Thankyou llucy, for your response. I understand that it is going to be more expensive to remodel and add on. We really have great location and great property. So that is why we are considering it as an option rather than starting from scratch. I also know that there will be many things that I wish I could have done that just wont be able to be done unless we tear down or move the house and start over. So I know I wont be completely happy with the makeover and I think thats a huge reason why I can't justify the cost. I could start fresh on a great piece of property and get much more of what I want for probably the same price we will have in this home that is pieced together in a fashion that is less than ideal. But my husband is adamant about adding on here and forgetting the other option. We have been looking at homes for sale in the area for the last three years and nothing has jumped out at us saying, "buy me, buy me". I will cross post and see if people in other groups have ideas. I really want the mudroom to be close to the kitchen yet, also close to the bedrooms so its easy to transport laundry and Id like for it to come off the garage. The reason why it is so big, is because it is going to be our "family" room. Everything from my home office, to laundry, to homework to our potting room for the winter will be held inside this area. I feel like its best to nix the existing bathroom and just relocate it if possible. What I didnt mention is that we would get a two car garage rather than a one car garage with this addition. But I think that is pretty cheap square footage, so cutting that out wont make a big difference in the long run. Thanks again!

to me that LO / drawing is a hot mess. that architect needs fired.

I can't tell what the new to be ext wall boundaries will be. I thought maybe the thicker grey lines, but then it looks like you'll be building some partial walls (not totally enclosed).

where was the kit originally? in the DR?

what are the 'dash' lines on the left side of the LR and DR? walls of windows? sliding doors? Is there a front wall on the LR? wall between mudroom / bedroom and garage?

maybe the 'dash' lines = ext walls of house?

Welcome Danielle,

I am kind of with Steph in having a hard time understanding the new plan. I do not understand the bedroom addition. I guess you have more bedrooms upstairs. With the Laundry.

Just throwing this out there to you as a thought. We built a small 800 SQ FT log house and the one bathroom had the laundry in it. About half the bathroom was the laundry. We built large overhead storage because the ceiling was vaulted and made it to some day enclose with doors. I decided after living there a couple years I did not want it enclosed. We ended up putting pretty cabinets above washer and dryer and I forget what I did to hide the water heater. He might have built a partial wall. I completely forget now. I know it sounds weird having a laundry room in your master bath but it was very efficient for me. Was just us no kids though.

I do not see much advantage in what the guy drew up for you and for 175K YIKES I am sure some one will come along with better ideas.

PS I do love a big mudroom. I do not like the way our laundry room is here. Too noisy when hubby is watching TV . Another thought for laundry placement.

Hi Danielle,

Welcome! I'm glad you found us!

First, I'm a fellow minimalist. :-) I recently (last January) bought an old 930 sq. ft. manufactured home, where I live with my 30 year old daughter. We are refurbishing/remodeling it from the ground up. This is the fifth house I've owned, but the first one by myself, after I got divorced in 1998. My daughter Joy and I are in the process of becoming certified organizers and we're writing a book, "Minimalism and the art of the lovely home."

So it is in that spirit that I say I think you will want some more room as the children grow up. It doesn't have to be another 800 sq ft, in my opinion, especially if you're practicing minimalism.

As a child with three siblings and later a mom & wife with three children born pretty close together, I suggest you may really want a second bathroom sooner or later. What works when the children are young may not work as well when they hit the tweens. That doesn't mean you have to do it right now, but if you're going to remodel anyway, it would be cheaper to do it at the same time, rather than do two (or more) separate remodels.

I'm not clear on how many bedrooms you have now or where they are located. Does your house have a full basement? If so, are you counting that as part of the 990 sq ft, and how is it being used?

I completely see how the remodel the architect is proposing would cost $175,000. Where are you located?

The plan has some seriously expensive components. Moving the staircase is a biggie. Moving the washer/dryer is expensive because of the plumbing, and the bathroom addition can be expensive, depending upon where it is located.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the architect, builder, and/or GC (general contractor) rarely brings a remodel in under budget. This isn't because they are bad people. It's because once they open up the walls, plumbing, and electrical panel, they must bring it all up to code. It's the law, and it will be inspected. You should have a reserve of at least 20% over the estimated cost of the project.

But--I'm not just being negative! I think you can have the things you want at a far lesser cost! As llucy, Desertsteph, and Shades have indicated, the plan leaves something to be desired. I think you would find the proposed layout very frustrating in all the ways you indicated.

If it were me, I'd send the architect back to the drawing board. Tell her/him the stairs can't be moved, the mudroom/laundry/family room needs to be next to the kitchen, and the master en suite doesn't have to be that big. A bedroom is not, or should not, be expensive to add on.

Do you really need the mudroom to be a family room too? A small, simple laundry room would be less expensive, and you already have (I think) a living room and a dining room. Dining rooms are often underutilized . Could it possibly double as your home office?

Just keep in mind that when you move plumbing or electricity, or when you move or remove a load bearing wall or major structure (like stairs), it gets expensive fast. Try to have your bathrooms share a wall, remembering that ceilings and floors count as walls. That would cut the cost.

I second llucy' suggestion to X post to the kitchen forum. They can be bossy, but they are mostly well-meaning, and several of them devote a great deal of time to helping people with their floor plans. They are really good at it! Several are actually professional designers and others could be.

Also, check in with the plumbing folks. They will tell you the most cost-effective way to relocate the laundry. There are some really great people on the bathroom forum too.

Remember--YOU (and your DH) are the boss, not the architect! You tell her or him what the budget is and make them do their job and come up with a plan that works for you!

Good luck! Please let us know how it turns out! :-)

Sincerely,

Debbie

Hi Danielle, random follow up question: are you and/or your hubby DIY-ers? Or willing to learn? You can save a LOT of money--the more you can DIY, the more you can save. Just two words of caution: first, GCs have various views on this. Some are happy for the homeowners to jump in and help, especially with the grunt jobs. Some are even willing to show you a new skill and then let you DIY even more. Other GCs wish you would go on a cruise and not return until they're done, lol. Many don't mind you checking in once in a while, but no way will they entrust you with any task, not even emptying the trash. Know which kind your GC is. Which brings me to point two. A big reason for not wanting help on the project is that the GC's name is on the bottom line, literally. She or he don't want their name on something not up to their standard. They don't want to look bad in front of the building inspector or potential new customers. These are legitimate concerns. So if you volunteer to save yourself some money by DIYing some of the work, be up to the task and do it as well as the GC would.

I have arthritis and can't do nearly as much as I used to, or would like to. My renovation cost will double because of this. I don't begrudge the workers who will be here--they are doing hard work and deserve to be fairly compensated. But, like everyone else, I'm on a budget, and if I could do more DIY I could afford to do some things I'd like, but due to life circumstances, probably won't be able to.

Anyway, just a thought! :-)

I would also like to see a diagram of the layout you have now. If you do decide to post on the Kitchens forum they will want to know the dimensions, where the windows and doors are, the directions (north, south, etc), and any views (scenic, not so scenic) to better be able to help you with your design.

A couple years ago on GW I did see where someone did a combination mud/all purpose room. They had storage on the wall for coats/ boots/ hats and the like and a table and chairs in the middle. The room served as not only as the family and friends entrance, but also a playroom/craft/reading room for the kids. The kitchen was adjacent so a parent could easily supervise and provide snacks.

Why is there a shower in your proposed mudroom? I think this would be terribly awkward for anyone.

Since you have the land and a healthy budget, I think you could do a comfortable master + bathroom - the plan you are showing just isn't it.

I think the plan needs some re-working. For instance, you have to go thru the mudroom to get to the all purpose room/garage.

Since it appears you are adding on a kitchen to the back, would it be feasible to add the family room across the back open to the kitchen and reconfigure the original portion of the house?