First, you should have enough land not to angle the garage. We had to do this with our house because of the lot, but I would not have chosen it otherwise. If I had the space and I wanted to have the angled garage, I would connect through a breezeway and not try to get the garage geometry to work with the rest of the house.

I would say that I think a north facing back yard is actually NICE, but I want the public rooms to have south facing windows to take advantage of passive solar. Our current house has this, and I like it. Our backyard is somewhat shaded in the summer, making it enjoyable to be out there, and we get nice sun into our living room in the winter, which is in the front of our house. (We are in MN).

However...

It looks like you're on an axis, and your backyard faces northEAST. It would be good to know the actual ANGLE - the best for passive solar would be to have the long axis of your house within 15 degrees of due south (meaning the long axis is oriented west-east, and most rooms have south facing windows). You may want to consider a different shape - maybe an L - to get more of your windows on the south side of your house (specifically your living room, which will be shaded by your sun room and will really not get any direct sun). The best layout would be to block direct west sun with your garage.

Regarding the pool - as long as it's far enough away from your house it won't be in the shade. In midsummer, the shade only extends about 10' from our 2 story house. Your pool is also in the east, not directly north, so it will have full morning sun and may not ever be in full shadow (again, depends on the actual bearing). No one says you need your house to be parallel to the road either.

Of course, I think I know the answer to this question already, but have you spoken to an architect? These questions can all be answered by your architect, who will know the best orientation for you to maximize your light.

Thanks anj_p

You really think the garage should be on the west side?
I’m sooo torn, I feel like I want west windows BUT I have NO knowledge of all this whatsoever

We so far only had one meeting with her, I will definitely ask more questions on our next meeting

Have you considered engaging a local that can gather all the information needed to properly site a house that meets our needs?

West is the hottest, strongest sun of the day. If you are not on one of the coasts, Canadian summers will make you regret every west window you have (I grew up in S. Ontario). Enjoy sunsets on your deck and let your garage save you on air-conditioning bills.

Mark bischak

Yes we are in touch with a designer we’ve had one meeting , I’m just waiting to see what she drafts up. I guess I’m just looking for other thoughts is all

Yes, you want to block west sun, so yes, garage on that side is the best. Otherwise you'll have your blinds closed in the late afternoon all summer. I'd never want my kitchen windows facing west that's for sure. (I grew up in a house facing due west... the rooms on that side of the house were miserable).

An architect is who you want. Anyone can call themselves a "designer". Beware of trying to save money on your biggest purchase ever, by buying cheaper advice.

An architect will want to know, in detail, your "must have" and "like to have". They should ask about how you will live in the house, now and in future. For example, do you entertain often? How many people? Formally or informally? Overnight guests - how many and for how long? Etc. Office space for occasional zoom calls or does someone work at home often?

They won't want your solutions. They'll just have to waste time talking you out of the ideas that may or may not be right. Trust them to give you the solutions - that's what they're trained to do. You bring the prioritized wish list and the budget.

There is more oversight on designers in Canada than the US.