@ Lizzie; I appreciate you mentioned tax rates. We are in the lowest rate area... in our area anyway (we are a nest of several cities called Hampton Roads). Anyway, it does make more money sense from that standpoint to stay here. So many factors are going into it. I decided on several things which I'll mention in a moment. Hope you like where you moved! @ Helena; SOOOO sorry this happened to you! Timing is everything in real estate for sure. A lot of people got swept up into that market time because they were continually talking about now is the time to buy, they were building more and more and stocks were all around and it was on the financial channels to invest.... and then BOOM. It literally was overnight it all collapsed. We were fortunate to have bought our home just at the beginning of it all, literally on the edge. A couple months later, prices rose and kept rising.. You lost a LOT and I feel sad for you. I hope you are recovering. We did lose half our retirement at that time because they told everyone invest in tech and stock funds in your 401k; yeah right.... To save money on this addition, I am going to do some painting (not all but some), seal the concrete in the storage room, supply the cabinet hardware (have a ton of new ones left over from the kitchen and love them), I'll supply the sconces, bathroom vanities, door hardware, I'm trying to get them to reuse windows (but one contractor said can't do that cause of code); I am directing them where to buy the French doors (I want the ones at Lowes not the expensive ones they want), and I'll be making the closet organizers and buying stock cabinets for the laundry room (they'll be soft closing and wood, but I've worked out the dimensions to get all common sizes-custom is just sizing). I'm also thinking about making my own mudroom coat rack/bench. I'll be making an ironing board hanger thingy and I'll be making robe hook bar for the bathroom. I'm pretty crafty. I'm a REALLY great shopper too. If there is a bargain out there, I will find it. I bought a 700 dollar sink for 320,,,,I will call across the country to see if they have one of something left if I have to. I got a 400 dollar faucet for 120 (yes, everything new in box)! I look daily and stockpile things if I have to. I had glassware, a toaster, can opener, towels and coffee pot stuffed under the beds till my kitchen was done. LOL I heard Lumber Liqudators is moving here and nearest one will be 90 miles away then, so I'm gonna go down and get my 12' counter probably soon and just put it in the garage conversion room we did for a few months! It will save me about 267 dollars doing that in shipping alone. More if they have stuff in store before they move (sale!). Certain things I'll spend a ton on. Towels, bedding etc. I love comfort and quality. But I refuse to buy something for a name. ;) I hope this thread is still here when this is done. i'll learn how to post photos.

Seeing it all come together finally! We started the planning process in January & went through a lot of revisions and meetings with our contractor. Our mission was to bring our blah 1980s kitchen into the 21st century and make it more accessible for me - I have MS and use a power chair full time. And my goal was to make an accessible kitchen non handicapped looking. We're in the 11th week of construction with maybe a couple of weeks to go. It has turned out beautifully and so much more functional for me. The side opening Bosch oven is being installed tomorrow. Part of our delay starting was waiting for this new oven to become available. I can't wait to be able to access it without a big door getting in my way! One of the best things was deciding to go with all drawers below the counter. And an air switch - something I had never heard of before reading about it here. Oh and I totally agree that the planning process for me was stressful. I second guessed everything! It drove my husband crazy. I visited my granite slabs several times before they were installed - thankfully, I love it!

Lithonia Lighting products, sold at Home Depot, are basically junk. I bought a motion sensor front porch fixture. Lasted 6 months. Had it replaced(store replacement) and the replacement lasted a year. 60w bulbs burned out in 4 months. Used a CFL bulb in the second fixture---8 months and POOF. Replaced with a different brand and the same bulb has been in it for 2 years(incandescent) Bought kitchen fixtures, they literally came apart. Bought two florescent shop fixtures, the tubes burn out in less than two years. Bought a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan that started humming in less than six months. That one was only used at night. Have three indoor and one outdoor Hunter fans that are from 3 to to 9 years old. The three interior fans run 24/7. Nary a peep. I had a remodeling company(just me) for several years. I volunteered with a local Habitat chapter which used HD for most of their house building supplies. I used any of 7 Kansas City area HD stores. Very seldom had a problem. I did find HD is the easiest place for home repair/deck building/structural projects. Lowe's(the other main Big Box chain) was useless for material for those areas. They do not carry the amount of products HD carries. Lowe's does, however, have a better selection of upgrade material than HD.

itsourca, my dining room would be rather large is I put it in the living room. Not sure what my view would be from the DR. I wouldn't want to look at kitchen mess from the DR. I don't know. I will give it more thought. suezbell, in the process of trying to remodel our kitchen, I have allowed myself to dream. So I am imagining my kitchen in the space of my living room. I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I am not sure where my living room would go, but most of all, my LR window gets a minimal amount of sunlight before the sun swings over. I would find that depressing. Also, my south side has no windows. I don't quite understand your second post. The divider looks nice. Not sure if you realize that there is no wall between my LR and DR and those rooms are at different levels. My LR and FR also have a fireplace. Design Girl. I hear what you are saying. Years ago we went to an open house. That house had exactly the same layout as mine. We believe that the kitchen was renovated in order to sell the house. They had removed the family room wall and put an island in. At first sight it looked very nice. But there was no furniture on the first floor. I quickly took a couple of pictures and I can show them to you. Picture of kitchen while I am standing in the FR. They moved the doorway to the dining room to allow for a larger fridge. They removed he wall oven and put in a slide in oven and stove. There are minimal cupboards. Looks like the pots and pans have to be stored in the island. Pantry is still in the hall. Family room. Photo probably taken from the same spot as I took kitchen picture. Not sure if other walls had been removed. I didn't think FR furniture would fit very well in order to be able allow access to the sliding door. I considered that the house would be desirable for a young couple with small children. But for four adults with different schedules, I would like to have more privacy and quiet in my FR (my room pretty much). The kitchen can be a noisy place! Yvonnecmartin, I think eating all meals in the dining room is a possibility. Partim, my FR is my TV room. That's probably why I don't really want to remove the wall between the FR and the kitchen. So you are saying put a wall between my DR and LR and extend the kitchen area into the dining area. Have one table and one island and not close any doors in the kitchen? I think I could see something like that working. Our LR and DR windows need upgrading. Maybe put in a sliding door or french doors in the DR?