Looks like a pretty standard floorplan. I can't imagine resale problems if it is a typical builder floorplan for the area. Where I live, the master bedroom being upstairs would be a negative, but that may not be the case where you are.

Are you okay with the TV being hung over the fireplace? Because that's the only place for one.

I can't really see how you can reconfigure upstairs to fit the laundry room -- remember, the footprint of the second floor has to fit on top of the first floor. Where would it go?

I'm not a fan of corner tubs (in the master), but that's just me. They just look uncomfortable.

Wow, that's a long master bedroom closet! I see they used the space over the garage, but wow.

Good luck!

Thanks!

I thought I could put the TV along the library-side wall...no?

They seem to be building a lot of houses with master on the second floor and that is our preference as we are thinking about having young children in the house.

I'm actually not a big fan of tubs in general, and I haven't taken a bath in 5+ years so we're thinking of doing away with the tub in the master altogether. I was hoping that by doing that and shrinking the master bedroom a little bit we could squeeze in a laundry room but I'm not sure.

There is certainly some room to play with upstairs to put in a laundry room. You could make the master bath smaller, reconfigure the jack and jill bathroom, etc. If you get creative enough you can cram them in. You could also consider getting a stackable system and putting it in the closet at the end of the hall, just making that closet a little deeper.

A couple of suggestions. Could you somehow reconfigure the library/living room/powder room area to make a full bath there? And add a closet off the library? Then that could be a bedroom at some point in the future if necessary, and may expand the appeal of your house at resell time to someone who needs a 1st floor bedroom. I agree with you about the 2nd floor master-- I think most people with little kids want to be on the same floor as their childrens' bedrooms. Also, just something that's a pet peeve/issue of mine -- when you have little kids, the family room/tv area can get pretty messy and cluttered with kid toys and stuff. It looks like you've got a direct line of sight into the family room from the front door. So you would end up looking at that (or having to keep it neat etc.) Just a small thought (when you build your own house you get to be picky right!!).

Other thoughts:

larger coat closet by garage entrance. Put a closet somewhere in the foyer for guest coats etc.

Find a spot for kids computer use that is visible from kitchen or family room area (maybe door on the family room wall to library area -- glass french doors?) or find space in the kitchen/family room area for a computer desk or workstation.

I'm going off topic here, but...perhaps you want to wait until you are parents before investing in a big house? A couple walking through a model home have a hard time imagining the house with kids in it -- even little ones, let alone teenagers (and their friends)!

I would think a long time before *building* anything in this market. Building is much more expensive than buying existing real estate now, and RE is not appreciating. There's a several-years' long inventory of homes in the US right now.

The layout you've posted is pretty traditional; can't comment on room sizes (not provided). I'd want a bigger back hall and a powder room at the family entry (garage, usually). I'd want a separate play area for small children -- near the kitchen. I'd want a *window* in the family eating area -- and a much larger area. I'd want a screened porch, not a deck. If you like 'jack & jill' baths, consider two toilets with the tub/shower between. I'd want more windows. I'd want a full bath on the first floor and closets in the library for the day someone in the family has a broken leg or older parents can't climb stairs.

Honestly, I would rather build a house designed for the location I chose insted of finding a lot to put up a builder's model.

Well, we've been putting off moving and saving up for 5 years to be able to make the downpayment and have the income to afford a nice house, so we have been thinking for a long time. We currently live in a 1-bedroom condo and I don't really feel like this would be a good place to raise a child either. And I don't want to have to move with a small baby since that sounds stressful too. My friend has a house with a similar plan, though bigger, and she has a 1 year old and says she likes it.

The lot really is nice...woods in back and a nice quiet street in a good location for our work. While I agree with you about the ideal situation to build a house designed for the lot with an architect, I worry about the resale of that, since most of the houses built in my city are this style.

As far as the windows, I realize now that the plan is a little inaccurate. It makes it look like there are no windows across the whole back! There is a actually a large french door to teh deck from the eating area, large window in master bedroom and above tub, a skylight in the master bathroom, and a large window in the room labeled bedroom #4. I thought the house had a lot of light when we walked through it. I don't think I'd want a screened porch because the whole point of a deck would be to put a grill out there.

It's a good point about the full bath on the first floor. I wonder if we could incorporate a shower into the powder room and add a built-in armoire section or somesuch to the library.

I actually think this is a very nice basic home plan, given where you are at in your lives. It has flexibility and has lots of room to grow. I agree that you should turn that first floor bath into a full bath. We had a similar configuration in our old house with a full bath, and where you have the living room, we had a guest bedroom. People loved that we had a 1st floor guest bedroom. That way, when people came to visit, they could have their own space away from the other bedrooms.

There are a bunch of little things I'd tweak in this plan, which are more personal than anything. For example, I would make the window over the kitchen sink really wide, at least 7 ft and elimate some of the uppers. I don't like how a lot of "standard" homes have tiny little windows over their kitchen sink. It seems like a little peep hole to me. Also, I'd elimate that built in at the end of the hall near the dining room, and make the pantry bigger. IMO, you can never have a pantry that is too big, and they are a huge positive for resale. I hear you about not using the tub very often, but if you are thinking of reselling down the line, I would not eliminate the tub from the master bath.

Anyway, good luck. I can't wait to see the progress.

Regarding laundry upstairs, it seems the simplest option would be to make the foyer only one story, and use the space above for the laundry. However, I don't know how involved that is or if you'd be willing to give up your 2 story entry.

Wow, that master closet is endless! That must be 60 linear feet of hanging space!

Whether to have an upstairs laundry room is always a debate. I've appreciated having one where I was during the day -- usually around the kitchen, which is where the children were. Kids mean multiple loads of laundry to transfer from washer to dryer. We've always had single-story homes, but my childhood home was two-story with a laundry chute; you only need to carry the clean clothes upstairs.

When I asked for more windows, I was thinking about SIDE windows. Builders cut costs by using smaller and fewer windows. Every room benefits from having natural light from two directions if possible.

The plan has a DR, but the family eating area looks cramped, IMO. (12 X 12 is minimal, not counting 'walk-through' area.)

Small children are in and out to play. Do you want them trekking through the house to use the toilet? I'd put the powder room near the existing laundry -- only make a larger back hallway. This is the 'staging area' for families. If you have a nice back hall, a lot of 'stuff' never makes it into the kitchen as clutter. (Maybe you'd have some toilet facilities on your lower level, too.)

A deck or porch will make the lower level darker. If you can, you'll want a couple of side windows; don't rely on only light from the rear of the house.

I wouldn't build this size house before I knew I was going to fill those three empty bedrooms before I was 40, but...I'm not you. I hear you -- you are sick of the condo and want to get started! I just wouldn't want to be stuck with a too-big new home that you can't sell -- because it cost too much to build, and because homes will not appreciate again as they did in the past.

I do like the idea of a "dog room" - we currently have to put our dogs in their crate in the basement and I worry about it as they get older. If we build, we will probably do what you are considering and use the laundry room as a "dog room", and have the dog run/potty area directly outside of that. I think it's an excellent idea.

It's hard to judge the breakfast area's size without the measurements...I would agree with Chisue that it needs to be large enough to comfortable walk around the table to get outside and enjoy the deck and to walk to the kitchen and back. There's nothing worse than a cramped eating area, especially when you have to walk through it to get to the kitchen!

And yes, I do agree with Chisue that there are not enough windows on the sides - it is very common in newer construction to not include many, if any, windows on the sides to reduce construction costs and it can really impact the feeling of the inside of the house.

I think that it is nearly impossible to build a house which will be the perfect house for all of your years. We bought a split entry home when we were expecting child #1, in 1977. We had a second son in 1979, and a third in 1982, which necessitated moving 1 and 2 to the lower level bedroom. The oldest son hated being on a different floor than us, and I hated it too. So, we built a 2 story home with 4 bedrooms up, and a couple of years later, our oldest wanted a room off on his own. Now, all 3 boys are married, and we have a too-big house with all bedrooms up. So, we had the perfect house for about 5 total years over 32. I think that if you want to build, you should. It will be easier to build before you have a little one to tote around with you. The interest rates are so low. I think a laundry room on the second floor is personal preference--ours is next to the kitchen, which I like, because I usually stay downstairs all day. I also think that you should build a house plan you like, not necessarily what you think would sell well. Not every buyer is looking for the same thing. Plus, if you have a beautiful lot, building a house which takes advantage of the beauty will be very desirable. Good luck!