Thanks so much for your responses! I agree. My experience has taught me that thinking these details out before construction is much more practical. Here are some answers to your questions: I live in central NJ. Zone 6-7. I have about 4 feet of height under the deck to insulate it. I was thinking of using "Tiger Foam". IÂve used it in my home before. This stuff is effective, but expensive. I would use some and fill the rest of the area with packing Styrofoam that IÂve been collecting. The greenhouse will be built against my home. The bedroom window above it would be blocked if I made it higher. I guess IÂll be growing dwarf bananas. I donÂt see that I have much of choice, unless you can see a way to configure this that I canÂt see. There is an area to the left where we can go higher, but that would make it a weird shape, and more complicated construction. I guess it isnÂt worth it. I looked over the full size plans and you are right, they donÂt have the overall dimensions. No wonder my township returned the plans for being incomplete. The floor space is about 7 feet by 15 feet, minus the cut corners. HereÂs where I stand now. The deck is built. The rest of the deck is finished. The supports for the green house are all in and there is durarock on the floor, in the greenhouse area, that is ready for a tile floor. I would love to use a floor drain that is set into the floor and runs the length of the space, but that would entail cutting away the supports. The surface that this is will be built on is above the surface in front of it. May be the drain could run along the front, out side the floor supports. I think my architect could work this out. If not, then wherever we put the drain, the floor would have to slope in that direction. The way it is built now, it slops slightly away from the house. I guess we could change that just a little with the mud when we tile. I think the architect put a knee wall in the plans. How should that be built? Will I be running things through it in the future? The ridge of the roof runs the short way, so it isnÂt very long in relation to the space. If you put in a ridge vent, how do you keep the hot air from escaping in the winter? HereÂs my main concern. IÂm not building the green house because I donÂt have room for my plant inside my home. IÂm building it because my houseplants donÂt do well in my home in the winter. They get plagued by spiders and disease and dry out. I have been very successful with outdoor gardening. I realize that I will still have to care for my plants in the greenhouse but I hope it will be a lot better for them than it would be in the house. I would really like to find out what kind of heating wonÂt make it too dry in there.

A couple or three possible FAQ questions: What are the recommended procedures for preparing the foundation for a greenhouse or greenhouse kit? (depth of excavation, burying foam insulating panels to restrict heat conduction into the ground, installing hardware cloth as a barrier to rodents, sand, crushed rock, perforated plastic pipes for drainage, etc.) How do I keep the copper in the pressure treated timbers from attacking, corroding, and even dissolving the attached framework of aluminum greenhouses? How do I protect a lean-to or attached greenhouse from falling icicles and snow slides from the eaves of the house? MM

I'm short on time today but I didn't want everyone to think I had bailed. I'll work from the most recent post back. Rhome is correct. The squares are 2x2 so the dishwashers are 2 ft, the fridge and freezer are 30" each, the sink area is 48" but I will probably use a 36" farm sink. Microwave placement has yet to be decided, since this is a very preliminary drawing but I was thinking in the island. I have concentrated the items that will get the most use...range, fridge and sink at one end of the kitchen, so that there is no need to go round and round the island, or at least that was the idea, other than an occasional trip to the freezer, which in our current house is in the basement, so I don't think I will mind a few steps. Our current kitchen is 12'6"x14 and excluding the prep sink and the fridge (which we don't have in this kitchen) is almost the exact same setup. Our current island is 7' and the work area is concentrated on one side. I located the fridge in this area so that anyone coming in for just a drink would not get too much in the way. Kelbrad, thanks for the link. I will check it out later this evening, along with researching what other options are out there. ChapNC. I am working in excel, using a graph paper template that is 2'x2'. When I drew the bathroom I had a shower on that outside wall, but then thought that a tub would be a better idea for a guest room. However, I failed to lenghten the room to accommodate a tub. Thanks for pointing this out, as I had missed it. meldy nva. I will look at the kitchen again. I'd prefer the laundry near the kitchen, as that is where I spend the most time and makes switching out a load or folding more convenient. The master is large, but as mentioned above, we do have several pieces of furniture. We could definitely make do with smaller. Do you have ideas on how to rework that end of the plan and still access the guest bedroom? I would love to see your ideas. Rhome410, I really like your kitchen layout. It is similar to what I have drawn and I am happy to hear that it works for you and your family. It gives me hope that mine will work someday too. Okay back to work now. I will try to address the rest later.

Are you under a firm deadline, other than convenience in not living with and in a work site any longer than necessary? Are you OK with setting up a minimalist kitchen function for the duration? (keep and move old fridge to another room, get some hotplates or portable induction cookers - at least one maybe two, MW, biggish toaster oven, rice cooker and washing your dishes in a PR sink - using a counter made of plywood on sawhorses?) Could you get through the holidays with such a set-up? It really depends on your tolerance for camping out in your own house and how frustrating you will find juggling children and tradesman (many of the same management/coping skills apply, but don't try shoving a pacifier at the electrician). Whatever time frame you come up with, imagine how it would be if it took exactly twice as long. Would that throw larger family plans into a tailspin? Because that very well may come to pass. Still, GCing one project, and your own at that where your won't have trouble communicating your ideas because they will all be in your own brain, seems like it is possible. Are your kids and DH the flexible, roll-with-it types? Or does change destabilize them? What does your Mama think? My own Mother GC'd the building of her house when she was in her 60's. I know I spent a lot of time on the phone with her as she vented about the days' progress (or lack thereof). I thought it was great that she did it, but I think if I had had doubts my doubts would have discouraged her and made it harder. Also, get several more bids before you give up. The Official Kitchen Industry is awash in price gouging in some places because it is an emotional purchase, dealing with aspirations, expensive equipment most people only buy occasionally and mysterious systems (water, electricty and drains), etc. Also, try breaking it apart into sequential episodes to see if you can make it work that way. HTH L.