brenda here's your other thread. Your house is lovely! Here is a link that might be useful: first thread

So called "Walk Out Basements" are generally considered an asset - a desired feature. I think your post included the main reasons. I have French Doors - that allows access for large items , to include replacement furnace, replacement A/C coil, rider mower during winter for winterizing and tuneup, etc, Additionally, in the future you may decide to finish your basement and having a door increases your options.... like having the rough-ins for a bathroom installed at time of construction.

And please post when you do get the plans so we can see. We're all house junkies on this forum. (For example, one of my favorite things to do is go on Sunday's to look at open houses and I bet I'm not the only one!) I can't speak for how to interview or questions to ask, but can suggest some things once you've narrowed it down to the "one". Start putting together pictures of homes you like, rooms you like, etc. The more research you do like that, and you'll start to see patterns in what you like. Put a list together of MUST HAVES for your home. Put together a second list of wish to haves and a third list of I'm dreaming but wouldn't it be nice because you never know when a good architect or designer can add in your dream wishes too. If you must have certain rooms near one another, spell that out roughly. As I said, I wanted the view from my great room/master/dining room/DH's study to be my pool and back yard and I wanted my rooms to create a backyard courtyard feel. I also wanted my laundry near my bedroom but didn't need a laundry room. Have your budget in mind. Know your priorities. It's obvious that you're not looking for a large house. Do you want to be able to have more details like crown moldings, wainscoting, etc? One thing though is DO put that garage in now. The cost really is minimal. :) Best of luck. Keep an open mind and don't rush the process. I started in March and thought I'd have it worked out by the summer. HAH! Getting it right on paper is a lot cheaper than having to make changes once you start building.

Just put an addition on my house as well, and it looks very similar to yours, only I have a front porch. Because my house has a hip roof, we were only able to go from an 8 to a 9 foot ceiling for the back addition. Otherwise, it would have looked weird in the front of the house. Your architect will be able to help you with that. I would go somewhere from the front door to that walkway between the garage with the addition in back. I'm not a pro, so don't take my word for it....but I think the placement of the roof lines with that area will make the most sense. You'd be surprised what an update it will make! Lucky for you, your garage is in line with your house.....my was at an angle and made for a VERY tiny laundry room coming in from the garage, but it's just the two of us now and we will make it work. I could only make my addition 20 feet wide because of the angles of the different roof lines and hip roof. It doesn't appear you have that problem, so could make a fairly large addition out of it! I'll try to attach some pictures of mine to give you some ideas of how it transitioned into my roof line. I, too, have two entrances like you. One we use the heck out of, the other one just for moving big things in and out of the house! LOL!!