Getting it drawn by a professional is not the same as having a professional design it. Will the draftsman also provide all the exterior elevation, roofing, and foundation drawings for the addition? Any time you are adding onto a house, you really should consult with an architect, or a design/build firm to make sure the design works and can be constructed as envisioned.

Now, assuming you are going to do that, my comment is that I don't like the idea of the mudroom opening up into the master suite. That should be reconfigured so the opening to the suite is from a separate hallway.

You're doing it backwards. You hire the professional to come up with the plan first, and then they draw it.

Some examples of what's wrong:

The closet doors should be in the middle of the closets, so you can have two full hanging sides. The corners are wasted space, and you won't get near as many clothes in there trying to turn the corners.

Your tub looks like it would be a miserable experience.

You have a lot of wasted space with the hallway.

No window in the bathroom?

Thank you, and yes the architect will be doing all this. We are on a flat 1 acre property, so I don’t foresee any issues with building it. Unfortunately, there is no other hallway- the other door will go to a screened in porch/deck.I will move the mud area to the laundry rm, it is basically wall hooks for hanging book bags and jackets. I’m pretty good at keeping straight.

WAY too many issues. You need to be working with someone with the design ability that you lack. Hire an architect and stick with whatever you do for a day job to pay for it. An architect is not going to attempt computer programming or cardiology as a hobby, you can be sure.

https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2020/

Ok, I will consult the architect. I’ve gotten one sketch back from an architect who is my fathers ( the builder) friend, and just didn’t like it and honestly didn’t want to hurt his, or my dads feeling. But I did/ am paying for his services, so maybe I just need to get over it and be honest.

There’s definitely enough space for the laundry to be reworked with the mudroom so that your entrance to the master makes sense. Also you may want to consider a sliding door to the deck vs the small window and door. You have a basic grasp of scale and a vision so you should be able to work w your pro to get the best result for your family. Good luck!

This is the 1st sketch the architect drew for me. Does this look good to you professionals? The only thing I really didn’t like is having the bathroom so far away from the entrance door and I was trying to get the biggest closet size I could.

I wouldn't have liked the architect's layout either. Design is very subjective, and because it was designed by an architect doesn't mean it is the perfect layout for you, and the way you live.

Explain to the architect what you want and give him another shot at drawing it out. I would want my bedroom to be at the end with the potential for windows on 3 sides. The addition also doesn't have to be a perfect rectangle ...

The biggest hurdle would be scope and scale - your initial sketch is much wider than the architects first version. Have you talked budget and max square footage? You really want to nail that down before you go any further with revisions.

What’s your location? What’s your budget for the project? Are the two a real world match?

We are located near Columbia, SC,and we’ve budgeted $80,000 max. We will be saving money on this because my dad is (semi retired) a general contractor. He built high-end custom homes for 30 years or so and now flips homes as a hobby. He will not be charging us a fee.

I talked with the architect this morning and shared my concerns, especially about the width. His sketch did not take the addition all the way to be flush with the Garage. I also talked about wanting the bathroom closer to bedroom entrance. He was very nice and said he’d come up with another sketch. I think I was just worried more about not offending him or my dad because of their relationship. His reaction to my changes made me feel more at ease.

Great Mandy. So glad that you and the architect are communicating now :)

Personally, I liked the architect"s design a lot. The only thing I would have changed would be to have the sinks in the middle of the vanities.

Also, I might have narrowed the hallway to the bath and made it 42 inches wide and added it to the closets. I am not sure what the small chunk of closet is taken out of the left closet (I don't like that). I would make the hall not centered and do one closet ~4 1/2 by 6'8'' and the other ~6 1/2' by 6'8".

Can't wait to see what he comes up with. He seems like a good architect looking at his drawing.

Although it's awesome to have help in the family, your budget is pretty low to make this happen. Master suite additions usually are almost double that figure in a moderately priced area. Having an in house GC won't half the price. You may consider creating a smaller more compact bath without a tub, as bathrooms are part of the large expense of a master. Two oddly sized not walk in not reach in closets are also overkill when trying to economize. Or, consider upping the budget to a higher figure. Good luck!

Thank you ProSource Memphis for your input on the budget. We have been told that what we want is doable for our budget.

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Hi, Mandy,

While we don't have much information about your project, it may be useful to compare your cost and quality expectations against similar projects in your market area. I find the remodel cost vs. value report https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2020/ to be a good cost calibration tool.

The 2020 Remodel Cost vs. Value Report suggests that in the South Atlantic market the cost for a 24' x 16' mid-range quality Master Suite addition averages $125,508 and a 10' x 20' treated wood deck (I'm assuming construction of that is included in your project scope, too) averages $12,700. That's a total of $138,208.

Your budget of $80,000 is 57% of the estimated total cost in your market which implies a gross margin for a remodeler (the part your dad is not charging you for) would be around 43% That's a lot higher than typical margins for remodeling projects. Plus, the size of your master suite is 528 SF vs. 384 SF for the benchmark Master Suite addition. Plus, the cost of the benchmark projects don't include design fees.

I think it's in everyone's best interest that you get a good line-item cost before you invest in detailed plans.

I think you should be able to get some helpful comments here. Filter out the unhelpful. How awesome your dad can donate his skills and management to keep the costs less than if you had to hire someone! I think your design is closer to what I would like, which is as many windows to the outside as possible, unless there is a bad view or lack of privacy. It sounds like you have space. Keep working with it until you have a design that feels right to you. 80k seems like a very workable budget to me, with your dad's volunteer help.