Gary - The kitchen will likely change dramatically to engulf the breakfast nook, so the dishwasher will have plenty of room then. I like the drawer dishwashers, we'll see if they play into the budget. I will likely have the whole house trussed. I'll use every nook I can in the attic as the main roof pitch from front to back is 11/12 and left and right are 12/12 along with garage pitch. Doors will face the left side and therefore the garage will be easier to make longer. I will widen the entire left side of the house an additional 2 feet as well for more garage space and thus more bonus room space and also more master bath and closet space where needed the most. Not in a high wind area, but I do like the hipped roof better than traditional gable end design done here so much. I do want to keep my gable dormers on the front and rear for personal appeal. I will mount our new flatscreen (I say new b/c we'll buy it to fit the space when we build) over the fireplace. We have a 51" Sony DLP right now on a small sleek stand but in a 15 x 15 living room I want as little "other" stuff on the floor as possible to allow for our loveseat, couch and coffee and end tables. I am trying to move the large Sony we have up to the "Man Space" and get me a Barcalounger all to myself in the main living room. Currently no room for that, so I sit on the couch that doesn't recline and I can't wait for my big leather chair!!! Thank you so very much for your comments. I really appreciate them and will definitely save them in my "Our House" folder in my email so that when I start I will remember to take your considerations into play. I particularly hadn't thought about the straight line for the plumbing running from front right to back left - that will likely be the least amount of pipe to run. Thanks for your help and if you think of anything else, please don't hesitate to email me or post here. info@athomewithchuck.com

This is a great thread for those contemplating building a new home. Clients are often bringing me sketches of floor plans or plans they've found online. Such plans can be helpful as a point of departure but almost always require a complete redo. What helps me more is a detailed conversation about lifestyle, philosophy of art and design, and a deep understanding of the site.

--Passive solar, ventilation and daylighting strategies: Passive solar strategies are simple, economical strategies for working with the daily sun cycle during the four seasons, so as to keep hot summer sun and temperatures from entering the house, while permitting the warming sun to enter the house during the colder winter season. Cooling natural breezes and ventilation strategies are also easy, but important to consider. The same applies to daylighting strategies. It takes very little to take advantage of these strategies if site selection and house design include them from the outset of the project. For example, aligning the long axis of the house facing south and the short axis facing east and west, maximizes natural light and minimizes glare and heat gain. Properly designed roof over hangs, trellis or arbor designs, combined with appropriate sized and positioned operable window selection will greatly enhance the livability of a home, at minimal costs, and will make a substantial improvement in day-to-day comfort, livability, utility and operating expenses. --Terrain, drainage and soils conditions: Surprisingly, many consumers do not understand or recognize some simple, but highly influential factors when viewing a potential piece of property. Some of these factors are: 1) Terrain: Flat terrain, for example, is the easiest and least expensive on which to build. Downhill sloping lots are often easier on which to build than uphill sloping lots. In general, avoid uphill sloping lots. 2) Drainage: Even land which appears flat has surface (and perhaps subsurface) drainage patterns. Avoid building in natural drainage areas (especially flood plains), and always ensure finish grading which channels surface water far away from the perimeter of the house. 3) Soils: Many sites may have soil conditions which include substantial portions of clayey or expansive soil materials. Expansive soils are potentially dangerous, and may often cause cracking and movement of the house’s foundation and interiors. If one suspects property has expansive soils, always use a geotechnical engineer to test the soils and make recommendations for proper foundations given the existing soil conditions. This is particularly true for hillside sites. Never buy or build on a site which has received loose fill materials. Loose, uncompacted fill materials have unpredictable bearing capacities and tendencies for movement when wet and saturated. Such sites can be disasterous! --Other site features: Many consumers fall in love with a particular property, for a variety of good reasons—views, natural vegetation and trees, privacy, family history, the opportunity to finally raise chickens and goats, etc. All of these features are fine, but always do your due diligence first and carefully review all of the criteria above before falling in love with a piece of land. Remember, a house cannot be any better than the land on which it’s located.

So odd...! If I scroll down to Page 2, where both recent postings are currently listed, and click on each one, each comes up for reading. And when I click on this posting for the last post, Part 3, for example, it comes up for reading. Clearly the Houzz Gods are not favorable to this posting...bad juju!