So I've been searching that site for plans. I tried looking at some bigger homes. I found some great plans but the bigger they get the more "bells and whistles" they seem to have. We would like to keep the roofline as simple as possible for cost reasons and also we just tend to like a simple look. Similar to the plan you posted earlier in this thread Zone4. :) I don't want a bunch of turrets and special shaped rooms/windows. Is it possible to find a larger plan that would work and try to make it a bit more simple on the exterior? For example, I like the linked plan here quite a bit. I would nix the 1/2 bath by the garage entrance to get more mudroom space. We do not need two staircases though. There are several that have 2. Is it just to have that grand look in the foyer or what? Here is a link that might be useful: 99467

I have to agree with Lynn. Laminate flooring is great for starter homes, maybe basement flooring, etc. but it will not last like hardwood. You can have extra coats of finish applied to your hardwood if you are concerned about the dogs and kids but it is a "renewable" product. It can be sanded and refinished over and over again! I just don't understand why people want to use laminate when it is just a "faux" product; of course price is a factor but every laminate floor I have walked on looks and sounds so cheap! I have hardwood floors with dogs and grandkids and have never had a problem. There are scratches but they are not noticeable and are not deep. Engineered floors are a little bit better than laminate but, there again, they can only be sanded once or twice then you have to replace! Good Luck!

It's not easy usually, but worth it sometimes, especially if the wood is old growth to begin with and a good grade. Don't bother if the flooring was in the prefinished category. You will need to remove one board to see how your floor is attached. If it was installed with steel cut nails (looks like truncated triangles) then flooring removal will be easy. You start your removal from the tongue side of the board...get your lifter under there and carefully pry the boards up...basically what you are trying to learn here is how to pry the board loose and pull it free. As you get away from the wall edge, you will be working on the area from which you removed the first three feet or so...and basically you loosen the boards and pull them towards you. A few broken tongues is no big deal; as long as 75% or so of the tongue remains, the board is still installable. The floor will need refinishing after it is reinstalled...no getting around that. If the floor was installed using spiral flooring nails or staples, then removal will be much more difficult and hardly worth the effort.

Jo- I am not a realtor, but my question would be...do you have a basement? If so, is it finished and can you have more bedrooms down there? My mom had a 3 bedroom, 1 bath, no basement home and we had a hard time selling it...back when the market was great! People with kids, want a family room/play area and were not happy that there was no basement. Older couples didn't like the single hall bathroom. We finally sold it, only because someone had to live in that particular area for work, and there was a limited availability. The rest of the house was nice, large living room with working fireplace, nice kitchen, dining area, large laundry/mud room and a huge garage. The small bath was our biggest obstacle. If you don't have a big basement, chances are that 3 bedrooms 1 bathroom is NOT going to appeal much to a growing family. An older couple or couple with no children, will like the guest room/office possibilities of the second bedroom...and really like the second bath. As mn-houses suggests, research what's popular in your area. However, I would think about updating your home and making it 2 bedroom 2 bath, if that's what YOU want and you think it will sell well (if/when the market ever bounces back). I know most new homes have at least two bathrooms and that's what I would want in my home :)