I sprayfoamed the rim joists (headers) on both floors, in addition to the underside of my balcony which rests over living, heated space. I'm up in North Dakota, so similar weather to you. It was pretty expensive, so I opted to do Roxul for the remainder. I heard that loose can settle over time, which was a concern on my vaulted ceilings. So I chose Roxul batts everywhere, doubling or tripling them to achieve over R40. My walls are all 2x6 and R24. Roxul product is really nice because unlike fiberglass the squirrels and creatures don't like living in it (problem around here). Really, the insulation ISN'T what's going to make your house tight. It's the vapour-barrier. My Building Inspector said that as soon as you cut close-cell spray foam, it's no longer closed cell and therefore no longer a vapour barrier. And my spray foamers cut LOTS when they trimmed back the over spray (okay for an attic but doesn't work where you're drywalling). My place is SO tight that opening a door causes some windows to flex. Yeah. Because every gap and crack is accoustically sealed, vapour barrier is overlapped by 2-stud lengths (and then caulked AND taped), all seams are taped, caulked, openings, like crazy. $400 in caulk and tape alone. But it's tight. And it's warm to be honest. My spray-foamer was still only getting something like R22 in between 2x6 studs so I don't know if I see how you're getting extra insulation by sprayfoaming. It just makes it a hell of a lot easier to get it sealed up and means you're not covered in gooey black tar for weeks on end (ugh).

Pls provide a cleaner set of plans when possible. I magnified what you provided but could not see the detail needed. So a few questions... 1. I understand removing the 3 posts so the wraparound deck is going away. Is he reducing the price for this change as that does result in fairly good savings? 2. What is he cantelevering? You said INTO the house. That is not so much cantelevering as it is sistering joists going back into the house. A cantelever is an unsupported area that extends beyond the location of the last support i.e. the posts. Usually code does not allow for roofs above the cantelever area & they usually don't extend but approximately a max of 2 feet. Hopefully he is not saying he will cantelever from the outside edge of the screen porch further to allow for the wraparound deck. 3. If you just paint the treated lumber arches, rails, & posts be sure to wait a minimum of 6 months for the lumber to dry out. As far as recommended wrap trim materials there are plenty ranging from regular lumber, prime treated lumber (which you need to let dry prior to painting), trim board primed finger-joint, to TruWood, HardieTrim, AZEK PVC, Miratec, & other vinyl options, etc. Just go by Home Depot or Lowes & you can see the price range for these type products.

The soffit is Hardi panel, and the trim and fascia are all Hardi (full 1 inch). The gable ends are Hardi panel with Miratec battens. The gable fascia boards are pressure treated 2X6's, as I wanted it to match the thickness of my faux rafter tails. The roof brackets are rough-cut cypress. The columns (above the real stone) are a mix of Hardi panel and Miratec. PVC trim is much easier to work with, but expensive. I got a deal on the Hardi products, as well as the siding, which is actually Nichiha. We're happy with the look, which is what really matters. Our house looks a lot like Craftsman-era homes out here in the country, right down to the tin roof and shed porch roof. The ones in the nearby city are much fancier. I don't know if the plainer country homes are actually Craftsman, or a poor man's copy, but they do date from the same period. We were on a desperately tight budget, and wanted the house to blend in with the woods and other area houses, rather than a 'look-at-me!' edifice. We spent our limited funds on quality construction (ICF and Marvin windows) and details that I could do. The entire house is DIY, with only site work, concrete, and drywall hired out.

Yet another reason not to build homes with two story foyers & entryways. I agree less is more. I'd eliminate the blinds on the top window. How do you even manage the controls for opening or closing them & the hanging cords add to the busy look. I like the idea of a roman shade on both the door & window next to it. The thing about roman shades is that they look better when they are rolled up or partially up. Rolled completely down, they can often look like a sheet covering the window. Another issue, if this is your front entrance, you might want the shades always down for privacy or light control. I suggest either roman shades that have some texture so they don't look flat when down OR a honeycomb shade that allows for top down/bottom up. Get rid of all those small items on the fireplace mantle. You will need something much grander there than that small mirror. I suggest colorful art.