Which one do you like better that can better fit your family's needs? From there you can start modifying what you need and whatnot.

They all fit the needs of the family. However I like the Kensington because the office is at the front of the house, I really like the layout ( similar to my Brother in laws home) walk in pantry and mud room closet and good size basement.

Emerson for all the same reasons- layout is different but we have been in a similar model and we really liked that as well.

We can afford either but they are at the very top end of our budget.

Westin/Hamilton- both have great storage and open concepts- westin is the best price but slightly smaller and no main floor office which I don’t love but can live with.

Challenging myself mostly cause it’s so easy to get “caught up with the Jones” In this process and since we can physically walk through the homes need input

A long time ago one wise man told me if you like 2 girls and you cant decide which one to go out with find a 3d one and stick with her... I followed his advice and I'm still with that girl :-)

Try doing the same, pick Westin/Hamilton model, sit down with an architect, and make a few tweaks here and there and you will end up with a perfect home.

Good luck

Why are you not just getting an architect to design exactly what you want . What is the reason for only these choices I agree with GN none are perfect. The Emerson is the only one that would be best for guests. Loft spaces are IMO a waste of space usually. Upper floor laubdry is also not idea and in your case since you are home all day why would you want to run up and down the stairs to do laundry IMO a main floor laundry is best .

I like Kensington and Hamilton best. I think it is difficult to have the office right off the great room, especially with kids. My husband has a lot of trouble with his office so close to our family spaces. Although we didn't really address that concern in our new house, but he may end up putting his office in the basement.

I agree with GN Builders - insist on the changes that will make your house perfect for you.

Kensington for sure, the layout seems the best and it's the widest, I am not a fan of narrow homes.

Hamilton is out because the Mudroom is a congested hallway and the Powder Room door can not open 90 degrees.

Emerson is out because the Powder Room is one of the first things seen upon entering the house from the Foyer and the interior steps from the Foyer to the Living Room. And it has a gas chamber.

Westin is out because the Powder Room is one of the first things seen upon entering the house from the Foyer and the interior steps from the Foyer to the Living Room. And there is a view into the bathroom from the Family Room in the basement.

Kensington is the lesser of four evils.

Is there an option of having a home designed for you that meets your needs and fits your site an option?

Some critiques on the plans:

Westin:

• Main floor looks nice, though why is there a step between the foyer and living room?
• I'd want to know more about the elevation and window sizes before sending guest to the basement. (Those can be fine bedroom or caves depending.)
• Bedroom four has to walk around the laundry room to get to the bathroom. Maybe the laundry and bath could reconfigure to be a bit more convenient. This could also get your dryer to an outside wall for better venting options.

Emerson:

• I understand the appeal of having the living room where it is, but it puts the kitchen and dining room further appart for serving and clearing.
• Again with the two steps?
• Do you know what you'd do with the loft space? Is it a reading nook? Space to hang dry laundry? Plant incubation station?
• Toilet closet? Is this a positive for you or taking up closet space?
• Likewise in the hall bath, do you want the tub and toilet separated from the sink? At the very least, I'd make that a pocket door, so you don't have to practically stand on the toilet or in the tub to use said door.

Kensington:

• Step down to the mudroom is better that the ones from foyer to living space, but I'm still wondering why it's needed.
• Main floor looks good, though look into the kitchen to make sure the dishwasher is really where you want it.
• Bedroom four still has the long walk to the bathroom, but at least not around corners. I'd still consider swapping the laundry and bath. You might even be able to fit a laundry chute between the master suite and the laundry.

Hamilton:

• More steps in the hallway ...
• Hall downstairs seems to be an awkward no man's land. It's not really entry but it's not really living space, just kind-of a landing for the stairs and some odd nooks.
• Dishwasher and range collide when open in the kitchen.
• Bedroom four is walking around the laundry again:
• Maybe swap the laundry and bath again, or maybe the loft could a bath for bedroom four, or it could be the laundry and the current laundry could be a second bath

"Loft spaces are IMO a waste of space usually."

They're a waste of space if you dont have a plan for them. Sometimes they end up storage-like, sometimes they'll be laundry overflow, sometimes they'll house seedlings waiting for size and weather for hardening off ... or house plant collections, sometimes they'll hold bookshelves. Plan to make sure it'll be useful. If you can't think what to do with it, be prepared to close it up into storage.

One more thing, why so few windows on the sides? For all of them ...

@BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA look at the lot sizes. That is typical here in FL in 0 lot line developments.

The OP is in Canada, and the layouts and narrow widths look typical of the Toronto area.

The step up from at least the mudroom, and even the foyer, is something I saw when we visited new developments in Toronto area. I like it because it keeps stuff from being tracked in.

I'm assuming this is a development and plans are from a tract builder. Are there any changes you can make? I would prefer to not have the odd double door and just a single 36" door to the master for all the plans. The double with a wide door and a narrow one is just odd to me.

For the basements my preference would be Westin or Kensington. Hamilton is very narrow and Emmerson isn't much better. Consider how you would be placing furniture and allow people to walk around.

WFH office - I would prefer one that was away from any noise areas and also where I wouldn't disturb sleeping family members. So Emmerson and Hamilton would be out. Westin I'd probably have my office in the basement.

Kitchen/Pantry - Emmerson and Kensington are my favorites due to the size and available storage. The Westin and Hamilton are much smaller and have less storage. I also don't like the enclosed part of the kitchen in the Hamilton.

Dining - Westin and Kensington are my preferred ones there based on size and paths for walking through and fitting furniture. In Hamilton you walk into the middle of the table and have to walk around it and in Emmerson it isn't much better and in addition that one is very far from the kitchen.

Mudroom - Westin is the largest and if you could eliminate the WIC and use a reach in across the doors there could be a window in there. WIC waste a lot of space and not sure how useful it will be in a mudroom with people trying to get into it and out of it. No walls there would help. Emmerson without the WIC would be better. Kensington is third here and is workable but don't like the step down out of it and it would be better utilized if the entry to the house was across from the entry from the garage. Hamilton is just too small and would be a constant source of irritation in my family, but I do like that it has windows.

Powder room - The best one is Kensington with it's more private location that you can't see into from the rest of the house or have to hear the usage except maybe from the study. Emmerson and Westin are next, but would be better if the layout was flipped so you don't see the toilet from the hallway. The Emmerson is a bit better from a noise perspective as it has the extra wall build-out separating it from the dining. The Hamilton doesn't have the view of the toilet at least from the hallway, but I dislike when you have to make extra steps or step behind stuff to make the door close.

Overall first floor - not a fan of the step-ups/step-downs with the first floors. I would want a floor where everything is level.

Laundry - best when on an outside wall so dryer can vent in the shortest path.

Loft areas - make sure to have a plan on what to use it for or it seems like wasted space.

Kids bathroom - Kensington has the best layout which allows you full access to the tub without reaching behind a toilet and it also has the largest vanity.

Kids bedrooms - I prefer bedrooms to be as similar in size and features as possible for each child so Kensington or Hamilton are best there. Kensington the best overall with all the rooms along the front so there is actually something but a neighbors wall to see from the window.

Master suite - Kensington is my favorite and I like that the bath has some separation from the bedroom for any noise from the bathroom for anyone else still sleeping. Easy access to closet to get dressed after using the bath. Less walking back and forth. More privacy from the other bedrooms. Emmerson and Westin are next, with Emmerson a tad higher due to separate shower and tub. Hamilton is last. However in Kensington, Hamilton, and Westin I'd want at least a half wall separating the toilet from other areas.

Can you add a basement bedroom and bath to any of the plans? The mechanical rooms are huge, can the Mechanical area be separated and give some space up for family room or guest room? My SIL’s house has a basement guest room, the window and window well are under the deck so there is egress but not much light. But that’s okay, because when we visit, we are only in the guest room to sleep and dress. (Don’t worry, there is a window well, it’s just that it is surrounded by deck.)

The Kensington does have the best features. Besides the ones you mentioned, the master suite is good, the other bath is spacious, the laundry room is generous (my laundry room is the size of the others and I don't like it!), the mudroom is almost as good as the Westin.

Except for the lack of a first floor, front-facing study, and the prominence of the garage across the front, I like the Westin’s layout. The master suite, the separate-ish dining room, the mudroom/entry area.

There is little to like about the Hamilton. It just feels like it’s strangling all the indoor spaces.

How important is outdoor life for you? What are the lots like? Would the Kensington give you more backyard? Or is it only available for wide, shallow lots, which wouldn’t give you any more backyard than the others?

Any of the study-off-dining room, that’s tricky and all depends on your work style. DH needs a separate, quiet space, so he likes his upstairs-bedroom-turned-office. I like being closer to other spaces, and would like a workspace somewhat open to the family area, or the front study like the Kensington. The study by the dining room could also convert to a quieter library, or den/snug.

If I had a 50'-60' lot I would be maximizing the width. The Kensington does that and has the most opportunity for space, flexibility, and growth for the future. The Westin is a tight efficient plan in what would typically be a duplex in the US. The Emmerson is an expansion on the Westin to fit an office, and the Hamilton is an unsuccessful variation of the Emmerson.

If you go with the Kensington, swap the basement Mechanical room (that has windows!) with the Storage Room. That way, the Storage room could be repurposed as living space, or an office, or a guest room (with plumbing roughed in) for future use. The Mechanical room looks like wasted space to me...and if moved to where the Storage Area is located, could also include shelving for storage.

(not a pro) I'm assuming you have a narrow lot, from the plans you chose. Also that you have neighbors right next door, although even then I'd want more windows on the side walls. Do you have very small cars? The garages all look very small so make sure that the garage will be wide enough to actually open the car doors and get in/out (measure the width with doors open on each side, as well as the length with enough room behind to get things out of the trunk), and that you'll have room to store bikes, yard tools, etc.

Wow this is all really great feedback!!!!! Lots of things mentioned I never considered- very appreciated!

Something to think about for the 1st floor - path of groceries from garage to kitchen.

I like the Hamilton the most.

On the Kensington, I HATE the row of bedrooms. It's like a college dorm. Otherwise, this would be my runner up.

The PR door can be swung out or get some kind of slider.

For the record- I was thinking about turning the loft spaces into a dedicated homework nook for my kids. I agree I am not fussy about loft areas either but with a homework loft it helps give the space purpose- and will allow separation from noise when they are studying or doing something- ideas welcome!