I finalized first draft of new 2nd story and was able to take a picture and load to Flickr. Also loaded the revised plans for main floor.
Today I spent a lot of time mapping the ‘topography’ of the lot. The calculations for the 30’ height limit are somewhat complex. I have to find the lowest point of the yard (measuring 5 ft out from exterior wall) and the highest point of the yard. I mark those two points on the plans and then calculate the ‘slope’ around the house. The 30’ height limit is not necessarily from the lowest point of the ground around the house. There is a slight calculation available. Based on my marks and slope calculations, I will gain 4’ of height available from the lowest point.
This means we can go much higher than I originally thought. However, I will need to add 3-4’ between the two floors to get the 2nd story up where we will really get stunning views. That makes for a mighty long staircase to get up to the 2nd floor and a lot of wasted room between the floors!
well, you had a mighty long staircase at flip #4! And it ended up looking and working beautifully. Go as high as you can for the view!
But wouldnt it be a good idea to have the view/ deck directly off the MBR ?Most of the time the only people up there will the the grownups.
Id move or eliminate the "bar "and make the MBR suite open onto the deck.
I’m planning a family room (empty area at top of stairs) with the serving area next to deck with pass through window. There will be a wine frig and regular small frig. So its meant as entertaining room with accordion doors that open up the room with the deck.
Maybe the spot right next to the dumbwaiter can be a tall closet to stash a vacuum, an extra patio umbrella, or any other practical things that they won’t want to haul upstairs.
Great idea. Need to add a storage closet up there. I have a linen closet in master bedroom but another tall closet in family room will help
With an outside staircase, that second floor could be rented out :)) . Could you move the door to the laundry room from the kitchen to under the stairs landing? It does look like it could be tight maneuvering laundry baskets et al around the kitchen counter. And you could include a chute from the adjacent bedroom closet straight into the laundry room. (Just having some fun brainstorming.)
In my house, I have a laundry chute from the second floor to the basement, where the laundry is located. There’s also an “entrance” to the chute from the first floor. I love, love, love this feature. Saves me from having to wrestle heavy laundry baskets downstairs.
I love laundry chutes as well…if your laundry isn’t where the bedrooms are. But where I am…these are not permitted…at all in new construction for safety reasons.
I really like the second floor plan. It lends itself to a separate living quarter if needed. I especially like the way the deck is integrated into the floor plan, rather than attached to the side of the house. Our screened in porch is configured that way, and it always feels so cozy sitting out there.
Count me as another one who really likes your jack and Jill configuration. I’ve never seen that, but if I ever have to build one, that’s the way I would want it.
Also love the separate room for the toilet in the master bath.
You and your agent must know what is wanted but I wouldn’t use that craft room for anything but storage. I don’t think I could sit in a tiny room without a window for long in a lovely house like this. My crafting space is usually my dining room table! We only use it for dining about 3 times a year.
If I had a craft room, my ding room table would NOT be covered with junk! I like the idea…but would want shelves on one wall…or something. Of course…that would make the room even smaller.
I have no way to carve out a craft room that is on exterior of house with windows. In the model homes I see, the craft room usually doesn’t have windows. On the building plans, I cannot call it a ‘room’ because it does not have windows, it has to be labeled ‘storage’. With such a large pantry and lots of cabinets and closet space in the laundry room (I’m going to have an access door in there for storage under the staircase), I’m not really sure someone needs another room with ‘storage’. I really need to re think the ‘craft room’ thing. Maybe the craft room can become the laundry room, but then I don’t know what to do with all that area next to the kitchen that is butting into the old Bedroom #2 that is currently the laundry. Maybe I can configure the powder room into there somehow.
The only laundry that needs to come down from upstairs would be laundry from Master Bedroom, but that could be significant between clothes, sheets and towels. I don’t think we are allowed to have laundry chute either here in San Diego.
I’d rather have more space in the bedrooms in than a craft room. I’d make it a walk in closet for the bedroom and get rid of the other closet.
Actually, I prefer the other layout, I think, with two separate, private ensuite bathrooms. How is the jack 'n jill treated in marketing materials? As only one bathroom? Are you making the change for cost-savings purposes?
It will be a lovely home.
I agree with the comments about repurposing the craft room. Could you make the Jack and Jill bathroom more L shaped and use the farthest right toilet/sink as the powder room? Accessible from the other wall?
Or use it as a bedroom closet as nottelling suggested and tuck the powder room under the stairs?
I like the idea of using the craft room space as the laundry room. Would it fit a large sink, maybe with a sprayer so it could be used as a dog bath? I’m also thinking of kids coming in the back door all sandy or muddy and being able to drop off swim suits/soccer shoes/wet towels etc. without having to trek through the kitchen. Then you could move the pantry into the current laundry room space and the powder room into the current pantry space. That would open up a little more space in the foyer and dining room and perhaps allow room for a broom/vacuum/mop closet. It would mean a long trip with laundry from upstairs, but not much further than now. Isn’t there space in the basement for people to do crafts or hobbies or beer making or whatever?
I love Marilyn’s suggestion! We have a laundry room just off the back entry from the garage, and it is instrumental in keeping the messes out of the rest of the house. Folks who have a walk-through laundry/mudroom commented that they liked our setup much better, because not every visitor who comes in that way needs to trudge through a maze of the laundry hampers and cat boxes which are kept in there. 
I can see a craft room totally without a window because one needs tons of storage, nooks and crannies, cubbies and shelves. I wouldn’t want to give up space for supplies to a window. JMO.
That said, I’m not a crafter so I wouldn’t need one at all. I agree with another poster who preferred each bedroom with its own bath. Again, JMO.
I can’t figure out from the drawings where the stairs to the new top level will be. I’ve looked and looked a the drawings and can’t picture it as the left side isn’t totally visible. Pretty please for help on visualizing this?
I agree with Marilyn’s suggestion for a laundry room also. In my area in PA, homes are configured so you enter the laundry room as you come into the house from the attached garage. It keeps a lot of,the mess out of the main living areas.
I don’t have an opinion about the craft room other than if I had a craft room I would prefer it closer to the kitchen and family room, because I tend to engage in hobbies during short breaks from other chores.