What is the problem you are trying to solve?

I am wondering the same. This a very common idea for more space but it also requires the fron porch being removed and proper footings poured to add this space so not inexpensive but IMO worth it.

My house is a very similar floor plan. It’s not made in anyway to be open concept. For the life of me I can’t figure out how you are going to vault the ceilings without some major structure changes.

If you are planning on enclosing the porch, do an addition all the way across and add on to the front bedroom. Then you can add a bathroom and closet.

Thanks for the replies. Looking for examples of a front porch enclosure. More of a modern look appreciated. I haven't been able to find any - they're all sun porch enclosures, not heated living space..

What a cute house! It has a really lovely front face and that porch gives it a lot of personality.

Sounds like what you want is for the floor plan to be more open and modern. Have you asked your contractor to give you a bid on opening up the wall between the living/dining and the kitchen? I think doing that would give you a nice livable space.

If you are hoping to expand square footage of the home, I would seriously consider an addition somewhere other than the front porch. I've seen homes with front porches converted to indoor living space and it always seems like a waste and often ends up ruining the exterior of the home. Would it be possible to put an addition on the side where you have the "stoop"?

The porch is in poor condition, while the roof structure is fine. Yes, need to pour footings, but I'll get more than 225 sf for approx $20K. Well worth it to have a better living area with more options.

That's a pretty common renovation. Bet you could google and get TONS of examples.

@suedonim75 Interesting idea re: front and expand. That does impact zoning but I'm thinking about it. Do you have any suggestions re: roof line for the added extension? Thanks!

@pricklypearcactus Yes, speaking with a structural engineer today re: removing the wall and vaulting the ceilings. The property line is too close to the stoop to expand there since it's the driveway and then the property line. I'll have a better sense when the survey is done in 2 weeks though, so I'll keep that idea in mind. Thanks!

I'm amazed that you can get 225sf of new finished space for $20k. I was just quoted $75k to add a screened-in porch of the same size.

Not a designer but I agree that the front porch is what gives the house charm, and enclosing it doesn't seem to fix your issues. Could you (not being aware of structural or zoning issues) bump your master bedroom out to align with the porch in front to give you room to add a bath and make yourself a retreat? Your daughters may be young but eventually one bathroom for three women may become a point of friction. Then you could leave the porch as an outdoor entertaining area--which it seems like these days we all need!

I'm in the South, so it's cheaper, plus I look to find individual trades myself rather than relying on a GC. I've done it before - this time I won't be pregnant :)

@Hannah Wolfson The bedroom bump out that you and @suedonim75 recommended to the front vs the side as I was thinking is a great idea. But, the LR/DR/kitchen will be very tight without enclosing the porch. That extra space is really needed. I'm on a small plot of land (.21 acres) and there are city zoning restrictions. I can't expand the footprint on the kitchen side due to the driveway and setbacks. I also have had lovely front and even side porches in the past and never used them - I prefer a back deck to be more private. It's a semi-busy street.

Thanks for the recos and comments. I'm having trouble finding houses that expand in the front, so if anyone sees any good ideas (for rooflines), please post.

Can you build off the bedroom side? I could see adding a bathroom there, which would be my priority as far as livability. Adding on to the bedroom from the front looks like it would require a lot of revision to the roof. What's the total budget?

As far as expanding the living/dining room, have you moved in yet? You might try living there for a bit first and seeing how badly you actually need the extra space. How big is that space right now? It doesn't look particularly tiny. I bet people here could help you with efficient furniture layouts.

As far as enclosing the porch--I've seen a lot of houses do that here, and it always looks terrible. The best ones basically turn it into a forward facing sun room with a lot of windows to keep a porch-like feel, but the rooms themselves are too small on the inside to be particularly useful, they make for awkward foyers, and they block light from reaching the actual living room. The ones that try to combine the porch with existing living space end up with big beams or posts to support what used to be an exterior wall, making for a strange, choppy feel that isn't ideal.

@jslazart Yes, I'm going to get a designer to work it out now that the structural engineer has looked at it. The lot is small (.21 acres) and shaped like a trapezoid, so while there's more room on the bedroom side, it's still not much with setbacks. The same problem with the back yard - it's just a small lot and the house isn't centered within the lot or even along the lot lines. I just measured and the ceilings are a little less than 8'. The kitchen is 12'x15', the LR/DR combined is approx 13'x22' I'm trying to get things done before I move in since it will be a mess getting things done in a tiny house with kids, especially if virtual school continues.

If the house isn't centered on the lot, how much room do you have and on which side? Can you draw the entire lot with the house and add dimensions? Which direction does the porch face? South? North?

Are you removing the roof to make vaulted ceilings? You said you are from the south, but have you ever lived with vaulted ceilings? I live in Oklahoma, and I hate my high ceilings. So hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I also have an open floor plan with kitchen, dining room, and great room that was made out of two different porches, a living room, and a kitchen. I don't know what the previous owners were thinking. They had to put two manufactured beams and one steel I-beam in the open area. The old porches had different kinds of ceilings and different heights of ceilings. We spent $20,000 on a new 35 ft beam to get rid of the choppiness that people have been mentioning. Putting the new beam in caused other issues that had to be fixed, so more money was spent just on structure!

I would not get rid of the porch. It makes the house look inviting. It keeps the house from looking like a box.

Your contractor said he could add a shower only and demo the porch, dig foundations, add walls, concrete footings, match the siding, paint the entire exterior of the house, install drywall, doors, moldings, paint all of the living room, dining room, and kitchen, and run new electrical wiring for the front add on, lights, shower stall, plumbing, and whatever else I did not mention. Add a new front porch enclosure, raise the roof for vaulted ceilings, remove the kitchen wall which you really need to keep in place.....it is going to snowball. And...you need $10k in new windows because the old ones are shot. He will do this for $20,000?

Every time we started a project in our current house, it always cost us more than the estimate. A lot more. Our new siding was $9200 more. The upstairs remodel went from $3200 to $12,000. They don't know what is under what they are taking out, so the estimate is their best guess if nothing goes wrong like a rotting porch.

Are all the other homes around you larger than yours? Have they all been enlarged or updated? You need to think about the area and whether or not your home will have a comparative value. If your home becomes the Taj Mahal in the neighborhood, you may never get your money out of it once you sell.

How old are your kids? Will they be leaving home within the next five years? 10? 15? Kids can deal with sharing a bathroom with you.

I think the king sized bed may have to go because you don't have a place for storing things like holiday decorations, etc. I didn't see a garage, anyway. When you start removing walls like the dining room wall, you start losing places to put furniture and end tables with lamps. Your kitchen will have less wall space if you remove the wall. You could probably fit a small table and chairs on that wall.

Since you bought it, I assume you will want to move in soon. I would start with necessary things like new windows. Everything else is just "wish-I-could-have". You really must live in it for a while to know where best to spend your money. Once you live in it, you may find that the heat/ac need replaced, or the hot water tank, or the plumbing needs repaired, or the roof leaks..... Don't hire a contractor until you know for sure that nothing else needs repaired or replaced. Live in the house for a while. I live in a fairly cheap state for building costs, and all of your plans would cost $80,000-100,000 here. My 15 windows cost $18,000.

Ask your contractor if you could "go up". I don't know if your walls and foundations could support a second floor or not, but I have always heard that is much cheaper to go up since you don't do any ground work. Maybe that has changed though...

Congratulations on your new home! When you start remodeling, post the pictures so we can all celebrate with you! Your kids will love having their own bedrooms and love the front porch, too!

That is my favorite! I love the detailed woodwork!