Does that mean the current sliders will remain in place in the living room?
Will you get matching sliders for the garage patio entryway?
Yes, the large 8 ft patio sliders will remain in the living room.
Downstairs, because of the stairs coming down into the family room we have reconfigured the large garage door opening. Now I will put in something (not sure yet) that is 10 ft wide and 8 ft tall. Then there will be a fixed window above the stairs coming down. I have a plan I can load
I loaded a photo of the plan for the garage door side of the room that shows the window, stairs coming down and large slider or door opening. Haven’t decided what to put in the 10’ wide opening.
Is there any particular reason you want to keep this door? Is it a code issue?
Otherwise, why not close it off and put in a really big closet? Or grab a little more room for the bathroom.
That is a very good question. Right now, that is the only safe way to get to the downstairs - using the stairs along the south side of house. So, we put in a brand new door there. I don’t think it is a code issue but more of a stucco patch ‘fill in’ issue.
There is also another reason we kind of need that hallway. You can see a small square inside the crawlspace area that is the water heater. Currently the water heater is located way inside the crawl space. I think it is the oddest thing. If you need to adjust the heat you have to get into the crawlspace and go to the dark corner. If you leave on vacation and want to turn down water heater, you have to go into the crawlspace. So, I wanted to make a door in that hallway that would open up to a new built in cabinet holding the water heater. You can adjust water heater from that doorway.
So, it’s a trade off between existing new exterior door for access outside and up the stairs… and access to the water heater versus a larger bathroom and slightly larger bedroom closet.
In all honesty, I don’t think buyers are going to notice the issue with the water heater until they need to access it later. They will notice a larger bathroom and closet. What a dilemma!
Well… you could move the water heater over to near the door to the crawlspace.
I can’t tell from the pictures if this is possible, but since you are going to be putting a deck on the lower level anyway, add a walkway to get around to the stairs from the deck.
I swear it’s not a conspiracy, but I agree with @notrichenough . 
I’d been staring at the door in the Downstairs Bedroom and couldn’t recall if that door was already there or is a newly-installed one. If it’s a newly-installed door, would you consider putting it on the opposite end of this wall – i.e., in the Bedroom – and re-configure this end of the space so that you’d have both a larger closet and bring the water heater “inside” rather than having it sit on a extending slab. Otherwise, that hallway opposite the closet looks like a waste of space.
Ugh, you people are too fast for me. I only endorse Post #1144.
I would curse you every time I had to crawl out to the water heater, if I was the buyer. I vote for access to the water heater!
Pretty much the only time I’ve ever had to touch any of my water heaters has been to replace them. I don’t bother turning the temp down when I go on vacation, the savings are miniscule.
The plumb might be cursing when he has to replace it…
We rarely access our water heater either–about once every few years, including replacing them as needed. We put in a grey box at one point that was supposed to help put the water heater on a timer and then put up a solar water heater after that. I think the homeowner would like usable space more than being concerned about access to the water heater thermastat.
Couldn’t you put a large closet in that lower bedroom that would occupy the currently drawn closet and little hallway, with an access panel to the water heater from the closet?
eliminate the door to the outside from the new downstairs area. there is no need for it with the new inside staircase.
move the water heater to where that current door is planned so the WH butts up against the wetwall of the new lower level bathroom. Shorter run= happy plumber!
Put in an access door to it from the new lower bedroom.
If you keep the WH in the current crawl space that cant be accessed easily, it will be a PITB if it leaks or needs to be drained or replaced.
I’d also get rid of the exterior door in the lower bedroom and make the hallway part of a walk in closet. And either add an access panel from the closet to the water heater (probably cheapest option) or move the water heater closer to the crawl space door.
On the other hand, do you need an egress window or door in that bedroom on that side of the room to meet fire code requirements (given that the west facing wall has a steep drop off)? Or is the fact that there’s a steep drop off irrelevant under the code?
It’s all looking good!
Any updates on the cost or structural requirements on the decks?
I agree with CB that the need to fill in the stucco on the exterior is a major reason to keep the door.
Glad to hear those doors are remaining in the LR I honestly do not think that will detract from the view or the eventual sale…especially since you can mention their noise reducing quality.
I’m assuming you are completely replacing the hot water heating system. How does your plumber feel about crawling in to do so?
At this time we do not need to replace the water heater, it looks like it is still in it’s life. I believe it was 2009 model and so it is only 6 years old. There is full head room in that area of the crawl space, it’s just so odd that they stuck it way back in the corner.
Eliminating the exterior door = stucco patching on exterior which is always a pain in the butt. But, frankly it is not in an area of the house that anyone is going to notice it cosmetically. Also, since we have to close in the large garage door area on other side a bit for the stair case to come down, I probably am going to have stucco patching there also. I always try so hard not to have any stucco patch because it is a pain in the butt and requires the stucco guy to come do it.
Moving Water Heater - this is the slightly bigger issue. The main plumbing for water heater is located there. If I move a water heater then we have to redo the main line, both cold input and hot output. Frankly, I would always want a water heater near the bathrooms to get hot water quicker. Don’t really care if I get hot water really quick to the kitchen. If I move it, might move it to the other side of crawlspace to be under the two upper bathrooms.
I need to investigate the hot water issue with my carpenter/plumber so he can tell me how much work is involved.
Sounds like the easiest solution would be to add a light and a switch, so that it’s not dark in the corner any more. 
The life of “newer” hot water heaters I usually means death the day after the warranty runs out. At our first house, we had the original one until it was about 20 years old. We replaced that…and then replaced it again six years later.
When we built our new house, we did tankless off the boiler.