Home chef, Thank you for the re-assurance...if we didn’t have the gorgeous view in the back we would definitely have put the workshop there. And you do see this is the front on some homes in the area.
The metal roof will definitely be more, I’m waiting on a quote from the roofer now to see just how much more. I like the energy efficiency and the look of metal. I also hate all those little pebbles that come off the asphalt roof. I do worry about cell phone reception though. I’ve been in some metal buildings that you literally have to go outside to get a signal.

PPF - you are a miracle worker. This is looking so much better already!! I don’t think I can extend the front porch at this point though. It’s already 8 x 26 and the plan is to put the hvac equipment in the indentation between the garage and house with a square lattice fence. I will take more pictures today and post them tonight.
I sure wish I had posted on here sooner. You guys have such good ideas!!!

I don’t think I can extend the front porch at this point though

I was thinking to extend to the left and around the corner just far enough so the roof works cleanly (8').

Having a hip on the left side?

If it were me, I'd do tabby just on the lower edge up to the height of the front porch and siding on the rest of the house. And I'd continue the tabby around all sides of the house. I'm not loving the tabby up to the second floor. It feels like it's cutting the house in half.

PPF - You are spot on again. I asked them last week to do a hip on the edge of the porch just like you have drawn :)

Simple is always better. Now the tabby looks like it's part of the foundation.

Cpartist - are you saying you’d only do tabby under the front porch roof? With siding everywhere else?

Oops- I see your new comment. That does look nice. In my area though, the cost of tabby is less than siding...not sure what the cost difference would be though. I’m already way over budget with the Andersen windows plus extra windows and potentially with the roof if I go with metal...so I’m hoping to minimize other overages if I can. How do you feel about all tabby or stucco?

I would be fine with all tabby or all stucco. I happen to love tabby and think it would be quite appropriate for your area and beautiful

I forgot to mention, there is also another column on the front porch, centered between the 2 windows

That works.

I like PPF's full porch roof. I also like wrapping the corners with siding or shingles or stucco and adding some larger trim to the rakes and eaves.

I revised the sketch when I realized how much the low roof pitch detracted from the design. I realize its too late to change the roof pitch but you gotta do what makes the sketch look good, right?

lower roof pitch

Sanford White's home - Box Hill

the stucco is surfaced with beach pebbles.

Looking at the site plan, I see now how extending the porch will not work.

PPF, also I did have them move the garage and workshop further apart than the site plan shows as well. I’m heading out there now and will get more pictures

Its got to work!

I see now what one of you meant about the roof mixtures. Unfortunately I don’t think there’s anything we can do about that now. It was so hard to see from just the drawing. I just wish I had posted here sooner.

Here’s more pictures from lots of angles. They haven’t added in the additional windows yet...

And a few more...

This is the front yard where the workshop will go amongst the trees and the gorgeous view in the back that hopefully helps to justify why we put the workshop in the front.

I could live with that view. #jealous

Go with all tabby. I'm betting it will be spectacular.

Beautiful site! I like the fact that the workshop is in front. I can see some interesting landscaping around it that will unify it with your gorgeous home. Consider fencing, an herb garden, etc. in other words, don’t just pave the area. Integrate it. Think of how the out buildings at Colonial Williamsburg are a part of the site. Gracious homes with working quarters....kitchens, storage buildings, etc. around them. Lovely! And....I, too, love your use of tabby!

Cpartist and ptreckel, the more I mull it over the more I’m leaning toward all tabby in the more white/creamy tone than the grey tone...everywhere. Then the steps would be brick with tabby risers and possibly brick pavers on the front porch. Would you stain the porch columns and front door? Or paint them? I’m also considering a trellis over the garage instead of the metal overhang...I could plant jasmine or a nice vine to grow over the trellis.
Since the roof is not my favorite part of the house (wish I could have had a 3D sketch before it was built) I may revert back to asphalt shingles on the roof ... this would also keep me close to budget. What do you think about metal on the front porch and across the potting bench area behind the garage?
Ptreckel, I love to work in the yard and play around with plants so I love all your landscaping ideas too.

I would paint the columns and if you do the white/cream tabby I'd do haint blue on your porch ceiling. Definitely a trellis over the garage. I thought that was what it was.

May I suggest that if you can afford it, you go with a metal gavalume roof for two reasons. 1. I think it will look good with the white tabby and brick and 2. It's better in a hurricane zone. I'm very happy with my 5V crimp roof and I do get a reduction on my insurance since it's a metal roof.

Cpartist,
I love the haint blue porch ceilings. I lived in Charleston for several years and have always wanted that since. I am hoping they actually help with the bugs too.
The first quote came back yesterday and the metal would be 12K more than the asphalt. That’s not even for standing seam. My GC is waiting on another quote now...so we will see. I just can’t justify that much extra for metal. I actually called my insurance a month or so ago and got a comparison since I had heard metal results in a discount and it was actually around $100 more per year if I do metal. I thought that was funny since everyone says metal gives you a discount. This was USAA but I could certainly get more quotes.
I’m planning to drive around my area this weekend and look for versions of tabby that I like. Hopefully I’ll get some good inspiration!! Have a wonderful day!!

Wow. For me to go from a cement tile roof to metal was only about $1600 more. Definitely worth it, but then again, tile roofs are probably more expensive than asphalt. I'm in SW Fl so asphalt doesn't wear well here at all.

I had originally wanted tabby instead of the stone I have on the bottom half of my house. It turns out that the tabby would have been more expensive for me than the stone and stucco I now have. Go figure.

And I do have haint blue porch ceilings!

Yes to all tabby in cream. Yes to painting over staining. It won't fade as fast and doesn't require the maintenance of stain. Yes to haint blue porch roof. If you do brick, use the Savannah brown, don't go red. Yes to getting a quote from someone besides USAA. Left them years ago. You can't afford it, but the roof would be beautiful in copper standing seam.

Home chef,
I love copper!! I’ll try to take some pictures of tabby versions this weekend and share here. There are so many variations, my GC also gave me an address of a house he finished recently that he thinks has a version of tabby I will like.

That's great. It's always helpful to see something in a large scale.

We all love copper, but it's become prohibitively expensive. Don't use the "copper" painted version of metal roofing. It never ages well and ends up looking weird.

I would not do any lap siding; too hard to get a good seal between boards. Also all hip roof structure in high wind coastal areas is best.

Not suggesting these colors ...

To be sure what design modifications are possible it would be helpful if you posted an accurate floor plan and a site plan that includes the actual locations of the garage, studio and driveway.

I’m sorry it’s taken a few days to respond. I saw lots of ideas when I was on the home tour. I do like tabby, but think I’ll go with mostly stucco in a cream color. PPF, I think your first drawing on Saturday looks like stucco. The apron is already on the gable over the garages so think I’ll have to keep that but will do a trellis with lanterns on each side of garage (I’ll try to post a picture of that tonilight). I love the false windows and will definitely put one over the front door and a couple on the workshop too. If I go with stucco on the main body, my GC is suggesting to do some type of band between first and second floor. What are your thoughts on the band? Also what should go in the gable areas? Stucco? Vertical siding? GC also says the stucco can be any Sherwin Williams color. Do you guys have suggestions on the perfect cream color that looks good with bronze windows?

If you decide on stucco, you need to know that stucco naturally cracks. They are little tiny hairline cracks. It's part of the material. To counteract this cracking, you need to use a special paint called elastomeric paint. Sherwin-Williams makes it. It's more expensive than regular exterior house paint because it is much thicker. As it's name suggests, it's elastic. It handles expansion and contraction of these little cracks. Regular paint won't do this. So, be certain to specify elastomeric paint.

Having said that, you can tint the paint in any color you desire. I strongly suggest that you tint the primer the color you are considering. My painter did this for me and saved me from a grave error.

I have painted three houses, one of them a historic stucco home with SW Navajo White. It looks very different on a large mass such as a house than it does on a small swatch. It's creamier looking. I pair it with haint blue on the porch ceilings.

I like the idea of the band around the middle. But, I would do it in stucco and keep it the same color as the body. I would not two tone the building, rather one single color for the entire mass. You can go white or brown on the windows as you desire.

I don't like the idea of the band. What is its purpose? To me it awkwardly cuts the house.

How dark a shade do you want to do? Also when you think of cream, are you thinking of a yellow cream, a more red cream or something more in a greige tone?

Homechef and Cpartist - The GC mentioned the elastomeric is used on stucco that is “done right”. I will check out Navajo white at SW tomorrow. I have had stucco on previous houses so I am familiar with the hairline cracks. Tinting the primer is a great idea...was there extra cost to tint it? I do think GC meant that the band would be stucco too, i am not sure about the band either though, I tend to picture the house without the band, but it’s hard to visualize the options. I do think I want window headers and sills in stucco, but not sure if they should be the same color or a slight variation in the shade. I don’t think I want the stucco trim on the sides of the windows though so the shutters would fit better and that look seems more popular now.

When I think of cream, I think of the color of heavy whipping cream but nothing with a yellow or red tint...id like a very neutral cream if I can find one.

I also keep seeing this teal color everywhere..what are your thoughts on this color for the shutters?

I also like the cream colored band in this photo

The windows are bronze Andersen 400 series and I’m thinking extra dark bronze metal roofing accents and maybe bark wood for the roofing shingles

but not sure if they should be the same color or a slight variation in the shade.

Slight variation in shade.

I personally would NOT do the shutters. Keep the look clean. Let the molding around the windows be the "trim".

Before choosing a paint coating, ask the builder if the proposed "stucco" will be cementitious or synthetic (EIFS - exterior insulation finish system) . I suggest this because the sample photo appears to be EIFS where the color would be in the acrylic finish and paint would not normally be applied.

Horizontal v-groove bands might serve as decoration, a place to stop for large panels, an expansion joint or all of the above.

RES

So the “bands” wouldn’t necessarily be a band, they could just be a groove that is an expansion joint? I like that idea better than an actual band. When I think of bands I think of all the overdone (in my opinion) bands, window trim, corner pieces that are on so many stucco houses. I do want a cleaner look.

The GC did mention something to do with “elastic” so not sure now why he gave me all the paint options. I should be talking with him today and will get more details. Are there pros and cons to each type of stucco?

There are pros and cons for any exterior cladding. I've rarely used these materials in New England. You could search the forum for opinions. But first, find out what the contractor is proposing. Its common for contractors to use jargon.

It sounds like the stucco will be cementitous. He said they basically coat the house with cement and then paint it with an elastomeric paint.

Get the stucco system described in writing.

It should have an underlayment that can drain then metal lath and then coats of cement plaster (scratch, brown and finish coats but the first two coats can be combined) plus an optional elastomeric (flexible) protective coating.

For the underlayment to drain it must be two layers or a special drainable system with a weep screed at the bottom. There are several options in the order of effectiveness:

1. two layers of asphalt saturated felt (building paper) or Grade D paper or a non-perforated housewrap (Tyvek) with a cheap perforated lumberyard brand housewrap over it.

2. A drain wrap substituted for the fist layer

3. A "rainscreen" system substituted for the first layer

Ask the contractor for a more detailed description of the stucco system. Its possible he doesn't use a drain system because he believes the elastomeric coating will prevent water from entering the stucco system. That would be true until its not true.

Ok. I think what they put on the house this week is the non perforated building wrap. Am I reading your post correctly in that if they now add a perforated cheap lumberyard brand over this, it will act as the second part of the correct first step?

Here are a few videos on how to, and how not to do stucco.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MattRisinger/search?query=stucco

You need to understand why it's important to do stucco right the first time. Once you get everything applied on the house, the stucco will no longer breathe. That means if there is a crack somewhere that allows water to intrude somewhere water will get behind the stucco, run down the wall, and not be able to evaporate. This standing water will rot the framing, damage the insulation and drywall. Then, you have a mold situation.

Given where this home is being built, all it takes is a good hurricane to find a crack and drive water inside the building. It usually happens around a poorly installed and sealed window or door. You won't know about it immediately as it takes a while for this condition to be evident. Once it's evident, it's very expensive to fix. There are lots of houses with the EFIS system that couldn't be sold due to poor installation.

If you get it right, it's a fantastic building material. If you get it wrong, it can become a nightmare. Get educated on this quickly. Make certain your GC is educated and using the right subcontractor to do the installation.

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