JonGoldman  Judging by your photos, you have enough seedlings in and around the gaps in those step stones to fill in real well by next June. Just keep to your plan. I know its hard to believe at this point but by next June 15th, you will be blown away with your new lawn. Rutgers  In my limited experience with KBG (two years), it will spread the most in June and July. I use a lot of compost. Weak areas, bare spots, dog pee spots repaired by plugging all get extra compost. When I have plugged the center of a bare spot and really need it to fill in from all directions, I use generous amounts of compost and alfalfa pellets. My results are nothing short of spectacular. Last spring, around May 15, 10 inch dinner plate sized dead spots, plugged with 3 inch plugs taken from an inconspicuous area, filled in completely by July 15. This year, my lawn has really shown the benefits of two years mostly organic fertilizing. I firmly believe that coaxing the highest performance from your lawn lies in the soil. You have heard the mantra before. "Feed the soil" Bill Hill

Thanks, worthy, david cary, lzerarc, and chrik327. You're just the folks I was hoping would chime in. First, I know I can't hope to learn it all in 1 day. I just meant that my poor addled brain can only deal with one unfamiliar topic at a time and I'm looking at insulation first. Next, I'm in Head of the Harbor, not on the water, so I'm not expecting a lot of wind. The lot is pretty wooded and there are strict restrictions on tree clearing so there will not be a lot of the bright sunlight which used to keep my old south shore home (Islip) comfy. Worthy, I looked at other posts on GW and your comments address exactly the issues I was worried about -- specifically, that room above the garage. For now, it will be unfinished storage, but I want to eventually finish it off as a bonus room and I want it warm. However, on the issue of the insulation in the garage -- my old house's garage was not insulated, but I had insulated garage doors. My current rental has uninsulated garage doors, and the garage is much colder here, making the adjacent foyer quite cool. However, I don't think this rental is very well built, builder's grade everything, and poor workmanship throughout, so I'm guessing the insulation is bare bones as well. The garage on the new build will face south. Will insulating it have any impact on temperatures in the adjacent rooms? I was also planning to use Clopay's Grand Harbor insulated garage doors with a 6.3 R value. Is the consensus that I shouldn't bother to insulate the garage walls or the garage ceiling other than where it is under living space? The basement and crawlspace. Again, I'm confused. I have 2 existing crawlspaces and an existing basement. I'm adding another crawlspace. Is there a reason I should insist on a concrete slab in all 3 crawlspaces? Next, I don't know what you mean when you say "keep the basement and crawlspace in the conditioned zone." Is the proposal adequate for those areas? Why would I want different R values in the crawl vs. the basement (as proposed)? david carey - we will be using oil fired forced hot air (don't ask for details -- they're in the proposal but that's a whole 'nuther day of research). NG is not available and DH says geothermal is too expensive. We have all our village board approvals but are still waiting for health dept and bldg permits, so can really plan for anything I want right now. Sorry I'm so dense. I know the words are in English. I speak English. Why is this so hard for me to understand? P.S. I am using an architect, but the builder upgraded all his proposed framing and insulation. Guess I need to have a word with him.... Thanks again -- I really appreciate your generous feedback.

Hello again. I have been so wrapped up in trying to find a cabinet maker that I've been slow to respond here. bmorepanic, thank you so much for all the thought you've put into this! I really appreciate it. I have been walking around the house trying to make it work the way you envisioned. I love the thought of opening it the way you've proposed... A few things. So sorry that my drawings are misleading, the access to the eating area is the same in my layout as the current layout, even with the longer island. People will still walk around the H2O and down the island by the glass to the eating. There is no interference in that case with the inside 'business' of the kitchen. I've spend a ton of time there over the last week or so trying to get your design to work because I really like the ide of having that space open. Unfortunately the only thing that's going to work is to keep the kitchen footprint where it is now. The reasons are twofold: first the plumbing issue. Second is the interference with the windows which would mean I would be putting a 36" range and 33" sink on a wall that is not too long, meaning there would be only a few feet of counter space. I was thinking I could use your idea of the range on that wall and the sink where it is now, but that seems awfully far to go from sink to range. So, i need to work within the confines of the current layout. I am just not willing to block the glass wall. I could not extend the island, but I feel like the increased counter space and lower cabinets would be really nice. Any thoughts on that? Interesting that you wrapped the counter around the pillar in the last one, I was thinking of doing that in mine as well. Also was thinking I should move the fridge more towards the windows...but then it would be away from the counter under the bulkhead. Will have to look at that wall more. Thanks so much again, this has been a really interesting few weeks just trying to visualise everything. I will take a better picture from the east side so you can see the end of the H2O and how it interacts with the counter.

kksmama - I am really liking this layout also. I never thought I'd be able to have an island centered on a large range in this kitchen and am thrilled that it might work. I think I agree about the prep sink being on the island. One good thing about my clean up sink now is I can face people at the peninsula when I'm washing and prepping food, and I'd still be able to do that if the prep sink is here. I'm willing to sacrifice some storage space under the island to allow an 18" overhang on 2 sides so I can fit 4 seats there. Prep space and seating are my main priorities for the island. I'll draw it tonight when I have access to my computer. Sena - I love, love the drawing. Thank you! I will definitely consider a narrow oval table for the banquette. I usually prefer rectangle or round tables, but the oval will probably work better here - more table space than round and doesn't have sharp corners to bang into. Great idea! I'm wondering, if I put the prep sink in the island, 1) where do you think the fridge should go on the DR wall - near the doorway or closer to the range, and 2) which direction should the prep sink face - the fridge/pantry or range wall (I'd like 3 stools facing the range if possible so I'm thinking this may affect placement of sink)?