this is the floor plan

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.badongo.com/file/9135035

For whatever reason when I pull up your link I see no pictures. I tried with your other link as well. Do we need a password, or do you need to make your album public? I really don't know anything about online photo sharing, I'm just trying to help. I would love to look at your plan!

Amy

Amy,
Thanks for trying to help.
when the page opens, in the middle it says: download the file here... you click and it inmediately opens.
I do not know of another way to upload the file
thanks

Hope this works better

Here is a link that might be useful: floor plan

Nope, still no good. It says it's loading, but when I try to paste the URL I just get the same page.

I was able to get it and I would have to say I like option 2 better. It is always good to have the master away from the other bedrooms in my opinion.

I am sorry you are having hard time to the the plan :(
I uploaded it in another place, it is good but it takes some seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: floor plan

kandkwi
Thanks for your comment!!! I think the tendency is that a lot of persons prefer the master bedroom privacy
Have a nice evening

I prefer the master bedroom away from the kitchen, as my husband gets up earlier than I do and I sleep better when I don't have to hear him in the kitchen. Since we don't have children, I don't mind the master bedroom being near the other bedrooms.

They are both nice plans, which is better for you depends on your lifestyle.

Here's your photos

{{gwi:1436421}}

{{gwi:1436423}}

dekeoboe,
Thanks for your help!
We also do not have kids. The bedrooms are on the same side of the house but in the same time, the entry of the master is separate from the other bedrooms. The Master helps a bit as a buffer between bedrooms
I like both and they all have what we need... and is hard to make a desicion.

Lindybarts,
It was so nice of you to attach the plans! Thanks a lot!

Comments, Anyone?

I would prefer the second.

The master feels more private, the other bedrooms have the feel of being in their own "wing", and the living space looks more open.

The biggest problem I see is that the pantry is in an odd location. You need to go through the mudroom to access it.

paint_chips,
Thanks a lot for your comment.
I have the possibility of make room for the pantry next to the door (between the garage and the house) and use the current pantry as a closet.

What I like about option 1 is that it has a window in the kitchen and in option 2 I like the master bedroom, master bathroom and walk in closet better, also that the garage is sideload. The only think I am not so sure about the option 2 is the stair to tye basement location. Maybe is better ir to be by the dining so is more inviting.

Thanks a lot.
I really appreciate it.

Are those two plans anywhere close to the same square footage?!? Option 2 looks so much larger to me that if, in reality, they are nearly the same size, then without a doubt I'd go for option 2.

Option 2 advantages:

. Overall more spacious feel.

. Larger master bedroom with more windows and patio doors leading to covered porch.

. Master bath arrangement seems much more "gracious" with the corner tub and walk-in shower than option 1 which seems sort of bland. In fact, you could probably even make the shower 12 to 18 inches wider (plenty big for 2 people) without crowding that corner bathtub.

. Dining room open to great room allows for better flow if/when you have parties.

. Side-load garage allows for a nicer looking front facade.(I just personally hate looking at garage doors when I approach a house!)

. Larger covered back porch - looks big enough to actually use!

. Lots more kitchen countertop and cabinetry space! That wall of cabinetry next to the garage may pretty much preclude the need for a separate pantry though you might still want a small closet nearby for brooms/mops and stuff like that.

. Wall of built-in cabinetry in the dining room (next to the garage wall). Love it! Great place for storing and showing off china and crytalware plus the cabinetry will help to provide a sound barrier against noises from the garage.

. Bay window breakfast nook with hutch nearby for everyday dishes. I'm just a sucker for bay windows in the breakfast area - they give it such a "homey feel" as opposed to the square box, dead-end feel of the breakfast area in option 1.

. Stairway to basement tucked out of sight but convenient for family. Sorry but I can't imagine INVITING guests to the basement anyway - well, except maybe if they were DS's or DD's teenage friends over and then they'd be happier being able to slip down the stairs to the basement without having to walk right past Mom in the kitchen anyway. LOL

. Bigger laundry room with more windows - Natural light helps overcome the dreariness inherent in doing laundry and besides, I GOTTA have lots of light when sorting dark blue from black socks!

Disadvantages to option 2:

. No door from garage to backyard area. Children playing in backyard would have to come/go via great room which puts them a fair distance from a bathroom. Possible solution - rearrage secondary bathroom to add an exterior door which would allow children to come from outdoors directly into their bathroom.

. Secondary bathroom appears to have a shower only. I would consider getting rid of the little hallway linen closet so as to have room for a bathtub/shower in that bathroom. In resale, potential buyers with younger children (especially preschoolers) will want a tub in the children's bathroom. I'd probably turn the sink 90 degrees and put it on the wall against the front bedroom closet; get rid of the hall closet; move the toilet so that it is against the wall beside the door; put a bathtub/shower unit in beside the toilet (using up the space where the hall closet had been); put a linen cupboard at the end of the bathtub (against the exterior wall); and add an exterior door beside the linen cupboard. -BTW-what is that little area directly across from the hall closet in option 1? A bookcase? If so, I'd make it part of the great room and center the fireplace between the bookcases.

. Closets in secondary bedrooms appear a little smaller than in option 1 - but I'm not sure that walk-in closet in the front bedroom of option 1 is really deep enough to consider it a walk into anyway.

. No window over the kitchen sink. I'd consider rearranging the kitchen somewhat to create an L that sticks out b/w kitchen and breakfast nook, shorten the island by about a couple of feet and move it forward (toward the front of the house) a little bit so as to allow room to pass between the island and the leg of the L. Then I'd put my sink in the leg of the L so that, while washing dishes, I'd be facing the breakfast nook bank of windows. Also, that way, when at the sink, your back would not be towards the great room - where one assumes the family would likely be gathered - so it would be easier to converse with them without having to turn clear around.

Differences between the plans that wouldn't matter to me:
. Whether master bedroom is on the same side of the house as other two bedrooms. In option 1, the master bedroom is separated from the other two bedrooms by the master bath and has its entry separated as well. So, I don't think privacy would be a problem in option 1.

. Whether the master bedroom is near the kitchen. In option 2, while the door to the master is near the kitchen, the bedroom itself is distant from the kitchen area and is separated from it by the master closet so I can't imagine early morning noise from the kitchen being problematic unless someone is really banging on those pots and pans! (My DF - the only earlybird in a family of night owls - used to do that on Saturday mornings when I was a kid! We always swore he clattered and clanged on purpose though to roust us all out of bed so it wouldn't have helped if our bedrooms were a block away!)

So, option 2 would definitely be the winner in my mind UNLESS it really is more square footage and significantly more costly to build.

First, I think what really matters is if this fits your lifestyle and preferences. Make yourself happy and you can't go wrong.

Second, the two have very different footprints and siting them on your lot may be a consideration.

I prefer the first design, but then, I have young children and want the bedrooms together because I am up with a bottle in the middle of the night and want to be close in case of emergency. I would prefer the bedroom entrances even closer than they are in plan 1. I also like the flow from the garage into the kitchen via the large pantry. Garage doors don't bother me; we have cars and it is not a secret--my straight driveway is a lot less to shovel in the winter, less expensive to pour and refinish, and my kids will have an easier target when they learn to drive. I guess I am more impressed with features that make my life easier rather than features that look good or appeal to a certain trend.

Another consideration would be how you plan to use your basement. Our basement is a walkout and more of a lower level than a cement hole filled with cardboard boxed and a laundry area. If you will have a lower level, the first is more inviting. If you will have basement storage, the second is nicely tucked away.

The master suite in the second option is a bit more comfortable and grand. The overall feel is much the same in both public areas.

HTH
Brian

bevangel,
I am impress with your comments!!!
Thanks a lot for your time!!!

The difference in size between the 2 plans is 8 s.f.
I actually tried to make them the same size so that the size was not a factor to consider in the decision.
In option 2 the roof is a lot less complicated that in option 1.
Reading several comments here, is like the master bedroom is the number 1 factor in this (or any house)
I could make the master bedroom and bathroom a little bigger because the great room is almost 1 1/2 feet narrower; it does not seem that way because is more open.
I will attach the site plan.
God bless you and Thanks again

Have a great weekend!!!

Amazing that they are so close to the same square footage! Seeing them on the site plan makes that more evident.

I can also see that the great room is narrower on option 2 but with the stairwell to the basement moved, it looks like the overall square footage for the great room is about the same on both plans and option 2 still "feels" bigger. Maybe because less space is given over to the entry foyer?

If the option 2 roof is less complicated than option 1, that is yet another good reason to choose option 2. A less complicated roof will be less expensive to build.

Looking at your site plan does bring up one potential complication with option 2 however. That is, will you have enough room to make the requisite turn into your parking bays? Find out from your architect EXACTLY what the measurements are then borrow a bunch of traffic cones, go find an empty parking lot somewhere and set them up to replicate the garage and driveway measurements. You need to be able to easily drive into and out of each of the "garage bays" in your virtual set up without running over any traffic cones! If not, Brianstreehouse is right, option 2 won't work for you.

BTW, I hadn't thought about plowing out the driveway b/c living in central Texas, that is NEVER an issue. Certainly if you live where snow is common, you'll want to take that into account.

Another vote for #2 if the turnout for the drive is large enough.

Instead of the window in the laundry room I'd put a door leading outside. It would give you access to that side of the house without having to open the garage.

brianstreehouse,
Thanks for your comments. I attached the site. If I have a choise, I prefer the stairs in the social area since we wil have a recreational room in the basement plus a guest bedroom/bathroom

persnicketydesign,
As you can see I modified the plan including your idea of the laundry door.

Thanks a lot for your imput!!!

bevangel,
As you can see, If I move the stairway, I could put a door in the garage to the side yard. I will need to mirror the door from the garage to the house, against the pantry.
Did you see how the sink looks in a peninsula as you suggested?
Thanks a lot for your time.

I like the sink on the L tho some people might not because it won't be "hidden" from the great room by a "pony wall" (I think that is what you call the half-height walls that are usually topped by a narrow countertop).

Persnickety's idea about putting an exterior door in the laundry room instead of the windows is terrific. Wish I'd thought of it. Gives you access from the backyard that is nice and close to the bathroom. Parents of small children will like that.

I would prefer the basement stairs tucked away by the garage even if they lead to a rec room and guest room because of the way that opens up the great room and dining room. If your guest bath was located somewhere else, I might feel differently b/c you might feel that the garage entry/mud room/laundry room area might not be kept straightened up enough for guests. (Trust me, I have some of those "totally private b/c not fit for public view" areas in my own home so I do understand wanting to make sure the stairs to the rec room are in the social area.)

But, because your guest bathroom is tucked back by the garage also, the walkway back to the guest bath room should probably be considered part of the "social area" (at least in so far as keeping it nice and straightened up.) So, I think inviting guests to come that way to go down to the rec room wouldn't be problematic. Just my opinion tho.
BTW, if you're going to have a rec room and guest room in your basement, will it be a walk out basement? Without plenty of light, I hear basement rooms can wind up feeling "musty" and never get the expected use. Don't have any first hand experience with basement tho but I'm sure if you post your basement plan for comments there'll be folks on this forum who can give you the benefit of their experiences.

Looking forward to seeing elevations and then to suffering/celebrating with you as you actually build your dream!