OK - So here are some photos, if these help. The first photo shows the drive-up view from the street at ground level, so not much roof showing. Really, not much roof showing from the street at all from any angle. The second photo shows the view from down the street looking back towards the house. The third photo is a 'head on' from our across the street neighbor's front door. The planned addition will be on the right side there, replacing the brick wall and brick garage with a structure similar to the one on the left in the same stone, but with more glass in the center. The right side is is where the roof pitch might be different, changing from 4:12 to 6:12. Between the two stone sections, the center area will be mainly glass and will have the front entry. And the fourth shot is a rendering of the proposed plan. The roofline in the rendering is shown at approximately 6:12 on the right, 4:12 on the left.

Katieebs: A good design solves ALL design constraints so there's no having to choose between, for example, the plan and the exterior design as you are doing. Both would be accommodated. In lieu of copy and pasting the thing let me just point you here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3178541/question-for-architectrunnerguy-or-others?n=24 Look at my post 11 posts down, not the one at the top with the colored drawing. Read the part about internet plans (spoiler: Very helpful) and the part about bags of $100 bills on the table. Sometimes I think I take the owners hard earned money more seriously than they do! I only point you there because since posting it, I've gotten some private notes, none of which I'll be doing the designing because they aren't local but all of which are looking to spend some six figure number of their hard earned money the best way possible in an endeavor in which there are no "do overs". Especially when that huge amount is weighed against the fee for a morning of conceptual design work by a creative thinker. So there has to be some interest there and may be you might too in getting someone creative that's local to look at improving the design. But good luck! EDIT: My crude red box was meant to illustrate a diagramitic concept (moving house FORWARD of garage), not moving those exact spaces IN the box forward while leaving the kitchen where it is. Sorry, that's me thinking conceptually!! No, the kitchen would relate to ALL other spaces the owner wishes. That's what separates great design from average design, both of which cost the same.

I've had both hips replaced. A neighbor has had both hips and both knees replaced. My surgeon said I should have had mine done 20 years ago and I wish I would have been able to but no way could that have happened. Knee replacement and hip replacement are very different. The knee moves differently so in theory, the knee is worse. Talking to people who've had it done, it really depends a lot on the person. Both are MAJOR surgeries. The issue with the hip is the implant ball is much smaller than the body's natural ball. Hence they put a "filler" liner in there to take up the space. One warning made several times to me is that a hip can dislocate much more easily than the body's natural ball. As you heal, the muscles and other stuff will settle back in and help protect it. Ask your doctor about riding the horse, I'd assume it should be no problem but if you get thrown, it'll likely be far more risky than for someone who has not had replacements. Best advice I can give is the advice I was given from a good friend who had her knee done - do the exercises they suggest before surgery. It'll make things a lot smoother. And it does. I was in therapy for my back and the therapy was most of the exercises they recommended so I did a crash course and pushed myself hard. Everyone was amazed how well I did. I wasn't expected to do well after the surgery but I surprised all of them. For me, I was well prepared for the surgeries. My surgeon was fantastic and his MA was also amazing. Was there pain? You bet. A lot? Yeah but that's relative. For some it would be excruciating. For me it wasn't simply because I've had such incredible pain for the last 25 years I've effectively become numb to a lot of the pain. My GF needs both knees replaced and she's scared to death to do it and keeps putting it off. But that's another story. I was given the choice on having a spinal or general anesthesia. No brainer for me, I took general even though some claim the spinal lasts longer. There's problems with spinal in that it doesn't always work for one thing. They've had people where it quit in the middle of surgery so they had to use general. With mine, since mine were so bad, what was normally expected to be 2 - 2.5 hours took 6.5 hours the first time and 8.5 hours the second time around. No way would a spinal have lasted that long! But I was given the choice. And there's of course risks with any anesthesia to consider too. The doctor(s), therapists, nurses, etc were all amazed with my recovery, how well I did so soon. However a walker was ordered for a period of time immediately following surgery more for safety than necessity. With a hip replacement you're basically learning to walk again. Not a big deal but it's a bit different for a bit. Most adjust quickly. Good luck. And you're wise to go with a surgeon you trust. Makes a big difference. Plus they know you and I think that's a big advantage.

Given your height limit, I don't think there is a better option than a gambrel roof so don't throw the baby out with the bath water. It is quite possible to shorten the "dormer" elements as shown in my sketch since that only removes a dozen square feet of floor space at the second floor of the house which is a small price to pay to keep your current design scheme. Filling in the hollowed-out" gambrel gables and using shingles, narrow rake trim and no corner boards will give the house the appearance of the Shingle Style which IMO will make this a spectacular house. There is an easier solution for the two roof slopes: make them the same. If you think that would change the appearance of the side elevations, please show us those drawings and also show us a section drawing through the house with the roof slopes well labeled (I can't read any of the notes or dimensions on the drawings). I don't want to offend you but to me the skill level of your designer is below what I would expect from an architect. I don't care who you use but if he/she is not architect please don't use that title.