The complexity of a remodel can vary wildly depending on your municipality and the extent of the changes you want to make (typically as a percentage of your whole house) I get the sense from reading a lot of the posts on this forum that most people live in very low maintenance areas where approvals are quick and there aren't as many restrictions. I live in a well established neighborhood (originally orchard, developed originally in the 50s-60s into 2000-3000sqft country-style residences, more recently incrementally redeveloped into 5000-25,000sqft mansions) with ever increasing property values due to location within a major metro and property owners determined to fight anything that might negatively affect their land value or enjoyment. So, it's proportionately more complex and expensive for me to do anything compared to most people on this forum. We are doing an extensive remodel (small addition in rear, back to studs, new infrastructure, moving many walls, boosting ceiling heights, etc.).We are largely retaining the existing shell of the house. We are still changing enough that the planning department considers our project to be "new construction", despite many existing walls remaining standing. As a result there are many additional fees that get tacked on, as well as all sorts of additional compliance items (sprinklers, tempered glass on all exterior window panes, fire resistant materials on all exterior surfaces, etc.) We are in earthquake country on a hillside, so everything has to be structurally engineered. The original house is a pier & beam foundation on 42" piers. We need a few new piers and those will be 15'+ drilled into bedrock. These are not inexpensive. We managed to avoid even more penalties by leaving the existing roof framing intact. It's been very frustrating because our town doesn't have all these rules written down, it's just up to the planning department. Our architect has met with them several times to understand the process better himself and help guide us through it. There are ways to appeal certain items but they all add extra months to the planning process with no guarantee of success. I should add that I feel fortunate that our town has minimal guidelines wrt. colors, architectural style, or historical significance. Some nearby communities require an architectural/historical review board approve your design. While I understand the desire to prevent that tacky house that sticks out like a sore thumb, I find the concept of some panel of bureaucrats nitpicking my design preferences offensive. Anyway, depending on how picky your municipality is, do your homework. Get a topo done. Be aware of your MFA/MDA maximums. Locate easements, understand the setback rules, etc. Be aware of any non-conforming aspects of your house, as they may come back to bite you if you try to get changes approved (been there, done that). Honestly if I could turn back the clock 2 years, I'd probably just have torn the whole house down and started over, the costing is just not that different for new vs. complete gut remodel (most of our expenses are in finishes). But we've invested enough in this now and spent enough time that we just have to proceed. This post was edited by caben on Tue, Nov 5, 13 at 1:49

Our original plan called for there to be a bedroom immediately above the "library" area to be the same size as the one above the "flex area". However when the first floor was framed up I saw the size of the "flex area" on the first floor and said "the bedrooms for the girls are too small!" So we had to completely redo the top floor. There used to be a bathroom and laundry room in between the master and the bedroom which is above the living room. We didn't want a downstairs laundry very deliberately. The original plan had a half bath opening into the mud room, with a coat closet opening into the entry hall. However that was coupled with a much smaller dining area along with a formal dining area, which I very adamantly did not want. So I expanded the dining area, which meant the half bath disappeared entirely. I put the bathroom where it is so that there is still a downstairs bath. It was going to be a 3/4 bath, but our builder hates dealing with shower doors so it became a full bath. Yes the only family entry is through the garage. We don't ever use our front door. Only guests do. There is a sliding door to the back yard in the dining area, as well as a door to the outside on the side of the garage. (Those things are all framed up now and in the house). I posted the kitchen in the kitchen forum, but my husband has very specific desires which do not conform to "good" design because he has a different set of priorities so we are most likely not going to be able to implement most of their suggestions, though I did post an updated layout there today. I don't know if the husband is on board with it. He's the main cook so he needs to like the kitchen.

I see that hallway and think of all the great car races! (Matchbox cars- get a bunch at yard sales. They are FUN!) If it were my hallway I’d put in bookcases in the Hall area and then a couple of comfy chairs with a table by the windows. Not need for fancy built ins. You can get gorgeous solid wood bookcases at a consignment or resale shop for reasonable prices. Take excellent measurements with you- you never know when you’ll happen upon something perfect.

Accent walls can be a good idea and that is what your plank walls would be. Is the loft plank wall directly above and a continuation of the living room plank wall? If so, up vote for that. If, however, the loft is visible from the living room but the one plank wall is NOT directly above the other, then you might rethink one or the other plank wall -- you might want to make all the loft walls plank walls and none of the living room walls plank walls or only the one living room wall and finish the loft as the rest of the walls visible from and around it.