You will benefit greatly by receiving local professional assistance in the design of your project. All that detail that you are not sharing with us is very important.

Mark Bischak - Do you mean like a window/door company or a framer?

I mean an architect.

I have a designer who is family. He’s doing this for free. Hiring anyone else would be out of the picture.

The detail I was leaving out has to do more so with the second build on the property. This first build is my main concern.

Here’s more pictures.

Your windows are fine, it's everything else that needs work.

I always wonder when someone fails to notice simple problems, like the kitchen windows on the elevation, and the 2 windows on the entrance side of the house.

How long do you expect to live there?

Can you orient the building so the windows face south?

Will this eventually be a detached garage?

PPF - Are you saying that they aren’t high enough compared to cabinets?
We expect to live here for at most 5-7 years.
As far as facing south, south west is the closest I can get it due to fence line.
Also it will be detached.

Or are you saying the windows on front entrance vs side are not the same heights?

Why is hiring anyone else out of the picture? I do not think the Closet, Storage, and Pantry are designed in the most efficient manor. Check with local garage overhead door suppliers to see if 8'-8" wide doors are economical standard sizes.

Mark Bischak - What would you change about the closet, storage, and pantry?

Size, shape, and location.

Why is hiring anyone else out of the picture?

It does not seem to make financial sense to build a house and then to turn it into a garage?

Mark - I gave my reason, someone in my family is helping design for free.

RTHawk - I’m not asking if it makes financial sense. I know in the long run it will cost more, but as of now I’m building smaller. The dream house can be later.

Not trying trying to be rude, but If anyone’s comments don’t pertain to the advice I’m seeking please keep it to yourself.

Peace!

Just make sure you put in a correct size continuous header to cover the 8’ 8” spans. Mark is just looking out for you, I’d consider it constructive criticism. Sounds like you are one of those that seeks opinions but is only looking for Reinforcement . Mark already said the windows are fine and it sounds like that was what you were looking for.

Historically, windows have always been the most pleasing to the human eye when they are placed symmetrically in a facade. This is not always the easiest placement for a floor plan, but it is important in filling our built environment.

There are numerous threads in these discussions about how to “ fix” these badly arranged facades. The houses with the ill-placed windows and doors stand out in a community and telegraph the thought:

” I was designed and built by someone who didn’t know much, or didn’t care, about good design principles and practices. And someone who doesn’t care about what the community has to live with either.”

You no doubt have the right to build an ugly house, and that you and your family don’t even know ugly when you see it is all the more reason to hire some who does.

Just remember that this building is a reflection of you. That is why people here are telling you, kindly, to hire someone who knows what they are doing.

My opinion on windows...

@ulisdone says

There are numerous threads in these discussions about how to “ fix” these badly arranged facades. The houses with the ill-placed windows and doors stand out in a community and telegraph the thought: :

” I was designed and built by someone who didn’t know much, or didn’t care, about good design principles and practices. And someone who doesn’t care about what the community has to live with either.”

Correction: House windows are OFTEN not symmetrical. This is true in many styles, especially post-colonial, including MCM, industrial, Victorian, craftsman cottage, etc. etc. Plus, there's no reason not to be unique even if a neighbor or two have conventional tastes.

So, @Christian Arispe, I don't think you need to be beholden to someone else's taste when it comes to window choice! Garages are utility buildings; IMO let form follow function.

What kind of climate are you in? That bank of windows is facing south, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on where you live.

What are the overall dimensions of a 3-car garage? Your spaces look kinda big for a 3-car scenario, but whaddo I know. This garage is bigger than my house lol.

Mark - I gave my reason, someone in my family is helping design for free.

And what is your family person's design background?

Mark is an architect , you could just google his name. Seems odd you have a designer but are coming here for design questions. Your first post doesn’t even ask a question and it seems a little unclear of what exactly you are looking for.

Goodness. Looks like I’ve offended some people here. Not what I intended. I actually meant that comment for RTHawk. Where I come from, it’s a bit rude to advise someone on their money.

But since so much hate is coming this way, I’ll request that this post be deleted.

But I will say this, I’m not one to only seek out 1 opinion. Even if I hired an architect, I’d still be here asking the opinion of others. If I didn’t care about the house I’m building, I’d take the first opinion given.

As for Mark, I apologize if I came off rude. That was not my intention. I answered the question and was simply saying that I stated it previously (wasn’t sure if you saw it). Thank you for your opinion on the windows and design of the house.

@Christian Arispe

I would start with re-thinking the pantry and closets. IMO 3'6" is not a very helpful width. Clothes on clothes hangers take up at least 2'. So, where would you stand if it's a walk-in? Plus, you waste space for the space you need to walk into. Instead, that space could be added to the bedroom. If it were me, I'd do reach-in closets, and make them 2'6".

For the same reason, I would change the pantry. If it were me, I'd have a reach-in pantry (or pull-outs of some kind). I'd use the extra space that makes to make the bedroom closet longer. Even if it's just 2 of you, having extra space in that second bedroom closet will be very useful. Reach-in and longer would be very helpful.

Right now, the pantry has more space allocated than your storage for "miscellaneous". Do you have camping gear? Out-of-season clothes? A bicycle? Yard stuff? Duvets? My house is smaller than this space, yet I have more storage space, and I have a mandatory utility room (it has specialized equipment for high-efficiency energy management).

If you are set on designing this yourselves, I would look at ideas for "granny cottages" and small houses. You can start here: Small House Bliss

Look at the layout for this one, for instance: River Road House

No need to apologies, I was not offended and did not think you were being rude.

Sometimes the fact that a family member designs houses, is reason to use someone else. I designed a family cottage for an architect once. The reason they did not design it themselves was, 1) he worked in large commercial projects his entire career and had no experience with residential architecture and 2) he could evade any blame for anything any family member had a problem with.