I would keep the 3 car garage instead. Where is this located? Here is Florida, we use our outdoor areas as much as indoor, and have covered lanais.

But I love all the windows in that sunroom. Swoon!

Hmmm.... That is a tough one. Do most of the homes in your neighborhood have the 3 car garage? If so, I’d definitely do the garage. Actually, unless you really need the extra square footage from the sunroom...I’d do the garage regardless. People LOVE 3 car garages, and it sounds like you’d love the extra storage, too.

Keep the 3rd car garage. That patio as shown is practically useless. After you close and live there a while you may want to have a real patio. A sunroom of that size in that location doesn't look appealing to me at all. Keep the 3rd bay for the garage. Don't do the sunroom it looks like a waste of $$$ to me.

only 1 in the neighborhood has 3rd car. (we are on the higher end of neighborhood but we are ok with that sense we love the area)

@kynsmama I grew up with a sunroom lol so hard for me to say no to one haha The thought would be to do a bump instead of 3rd car and then add a shed (aka save me about 4-5k on the garage so I can put that towords the sunroom

Given the new information that only one house has a 3-car garage, I am going to amend my previous answer. Agree with Virgil, don't over improve your home. Drop both the 3 car garage and the sun room ideas. That sunroom as stated in your original post is really poorly designed as far as I can see. What other options do you have that might be better off not being completed by the builder? Post a list here. Remember add on's are where the builders really hit you hard in pricing.

how were you planning to use the 3rd car garage

Is there an hoa? Do they have rules about parking overnight on the drive?

In our old area the 3 car garage was a huge selling point. We moved and here in the new place it is not so important.

The sun room pictured is nice, but im not getting a "wow" out of it.

Agree with Virgil. And to maximize your investment - let the forums help you make your home as functional as possible. To that end, I'd post your plan on the Kitchens forum too for layout advice. I'm not sure the angled island is doing you any favors.

Put in the 3rd car garage with 12 double hung windows in it and vinyl flooring.

Agree 1000% with Virgil.

And agree with chicagoans the kitchen needs work.

Virgil I agree .. in our situation we tech could do both but I'm trying to stay in a tight budget and honestly in the past I wouldn't even consider a 3rd car but everyone keeps telling me I "need it " lol

jn344 they do not. (just no rv and boats)

so are you suggesting skip both and put the money where (I do have the budget to do 10k) more to the house? (this is with 20% down fyi)

without the bump out, I can't see fitting a dining table in there. And, if you can change it - that kitchen really needs work....

I'm open for suggestions on layout. Pictures would be helpful *Not sure how much flexibility we have on the kitchen (What I posted is what is "standard" ) aka comes with base price. (Context Family of 7 ( 5 boys! 12, 6, 5, 2 , 8 m and done ;-D )

+10 for revised kitchen layout.

Post your plan at the Kitchen forum.

Also, is that mudroom big enough for seven people, five of whom are kids?

yeah we are putting up 5 hooks with 2 square cubes stacked *it looks nice

Do you need the "hobby room" for anything? If you don't, you might think about making that space part of the garage to use for bikes, toys, lawn mower etc. Then perhaps you don't need the third car garage. We have a three car garage but only two cars - that extra space is GREAT for all the kid and adult stuff that lives in the garage. It should be easy for the builder to change and actually cost him a little less to build (since you won't need finishes/a door/etc). It would also give you a window in the garage.

5 kids and one bathroom upstairs for them? Wow - good luck with that! Are you already committed to this house? For me, I would consider a model with a less spacious master area and figure out how to get another full bath up there.

I guess I’ll go against the grain...assuming that open area with the windows is the “sun room,” I would choose that. It really expands the space and lets a lot of light in. It’s not the same type of sun room that I’ve seen before which is tacked on the side of the house with no heating or cooling. I’m not sure how easy this would be to add later...I imagine you’d have to demo the exterior. I would plan on doing the third garage at a later date. I’d see if there is anything you can do now to set up for a garage to be added on later. Also, I agree...I’d try to get another bathroom upstairs.

I go with the sunroom, too, and here's why. You can build a shed for cheap at some point, and until then you'll probably keep one car inthe driveway, and all the bikes and basketballs in the garage along with the yard and snow tools.

The sunroom will make a great playroom while the little ones are little. I've seen that sunroom with nothing in it but a low-pile play rug and Lego. Or balls. Or plastic hockey sticks. Or those big Little Tykes (slide, trikes, trains) Or Hot Wheels. Or dollhouses. Or art projects (easy-to-clean tile floor). Usually just one or two of those. But a great playspace, near you but not, outdoors but not.

After they are done with those types of toys, it can be dining space and added living space.

You don't need the shed until Boy #1 gets a car. Oops, didn't mean to scare ya lol!

Upstairs, I wonder if you can steal some space from the game room to make a reach-in closet for Bedroom 2, and use its walk-in closet to expand the bathroom. 5 boys will need more counterspace, more drawer storage, and (I can't believe I'm saying this, I'm usually a 1-sink gal) 2 sinks.

Downstairs, consider eliminating the study closet and adding a shower to the powder room.

Here's an idea: why don't you not do the three car garage and not do the sunroom? Both are simply add-ons, which can easily be done later at any time when you can afford and truly need one or both.

Okay, this has me interested....

My husband and I, in an effort to not over-build for the tract/production neighborhood we're in, decided to skip the 1/2 garage add-on (among other things).

How does one gracefully add a 1/2 bay to a garage (I'd love a window in there, too, lol), when the house is completely 100% bricked? I have extra bricks, but not 1/2 a garage bay's worth of them. :-D

5 hooks in a mudroom for 5 kids ain't gonna cut it. You need twice that, because they will also have coats, backpacks, snow pants, a sweatshirt, and they will wear two things at a time. The parents, too. Then there's the crossover season. Yesterday I wore my down coat, today it was my field coat. Both were on the hooks.

I expect the "hobby room" will be the "gear room". I recommend you give it a door to the outside.

I keep coming back to your tight budget comment. Personally, I wouldn’t do either one at this point. Overextending yourself right at the beginning of your project will bite you in the butt.

tight budget (not overextending but because we want to have a stronger savings) if its the right thing to do I have teh cash (over 20% to put down )

This is said with great sympathy. We couldn't afford new to house our growing family adequately. Kids need space and 5 boys are just going to get bigger and bring friends. You are already financially stretched.

Consider a big old house you can easily afford and save the money for later.

^Agree. FYI, remember that closing costs and pre-paid expenses eat up a lot of cash over and above the down payment. Hopefully you have a great mortgage person that has given you accurate figures. Don't spend what you think might be extra funds, because it could very well be the funds you need for closing if you stay with this purchase.