Sorry, auto correct
better change future sale price
Several contractor friends keep saying ‘don’t bother with permits’ but I really want the 800sf on the records
There is 800sf (per official records) down there. We will go from a 1700sf 3/2 to a 2500sf 4/3!
cool!!!
absolutely agree- an addition that large needs to be permitted, especially since you are adding a bath.
Now that you will have downstairs space, can you slide another refrigerator down there and make the upstairs one smaller to go with your beautiful design?
Great news! 800 sq of living space is a lot of living space! 
If its not too late, I will chime in that I love having big, deep sinks and have never liked small prep sinks that I rarely ever see used. We have always had a large single sink as well as a large deep laundry sink, both in our kitchen. The few rare times we can’t fit something in the kitchen sink, it has always fit in the laundry sink. We have stainless sinks with stainless drainboards on either side, which double as countertops.
We also have plain front fridge, 30" cook top, and don’t even have or want icemaker! I think getting permits for the extra 800’ is smart and will increase the value of the home and maybe make it appropriate for a multi generation home–grandparents on bottom floor and younger family above.
I think the glass garage door adds enough of a wow factor to be worth the cost. I think it will really help with curb appeal. But really the whole facade should be considered as a single integrated design. Have you figured out what you are doing with that fence in the front?
Oh, cb, that is fantastic news about the garage. This house is going to be spectacular!!
With the space downstairs, are you tempted to open up more of the main floor and to do an upside down plan with bedrooms below?
I’d be tempted to talk to an architect at this point, with these sorts of major changes on the horizon.
would you be able to put in decks both above and below?
that would expand the floor space visually and make it seem even bigger!
There is a lot of square footage upstairs that is maximizing the views. The master bedroom has the views and the living area has views. I still have the strange entry sitting area. I don’t see any reason to move some bedrooms downstairs. I really want to create a home that aging couple or family with older kids can all live on one floor. Maybe a family with a teenager can house the teenager downstairs in the new bed/bath.
As far as I can tell right now, there are not any good views from the downstairs. Currently it has at least 18’ high ceilings down there so that floor is pretty far down the slope.
Regarding garage door… I think the frosted glass / laminate may have the ‘illusion’ of security issues. But, I’m not really sure what the difference is between breaking out a garage window versus breaking out a front window in the house? Only an idiot would stand out on the street and start breaking windows. If they really wanted to break into the house they should go into the back somewhere and try to break a window. However, good luck with this house… those back windows are 16’ off the ground
Regarding front of house… the wood cage surrounding the front of the house is coming down. But it’s not coming down for awhile because it actually provides security for us while house is full of tools. It will be the last thing to get finished (while deck is being built)
Have not decided on color scheme yet, but will probably keep it the darker gray/brown that it is now because that is a contemporary color. At first I thought the outside of the house did not really need painting, but in reality it does. Paint is peeling in some areas, there is weird ‘siding’ stuff around the windows that needs to get replaced with something nicer. Oh boy… have no idea how my painters are going to work on the back of the house
I’m almost positive that these glass garage door are made with laminated safety glass like in a car windshields. You might be able to break it put then you will have cut through the the plastic, not easy to do with all the broken glass sticking to it! Much easier to break a plate glass window! Also won’t you have a lock that goes between the house and garage?
Deck below and above is a great idea!!! It removes the need to build 3ft terraces in the landscape.
If someone really wants to use that slope they can spend 100s of hours and 1,000s of dollars like the neighbor next door. Her multi-terrace scheme is full of sculptures and all kinds of landscaping and hardscape that took a huge amount of time. I have no idea who is going to walk down through all those terraces to each of the little shaded patio areas she built, but I give her an A for effort.
The door between my garage and the house has a lock… But we never lock it. Too inconvenient.
And we figure that if someone breaks into the garage, nobody’s going to hear them kick the door in, so…
We live in a safe neighborhood though.
I think the garage door has a great, contemporary look and believe that, if someone choses to break into a house, they’ll find a way and I don’t think through a safety-laden piece of glass only gaining entry to the garage (which COULD have a locked door to the house) is likely.
Great news on the lower level and the confirmation that IKEA cabinets are the way to go. Exciting, CB!
I’d rather be inconvenienced than have my house robbed, or worse.
On one of the forensics shows I watch way too much of, I remember a woman was murdered because she didn’t lock that door. It’s one thing to have someone break into your garage – so they steal a few tools, maybe even your lawn mower – but if the door to the house isn’t locked, you might as well just leave the front door open too. Also, sometimes folks forget to close the garage.
We always lock the door from the garage to the house at night. It’s not inconvenient at all. Just unlock first thing in the morning so you don’t accidently lock yourself out.
The main reason we started this practice is because a neighbor told us that people can accidently leave their garage door up, and thieves look for these opportunities. In the 25 years we have lived in our development, the homes that were robbed were because they left their garage door up inadvertently.
Your average grade 3 consumer door locks provide pretty much zero in the way of security against someone who wants to be in your house. Almost all locks can be quickly and easily bumped open, and it doesn’t take all that much to force the door in either.
I’ve got grade 2 locks on my rentals, which provides beefed up components and 4 inch screws into the wood, and they’ve been kicked in without much problem.
I’m not saying it’s not worth locking your doors, but don’t kid yourself about how much protection it’s giving you.