Have you watched The Big Texas Fix? They come up with some really good ideas on some really old, beat up homes. I think the couple is in Galveston.

I haven't seen the show, but I follow them on Instagram. They are inspiring! I am in Galveston every now and then and often wonder which houses they've re-done--it would be fun to walk by and admire their work.

Please post a photo of your house. A few questions.... do you have an attic into which you might expand? What are the restrictions on your lot regarding side easements, etc.? In what condition is your garage? Would you be permitted to expand it, creating a lift/office space there? Or convert it (legally? )to a living space? One note about both plans. An 8’ 6” wide bedroom is narrow. Why not bring the hall off the (left) corner of the kitchen? Straight back. No need to compromise the size of that bedroom at all.

Great questions! The attic clearance is too low to convert, maybe 7' at the peak. However, we might be able to use it for storage, helping us get by with less closet space.

The setbacks are the dotted lines on the first drawing I posted, labeled "existing." The house and the garage are both over the setback lines but grandfathered in. I have to stay 5' from the side of the property, but the eaves on the house are 2' deep, so I think that means the walls of the house have to be 7' from the property line (unless eaves don't count!)

The garage has a gravel floor and is leaning a little bit to one side. Lol. We do plan to fix it up some down the road, but it's a long way from livable.

I considered having access to the addition through the kitchen. However, my thought was that the master bedroom would feel less private and less quiet if accessed through the kitchen. Also, the traffic pattern in the kitchen is already pretty tight, so having to maneuver around the table, etc to get to the back of the house would be less than ideal.

Option C, which is almost certainly out of our budget, but I like how you enter the master suite through a "vestibule" of sorts. Sorry for the bad photo. :)

With such tight dimensions, I'd combine the tub/shower, and try to eliminate the hallway, which is using valuable space. I would at least ask your builder about feasibility of adding a partial second floor with dormers to provide needed height.

I kind of hate to combine the tub and shower...I like a deep tub for soaking, but my husband is unwilling to step in and out of a deep tub for showers. I suppose I could give up the separate toilet room and rotate the toilet and sink so they are along the wall parallel to the tub. That would enable me to extend the washer/dryer closet or put a coat closet there. I hate to give up the toilet closet either though...I wonder which is more important for resale? separate tub and shower, or separate toilet?

We can't add a second floor over the existing structure without extensive structural retrofitting (and tearing off our practically new roof). We could, however, add a second floor just over the addition. I've played around with that idea in floor plans, but the stairs take up so much room and it's hard to figure out where to put them.

Can you sketch in your appliances and cabinet runs in the kitchen? Those are pretty permanent, so helps understand the layout better.

I added in the kitchen appliances and counters. We actually plan to completely rework the kitchen once the addition is built and the washer and dryer are out of the kitchen. I have a pretty efficient work triangle right now, but the fridge and table and back door are all in each other's way, and the stove needs to be moved against an outer wall to allow proper venting (it's currently against a half wall which is open to the living room).

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If you haven't already, I'd read the forums 'building a home' and 'remodeling'. Postings similar to your's nearly always receive similar (harsh) advice: hire an architect. Especially when you add in the kitchen remodel, there are opportunities that may not have been considered. It's very difficult for you to list all the information and constraints that inform a design, but an architect needs to see the whole picture. This is especially true with adding onto a charming historical home in a nice neighborhood. I and others may continue to make suggestions, but really, the best suggestion is to talk to an architect.

To be honest, I have had a hard time finding professionals (real estate agents, contractors, etc) willing to bother with a small project when there are bigger and more lucrative projects to be had. I can try to find an architect willing to work with me, but I would have preferred to figure it out on my own.

I have been reading houzz forums extensively for years. :)

On those build/remodel forums, a number of posters have been happy with remote work done by architectrunnerguy - you might read through those to see if it might be a good fit.

architect

Yes, I have looked into the zoning regulations, and talked to a local builder. The only think we have to worry about are the setbacks. There are no lot coverage/open space requirements, nor does it matter how close the house is to the garage (that one surprised me).

Your master closet in the new plan that is 5’6” x 6’ is not big enough to have two rows of hanging clothes. You could only put a rod on one wall. Two adjoining walls would be useless, since the corner in an L-shaped closet can only be used on one side. So, you can have a 6’ rod on one side, but if you have a rod on the wall of the adjoining wall, it takes up 2’ for the clothes on the 6’ run and 2’ for room to reach those clothes. ,A reach-in closet is better when you have tight spaces.

It's 5'6 deep and 6 wide, so I thought I would have 2 feet on either side for rods, and a 2 foot aisle in the middle for access. Is that not sufficient? I read an article somewhere that said 7 feet is ideal, but 6 will do in a pinch.

What kind of attic space do you have? Could you "build up" by adding a pair of large/wide dormers for girls/boys bedrooms and a powder room upstairs and turn the second downstairs bedroom (back bedroom beside kitchen) into your laundry and closet space?

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=wide+dormer+in+roof&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiRr4Lwm8vpAhV2mXIEHaHIB1wQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1366&bih=654

Well, if we built up, the staircase would have to go somewhere. But anyway, the attic is only about 7' tall at its peak, and the ceiling joists aren't sized properly to carry live loads. It's too bad, because building up would preserve our limited yard space.

We did actually consider (briefly) jacking the entire house up and adding a level beneath, but concluded it would be too expensive and disruptive.

2 feet in the middle of the closet is a tight squeeze. A reach in with double rod hanging can be more efficient and hold more.

13x13 is a nice size for a master bedroom. The bedroom in my former home was that size and I found it to be very comfortable. I would suggest that you separate the windows on the wall opposite the door to make a natural place for the bed to sit. Otherwise, you'll end up putting the bed in front of the windows, which isn't ideal. In the 2nd bedroom, I would suggest putting the closet to the right of the door on the south wall. Then add a second window on the north wall, separate from each other for the bed. Feng shui says you get the best sleep if your head is opposite the door and your bed is against a solid wall.

Teardown and rebuild is almost always less expensive than pretending that rooms in an existing structure can be Legos that you move around, or add more blocks to. Remodeling is at least twice as expensive per square foot as a new build. By the time you hit moving or changing 40% of a house, it’s time to sell and move, or teardown and rebuild.

I tend to agree with live_wire_oak -- and as you said, it would preserve your limited yard space. This floor plan for two stories is about the same size footprint as your existing home.

Floor Plan for Two-Story

I will grant you that building (or remodeling) takes a lot out of you, and generally is more costly than finding an existing home that meets your needs. But if you really like your lot and neighborhood, it may be worth it.