us in specifically. 5- GC's prefer to price items by the square foot or some easy (brainless) method. I find this a great disservice to the HO. If I am tiling the floor of a car dealership (wide open space) the price per sf will be lower than a dentist's office (tiny rooms and hallways) IN these instances a per sf price would be useless. Then we get into prep work, access to the jobsite, working conditions, and a myriad of variables unique to each jobsite. Is there a gate that needs to be kept closed all the time? Limited hours we can be on the site? Is the building heated and cooled? There is no way a flat rate of $/sf is useful when it comes to certain trades. 6- GC's are not inclined to pay for prepwork. They pay for finished product. While we all want the finished product to be gorgeous, prep work is critical. Certainly in a shower, waterproofing is what you are really buying. Tile is just the pretty surface. This is why so many showers fail. I've actually had a GC say to me - "I don't pay you for prep work, I pay you to install tile" Prep work usually drives up the cost of a job considerably. Customers sometimes don't want to hear this or think we are adding to the scope of work unnecessarily. We don't work for such folks. 7- Why don't contractors just tell HO's they are busy and will have to wait? When a potential customer calls, asking when they want the work completed is my first or second question. This comes with a lot of risk, mainly losing the job all together. My 40 years experience has taught me that most HO's call contractors when the HO is ready to start the project and is eager to get things rolling. Telling a HO they will have to wait a few months in the first phone call is usually the kiss of death. My thought is - Would you want to hire a contractor who isn't busy? Granted there are job delays and cancellations, but a good businessman knows how to keep his schedule full and workers busy. It takes some sales skill (and empathy) to save that first phone call from going down in flames and losing the opportunity to educate a customer on the process of hiring a qualified contractor. 8- Not so news flash - Not all great contractors are great businessmen. Makes sense once you think about it though. The manufacturers have reps to show us their products, there are trade schools and unions, but teaching a contractor how to run his business is woefully lacking. Being a craftsman in any trade doesn't make you a good businessperson or a good salesperson. Some good contractors become subs as to have the business side of their job taken care of by the GC who feeds them a steady stream of work and a reliable paycheck. Pounding the pavement, making sales, maintaining a website, and giving estimates all take effort, skill, and time not everyone has. 9- Not so news flash #2 - Not all great salesmen are great contractors. This is the hard part for the average HO to sort out. A slick talking young man in a pressed shirt can have all the right sounding answers. So what's a HO to do? Start by asking; Who will be coming into my home? Will they have seen the jobsite in person or pictures before they knock on my door? Or are they just given my address that morning? Ask what products will be used and why. Talk to the manufacturer's reps for those products. It's a good sign when the rep knows your contractor. It's a good sign when the rep backs up what your contractor claims. Ask the Rep about any installation tricks/hazards to watch for. Every manufacturer has YouTube videos giving detailed instructions which MUST be followed. An educated consumer is our best customer. 10- Not so news flash #3 - There are good people on YouTube and then..... there is the rest of the crowd. As mentioned above, the John Bridge Forum and Sal Diblasi's videos are spot on. So are the videos made by the product manufacturer or a trade association. A HO will have a hard time discerning the good from the bad YouTube videos without trade knowledge or a trained ear which is why I recommend the manufacturer's videos and talking with their reps. The reps get paid for this, its their job. When you find a good contractor who provides excellent service the best compliment is to recommend them, give a good Google / Angie's List / Yelp review. This will also help other HO's in their search. I could go on for pages, but y'all are probably bored by now. If you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer.