One solution that is often mentioned is to pull the garage away from the house. Would that help balance the front elevation? My only thought is that the garage now looks like more of an addition added later to the main structure. Possibly giving the garage some dimension by pulling it slightly away from the main structure would benefit the overall front elevation (create a hip roof along the same proportions as the one on the far right over the second story).

One solution that is often mentioned is to pull the garage away from the house. Would that help balance the front elevation? My only thought is that the garage now looks like more of an addition added later to the main structure. Possibly giving the garage some dimension by pulling it slightly away from the main structure would benefit the overall front elevation (create a hip roof along the same proportions as the one on the far right over the second story).

Thanks adkbml. If you're talking side to side, I don't have an extra inch of space in terms of my setbacks on the sides. I'm at my absolute limit.

If you're talking front to back, I purposely pulled it forward so it would give me the parking pad in the rear.

I'm not understanding about the hip roof since it is the same proportions?

A draftsman redo averted

Whew. Is the step recessed enough? What if you get out of the car in e driveway and you set your foot down...on the edge of the step protruding? Ouch, and worse.

Honestly, bp at this point I'll take my chances because I don't want to lose more of the closet in the hall. Right now it's 3' wide which is fine for my needs but any smaller wouldn't be. But definitely a point to be aware of.

Reinforce the step and paint it glow-in-the-dark yellow :)

The path/walkway to your front door -- does it have to go around the swale or might you be able to have a footbridge?

I thought the garage had to be a certain distance back from the front of the house? Was that only for a front-loading garage?

Hope you can get everything worked out and back on track soon.

I was going to say that I might switch the door to the powder room to the study hallway, so that I (and friends) wouldn't be seeing the toilet every time I came in that entrance? Your latest version fixes that. Can that small closet in the friend's entryway be made into a small bench, with hooks above? Looking forward to seeing it all happen!

Reinforce the step and paint it glow-in-the-dark yellow :)

I was thinking more like day-glo orange. :)

The path/walkway to your front door -- does it have to go around the swale or might you be able to have a footbridge?

Thanks Oaktown.

I thought the garage had to be a certain distance back from the front of the house? Was that only for a front-loading garage?

That was for a front loading garage. With it front loading, it had to be 15' back from the front of the house and 25' back from the front lot line.

Hope you can get everything worked out and back on track soon.

Thanks. The builder is meeting with the draftsman tomorrow. I spelled things out as best I could so hopefully he gets it correct. LOL. At least the rest of the house has no changes.

I was going to say that I might switch the door to the powder room to the study hallway, so that I (and friends) wouldn't be seeing the toilet every time I came in that entrance? Your latest version fixes that.

Thanks, rmsaustin. Yes I had noticed that after I posted last night too and was planning on fixing it until bp realized I had goofed with the stairs into the friend's entrance.

Can that small closet in the friend's entryway be made into a small bench, with hooks above? Looking forward to seeing it all happen!

I'm thinking I'll just put a small bench on the wall in front of the powder room and put some hooks there. It won't be one of those elegant built in models, but I can live with that.

I debated but realized I really do need a closet for pantry items not in the kitchen. What looks like a pantry in the kitchen is actually DH's coffee/drinks station. He tends to be a bit um, "messy", so I wanted stuff I could just close the doors on.

Not to think too far ahead -- oh, who am I kidding, I can't wait to see the finished pictures in 13 weeks (lol) -- but: where will the mailbox go? On the house, at the kerb, or at a central community box? Really,I'm feeling lonely for the front porch :) and hope you can put a mailbox there.

Wouldn't it be nice if the foyer backed up to the garage? (Sorry, can't help it, I'm a front door kind of person.) But I suppose you'd like to get building at some point ;-).

Good luck!

Not to think too far ahead -- oh, who am I kidding, I can't wait to see the finished pictures in 13 weeks (lol) -- but: where will the mailbox go? On the house, at the kerb, or at a central community box? Really,I'm feeling lonely for the front porch :) and hope you can put a mailbox there.

Sorry to disappoint you, but in 13 weeks (or more, LOL) you'll see the mailbox at the curb. And we're going to try and petition it for near the driveway even though our address is D Lane and the driveway is on B Street.

Wouldn't it be nice if the foyer backed up to the garage? (Sorry, can't help it, I'm a front door kind of person.) But I suppose you'd like to get building at some point ;-).

Good luck!

Yes it would, but for me, it was more important to have the kitchen right near the garage. This is because DH and I are getting up there in years so everything we're doing with the house is with that in mind. Yes I know we have steps but we're also in a 100 Year Flood Zone and the steps put us above that level. Thankfully we are high enough to only need the couple of steps. :)

Here is the east side elevation. The only thing I'm not too sure about is how the roof line will play out. (It's not my forte trying to figure those complicated things out.)

And we're going to try and petition it for near the driveway even though our address is D Lane and the driveway is on B Street

Then be sure to put the address on the box as "13 D Lane"'and include house numbers by the front door. One of the perils of corner homes :) I have a dear friend, I'm at her corner house all the time, but I never mail her anything so I can't remember if she's on Tree St or Park Ln.

I'm such a pest. Or a stalker, not sure. But anyway: can the powder room door move to the left hand wall, in front of the toilet, and hinge on the left side? Here's why: if the door is ajar, it's a nicer to look at the sink than the toilet (and that's a good excuse to have an artisan sink!) and, I'd rather stand in front of the sink than the toilet to close the door.

If the door swings out or is a pocket door, it's more accessible for someone with a walker -- who came in the front door because they might not be able to handle the friends entry.

Ya know, I like the friends entry, when you have a pool party someone can walk in that door and right out to the patio, nice. Question: if you walk up two steps to the house, is the patio at house level? Or do you step down to it?

why is the Garage-to-house door a self-closer?

Then be sure to put the address on the box as "13 D Lane"'and include house numbers by the front door. One of the perils of corner homes :) I have a dear friend, I'm at her corner house all the time, but I never mail her anything so I can't remember if she's on Tree St or Park Ln.

I've only lived on corners with the exception of my first house, so am well aware of the positives and the negatives. I will be sure to have big numbers that are easy to read. :)

I'm such a pest. Or a stalker, not sure.

Oh, my first stalker. LOL. And you're not a pest. You saved me from my draftsman!

But anyway: can the powder room door move to the left hand wall, in front of the toilet, and hinge on the left side? Here's why: if the door is ajar, it's a nicer to look at the sink than the toilet (and that's a good excuse to have an artisan sink!) and, I'd rather stand in front of the sink than the toilet to close the door.

Nope. Not enough room really to maneuver around the toilet. The room is 5' deep and the toilet is approximately 28". My doors are 32" so the door would be almost scraping the edge of the toilet.

If the door swings out or is a pocket door, it's more accessible for someone with a walker -- who came in the front door because they might not be able to handle the friends entry.

Don't want a pocket door since it will be a much used space and actually the friend's entry will probably be easier to maneuver into and out of. We are planning on also getting a removable ramp for now since we have a dear friend in a wheelchair.

Ya know, I like the friends entry, when you have a pool party someone can walk in that door and right out to the patio, nice. Question: if you walk up two steps to the house, is the patio at house level? Or do you step down to it?

The patio is at house level.

why is the Garage-to-house door a self-closer?

It's considered a protection against fire and while poorly written is considered code:

Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a selfclosing device.

The east elevation looks good, and in my opinion, the most recent plan is the best yet. It makes so much more visual sense to me than previous iterations did, with the garage now being tucked away (and that's not a usual thing for me, because I'm in Canada and I think houses without garages/trying to hide garages look strange. Yes I know this makes me weird compared to most posters here).

I especially like how the "private area" of the master suite is much more removed from the main areas guests will be in (given the assumption that the foyer will now be little used in favour of the friend's entrance).

I would be tempted to put more emphasis on the "friends' entrance" since that will be your main entry -- in effect you have a forecourt garage house with a porch on the other side. On the other hand, I might not want the powers-that-be to get that impression if they are difficult. What you are planning would pass pretty routinely in our location, but in a nearby town you'd have to cross your fingers that the ARB folks were in a good mood . . .

The east elevation looks good, and in my opinion, the most recent plan is the best yet. It makes so much more visual sense to me than previous iterations did, with the garage now being tucked away (and that's not a usual thing for me, because I'm in Canada and I think houses without garages/trying to hide garages look strange. Yes I know this makes me weird compared to most posters here).

Thanks paraveina. I don't mind a garage if it's set back a bit from the front of the house and doesn't take up 1/2 or more of the front view. So I was ok with it before.

You're right that with the door, it does make more visual sense.

I especially like how the "private area" of the master suite is much more removed from the main areas guests will be in (given the assumption that the foyer will now be little used in favour of the friend's entrance).

This is the best place for the master compared to all the other versions. In earlier versions it was actually on D Lane. I'm thrilled that now it's in our backyard area so hopefully a lot more quiet.

I would be tempted to put more emphasis on the "friends' entrance" since that will be your main entry -- in effect you have a forecourt garage house with a porch on the other side.

Thanks Oaktown. My front entrance will become a nice spot for sitting out on a nice night (which is most nights in the fall-spring season) watching the world go by. That's one of the things I like about this neighborhood. People actually do sit out on their front porches.

On the other hand, I might not want the powers-that-be to get that impression if they are difficult. What you are planning would pass pretty routinely in our location, but in a nearby town you'd have to cross your fingers that the ARB folks were in a good mood . . .

And I agree about not provoking the powers that be. They've shot me down too many times already. The only saving grace is each time they shot me down, we've come back with a better plan. Of course part of that is the fact we now own an additional 3000 sq feet of land that is costing us a bundle more. LOL.

Since the garage is now on the back, you could switch to one big door instead of two smaller doors. Set the opening so there is more wall space on the house side(toward the east side of house). You could then house garbage cans in that corner. It shifts any cars coming in a foot or so further away from the house and that one step. That would give you space for a planter on either side of the friends entrance. One under the powder room window and one to the right of the step. Doesn't have to be big, but visually will cause people to park just a smidge further away from the house.

I'd also do 2 sets of windows on the front of the garage. You have plenty of wall space in there for storage, but a bit more light would be good. Any future car enthusiasts who like to work on or detail their cars in the garage will love any daylight you can get.

Since the garage is now on the back, you could switch to one big door instead of two smaller doors. Set the opening so there is more wall space on the house side(toward the east side of house).

Thank you Annette.

The reason we are staying with two garage doors vs one is if one garage door malfunctions, then we'd have to manually lift an 18' wide garage door. Being we are both in our 60's that may turn out to be more difficult as we age.

If one of the two garage doors malfunctions, we'd still be able to get out easily using the other garage door, and it wouldn't be quite a struggle to lift a single 9' wide door vs the 18' door. This is an aging in place issue.

You could then house garbage cans in that corner. It shifts any cars coming in a foot or so further away from the house and that one step.

By the house side of the garage, I have 4' of space by the stairs which will house the garbage cans and near the sink that space widens to 6' of width. I think for our purposes that will be more than enough space.

That would give you space for a planter on either side of the friends entrance. One under the powder room window and one to the right of the step. Doesn't have to be big, but visually will cause people to park just a smidge further away from the house.

We will have 1' of clear space from the door of the garage and also the garage doors are 9' wide each, not the standard 8' wide door.

I'd also do 2 sets of windows on the front of the garage. You have plenty of wall space in there for storage, but a bit more light would be good. Any future car enthusiasts who like to work on or detail their cars in the garage will love any daylight you can get.

I have three windows in the front of the garage and two on the side. I think that should be more than enough light in the garage. Honestly, I'm not going to spend more money on extra windows so that someday in the distant future after we're long gone, some car enthusiast can have more light. :) We're building this house for us for now.

You have the self-closing safety door when the inspector comes through. After that...maybe not. (Same with other stuff that is *required*.)

LOL chisue. I do like the way you think. :)

My cousins live in Switzerland. They are required to have a "safe place" and supplies for 3 months. You get inspected for it from time to time, but you know about the inspection in advance because there is a little side industry in renting the required supplies to you.

I'm not happy with the garage. The back-up space looks too tight, and I don't like the driveway so close to the side of the house. Will it be cement? (Reflecting heat?) Can the garage move forward or back on the plan? (Experiment with your car -- pulling back and turning to exit. This has the potential to bug you *every time* you use the garage.)

Can you move the garage off the house -- an oversized 1-Car with covered walkway to the house? You could re-expand the 'study' wing.

bp, a safe place for???

I'm not happy with the garage. The back-up space looks too tight, and I don't like the driveway so close to the side of the house.

The driveway to the back lot line is approximately 42'. There is 15 behind the study to the lot line.

Will it be cement? (Reflecting heat?)

No, it will be pavers.

Can the garage move forward or back on the plan? (Experiment with your car -- pulling back and turning to exit. This has the potential to bug you *every time* you use the garage.)

It would be no different than pulling out of a parking space in a parking lot. The standard between rows in a parking lot is between 24'-26'.

Yes of course I can move it forward or back. However if I move it forward more, then I lose my window at my prep sink. If I move it back I lose more maneuvering distance to back out. Plus I then have a huge and wasted front lawn with no parking for guests.

Can you move the garage off the house -- an oversized 1-Car with covered walkway to the house? You could re-expand the 'study' wing.

I could only move it "off the house at the back of the house. from side to side I am completely at my setback.

Plus, one of the factors driving our desire for more land (pun intended) was to be able to have a two car garage.

And unless I want to wait another 6 months, pay thousands of dollars to go before the board for a variance I will not get, I cannot move the curb cutout.

>>>It would be no different than pulling out of a parking space in a parking lot. The standard between rows in a parking lot is between 24'-26'. . . . If I move it back I lose more maneuvering distance to back out. Plus I then have a huge and wasted front lawn with no parking for guests.<<<

The guest parking is nice. But, this is different than pulling out of a parking space, because of the curb cut location. It would be more like a parking space if the curb cut were closer to the garage doors, (a "T") so you could reverse out of the garage and pull forward to turn out of the driveway as virgilcarter suggested. Instead, you have an "L", so even with the space behind the garage, it still is likely to be inconvenient to park in the stall closest to the house. I think the far stall is fine, but I think I would prefer parking behind the study over parking in the near stall. I drive a minivan though, small car might not be so bad.

Agreed Oaktown. We have one larger SUV and a small SUV.

My DH has already said he'd prefer parking in the driveway most of the time and that the only time he's thinking of parking in the garage is when it's too hot or it's raining. That was his beef with all the other versions of the house. He felt that the only way for him to get into the house was to open the garage and walk through there, or to walk across the front of the house to the front door. That's why he likes this version the best.

Parking in the stall closer to the house would work well if the car is backed into the driveway and then the garage. No need to turn around to leave then.

So while I still don't have the plans and won't until Monday, after doing lots of thinking about all the great advice here, I did a quick rework of the friend's entry to send to my builder. He wasn't too happy but apparently he and the draftsman did integrate the new ideas into the plan.

I widened the hallway, which eliminated one of the dining room sliders. So instead of the sliding door in the living room being 3 wide, it will now be 2 wide. The width from the friend's door to the door to the backyard will be 6'.

Doing this allowed me to move the stairs more "into" the house so that they are no longer an issue with them sticking out to run over.

I was also able to push the stairs inside the garage "into" the house a bit more too which gives more room walking around the car that is parked closer to the stairs.

This also allowed me to get my bench back. The bench is 3' wide. Just wide enough for someone to sit down, put on their shoes, etc.

The closet by the powder room is approximately 21" x 21". I will probably make it a pull out cabinet so I can get the most from it.

But what DH is most happy about is now the study is about 6" wider. And he still has a closet.

And I even pushed the buffet a bit more into the room

I like the latest changes. I like the bigger landing for the stairs in the garage. I like the friends entrance steps that are in line with the house and the straight shot from that entrance to the back yard. The wider hallway will be more welcoming for your guests since that is where everyone will come in. This friends entrance makes the master suite very private now.

THe only wish I have is for the front porch entry to be on the right side connecting it the the road with a short sidewalk. It seems the city is severely limiting construction with a no go on a driveway cutout at the corner and the swale all across the rest of the front of the house. What will the person on the right of you do? Fly their car over the swale?

I advocate (one last time) for a full bath near the study and a pocket door wall so a guest that needs the first floor can have some privacy and pool users might use as well.

What about an outdoor shower? Is there any space? Just an idea....you know, to rinse off, before you jump in the pool : )

Of course, I would probably use it to water my larger plants....LOL

Cp...what program do you use to do this? And is there a big learning curve?

i love that you (as the homeowner) are able to make changes to your plan and see the changes immediately. Wish I knew how to do this.

lookin' good.

I like the latest changes. I like the bigger landing for the stairs in the garage.I like the friends entrance steps that are in line with the house and the straight shot from that entrance to the back yard.

Thanks hendricks.

The wider hallway will be more welcoming for your guests since that is where everyone will come in. This friends entrance makes the master suite very private now.

Yes it does. Between changing the master suite so all the rooms don't open onto the one hallway and the fact most folks will use the friend's entry, we will have lots of privacy.

THe only wish I have is for the front porch entry to be on the right side connecting it the the road with a short sidewalk. It seems the city is severely limiting construction with a no go on a driveway cutout at the corner and the swale all across the rest of the front of the house. What will the person on the right of you do? Fly their car over the swale?

I would love for the front porch to have a connection too but it's not to be. I still think the house will be quite workable though.

The person who buys the lot to the right of us will have their driveway on the other side of the swale. It's a series of swales with driveway cutouts in between.

I advocate (one last time) for a full bath near the study and a pocket door wall so a guest that needs the first floor can have some privacy and pool users might use as well.

Thanks nightowl. Honestly, I don't see any reason why a guest would need the first floor to have a full bath. Any guest staying with us can use the upstairs full bath, including anyone who can't maneuver stairs. It's why we put in the elevator.

As for pool users, I've never gone to someone's house and used their pool and then showered in their bathroom when finished.

What about an outdoor shower? Is there any space? Just an idea....you know, to rinse off, before you jump in the pool : )

Actually we haven't ruled that out yet but will have to see where we are when we get the updated pricing.

Cp...what program do you use to do this? And is there a big learning curve?

i love that you (as the homeowner) are able to make changes to your plan and see the changes immediately. Wish I knew how to do this.

lookin' good.

Thanks ILoveRed.

Basically all I did was cut and paste what my draftsman gave me, so probably could be done in any program that allows cut and paste. However I have been doing it in Photoshop which does have a very steep learning curve. :)

Nothing to add other than I think the latest version is a keeper.

So oddly I had a deja vu kind of moment looking at it. In my other life( before I owned my own business and actually had days off) I used to love to tour homes. Being from Atlanta I saw a zillion Southern living homes and who remembers The Street of Dreams? Anyway one of the homes had a set up like you now have in that there was an entrance along a porch that led to a guest suite. I can still picture it and loved the wide hallway. You could tell it would absolutely be the way close friends would come in. The designers had hung a huge piece of local folk art as I recall.

I know it's not relevant to this process, but I would love to see you do a really interesting flooring to make it really feel special since there isn't a lot of wall space. Something water resistant. We did brick in our room that led to the pool area, sturdy and slip resistant as well. 20 years later and I still get compliments.

I know it's not relevant to this process, but I would love to see you do a really interesting flooring to make it really feel special since there isn't a lot of wall space. Something water resistant. We did brick in our room that led to the pool area, sturdy and slip resistant as well. 20 years later and I still get compliments.

Shows the great minds thing again. LOL. Here's what I was planning for the whole back hallway including the bathroom. I'm also planning on doing a "rug" of this tile in the foyer. Not this one specifically, but this idea in my colors.

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That is stunning! Now I'm totally envious, in a good way

Fixated on the Garage. Whether you drive in or back in, the 'near' garage stall is tight. If your DH isn't going to use the second stall...why build one? Where will he park? Are the East windows in the Study high on the wall?

hat is stunning! Now I'm totally envious, in a good way

Thank you. I think it will be a nice accent for that space.

Fixated on the Garage. Whether you drive in or back in, the 'near' garage stall is tight.

Thanks chisue. I'm glad you are because it does help. :)

I do agree it might be a bit tight. I am waiting on the actual plans from the draftsman to see how he reworked it since I know he always changes things from what I give him. LOL.

If your DH isn't going to use the second stall...why build one? Where will he park?

We will be a two car family and both cars will be staying here over the summer when we're back in NY. That is one of the big reasons we wanted a two car garage. Also if it's raining, DH will park in the garage. My car is the big one. His is smaller.

As to where he'll park, the driveway will be wide enough to have several cars in it.

Are the East windows in the Study high on the wall?

Absolutely. They will be like the three high windows over my bed in my bedroom. DH is planning on putting the TV on the wall below the windows.

I was concerned the Study would have 'Parked Car' as its view! I encourage you to do some real life backing up only inches from a long wall, then turning the car to drive out through where the curb cut will be. It's one of those *every day* things that can make you crazy.

I was concerned the Study would have 'Parked Car' as its view!

LOL. No. That wall was always intended as the TV wall with the windows on the walls to the backyard.

I encourage you to do some real life backing up only inches from a long wall, then turning the car to drive out through where the curb cut will be. It's one of those *every day* things that can make you crazy.

Thankfully the new car will have a good backup camera. Seriously though, there will be room for 6 cars in the driveway

In most posts people comment on "visualize walking through the house", I would commend you that your planned designs are down to "visualize pulling in and out of the driveway". That means the rest of the design is exactly where you want it to be.

:)

Thanks adkbml. Flow was one of the things that was so important for us in building our house.

Got the final plans back from the draftsman last night. At first he decided to make the front window in the garage the same length as the living room windows, which would have had them starting in the stone. I didn't send him a picture of them with them longer. I didn't ask him to make them longer. He just decided to do it on his own.

So next go round, after I said I wanted it to be the same size as the windows on the left elevation, he gave me the windows on the left elevation, but switched from a triple window in front, to a double. FYI: This is what I've been dealing with regarding the draftsman for the past year.

Anyway, it's all corrected now and these are the final drawings going to permitting once the truss plan comes back from the engineer.

Cpart- A small detail, but the upper cabinets should be adjusted for the new window in the kitchen.

Although, in the interests of saving money, it might be worthwhile to consider moving the garage forward and losing the extra window in the kitchen....if it makes the rooflines easier to build. Just an idea : )

Thanks, LL. The kitchen window is where the backsplash would be, so no need to change the cabinets. This is how it will look. The cabinets with green will be glass cabinets. The wall to the right is where my buffet will go.

At this point, it's gone to the engineer and there are no more changes structurally. :) And it wouldn't actually make the roofline any harder or easier in this case.

Looking great! Fingers crossed that everything gets approved on any level needed, and you can Go Ahead!

So, too late for any other changes? I thought this might make the roof lines a little easier. Not so many changes in elevation....but difficult to tell from these drawings. Front would be lined up, except for bump outs of porch and kitchen space. Back would have two...gables?

Thank you artemis. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Yes too late now, LL. I gave the go-ahead. Also that wouldn't change the roof line much. Almost exactly the same.

OH and I just noticed my draftsman made another change. In the upper kitchen cabinets.

I did make one final change as noted in another thread. We are changing the front porch to this: