There is supposed to be water in that sump. There is a neoprene gasket where the motor & pump assembly connect to the bottom of the tub. The machine leaves some water in the sump to prevent the gasket from drying out during the Dry cycle of the dishwasher. Your high loop on the drain line if fine, but if you will pull a bit more of the line through the eye so the line is nearly straight up to the hook, then let it loop lower in the sink cabinet you will not get quite as much water back flowing into the sump. If your having odor problems pour a little bleach in the sump and let it set over night to sanitize the sump. Bleach is perfectly safe to use on food handling equipment. In fact, restarants are required to wipe their food prep surfaces down with bleach water so sanitize.

You are both right...and I don't like the fridge or the oven in the aisle. After much sketching last night, I came up with this idea. What if I flipped the dining and kitchen spaces? On the othe forum, there was concern that it would be much nicer to have another access to the sunroom, besides through the laundry/mudroom. This way, I have three 30" french doors, with the left one opening. The sunroom is a few feet bigger, to allow room for the door opening and the clearance around the very small wood stove. What do you think? Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks for looking at yet another plan...I have to finalize things, so I can show our contractor and get a budget pulled together. Oh, and the other thing I like about this plan...the marble work table is back! :)

"I did have to change the sizes of the bathrooms/closets because dh insists that everything is wheelchair accessible. " a very wise idea. my sister and her dh built about 8-10 yrs ago and made wider hallways and doorways. they tried to do what they could to be prepared should she need a walker or wheelchair. this past yr she has had to resort to using a walker at times. what I didn't understand (and didn't ask) was that their master bath was small and crowded. it was a bad place to conserve on space (and $). the shower is just a normal size and pushed into a corner area. they put in a big tub (probably for resale) but I don't think they've ever used it. they put the toilet in a 'closet' w/a door - but I doubt her walker can get thru it. it's about 7x 9 but seems so small and crowded. that big tub makes a big difference. also think of things like door knobs, cabinet handles, faucet handles - and grab bars in bathrooms. including next to the toilet. at least have the frame work put in behind the drywall for future installation. one thing that has been a highlight in my move to my doublewide is the shower (not part of a tub). no more climbing over the tub ledge - it is such freedom for me! there is a 2nd tub in my bathroom - but I don't use it and plan to have it torn out and made into a storage area. there is a tub in the main hall bathroom too. and I've replaced (have 3 doors still w/o knobs!) door knobs with levers. much easier on my hands. I plan to change the faucets to singles levers too. and of course, be sure to put in drawers, drawers, drawers in the kitchen and any other space with cabinets!

We cannot specifically say an addition would cost less than reworking existing house, or expanding into garage. Good to know you have property to build new garage. The cost for a new garage would be part of your "total cost of ownership" because you would need garage in your climate. With a current appraisal, and your assessment of your area, it sounds like you could spend this level of money and still ultimately recover your investment. These facts, say to me an addition that reworks the current kitchen and decks to an open kitchen/family room a viable, good option. The only limiting factor is the requirements for your septic field and percolating ability. So, I would get a septic company to come out and assess your situation and give you input on where and what limits you might have building in that direction. This is part of "due diligence" and data gathering in order to make a wise decision. It has nothing to do with saving money for changes. It has to be done to establish what the boundaries are to any modifications. Not getting facts is a sure way to get rushed when you jump into something without adequate knowledge and compounds problems. There may also be "property setback rules" that would affect doing a new garage. So I suggest you get a trusted septic tank company representative come to your home and ask them questions and gather info. Ask local building officials what restrictions you may have for expanding the footprint of your overall home on your property. Get that homework done and then you can dream of the ultimate solution. It will take a year to plan a project like this before one thing starts. Then, you will need a good architect to help develop plans and explore options. Good luck. I would explain to your husband that a lot of research has to be done before you do anything and that takes time. If he resists still, then you have a different problem to solve. ;).