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| eds1275:
--- Quote from: Fordman on January 14, 2011, 10:57:37 pm ---I look at it as the box I live in, so Im gonna make it comfortable for my family and I. Fordman --- End quote --- That is exactly how I feel! But if you don't have the money, you don't have it. $50k plus is a big chunk o change, especially to be over budget. I'd tell her to redo those plans within the budget you specified - after all, if you're going to pay her, she better do her job. I suspect she may be feeling you out for cash, to see what you really have. I mean, it's definitely in her best interests, and you can't blame her really... every business is out to make money. But she needs a good sit-down and make her understand. I personally would give her the plans you like and say... "I like this. Now make it work within our budget." Even if it means leaving out the bar - plumb it and add it later. Ask them to install conduit for you but not add the wiring for your fancy stuff. I find that I get stuff cheap if I buy it, but ask a professional to put some wire in the cost jumps like 1000%. Maybe go shopping and provide the stuff they need and have them install it. I was in a fancy lighting store the other day - wall sconce, $180... same wall sconce @ home depot, $35. I ended up going to the deconstruction place, buying a wall sconce from the 80's and repainting it - for $4. |
| shmokes:
--- Quote from: javeryh on September 07, 2010, 11:47:39 am --- For example, the 20'x25' space on the second floor for the master bathroom and bath seems HUGE. We are going to also add a nice walk-in closet but even after that it still seems like we have a lot of wasted space. --- End quote --- Sorry if this has been addressed, but why not make some of that space a big outdoor terrace with a hot tub? |
| javeryh:
--- Quote from: eds1275 on January 15, 2011, 01:59:01 pm --- --- Quote from: Fordman on January 14, 2011, 10:57:37 pm ---I look at it as the box I live in, so Im gonna make it comfortable for my family and I. Fordman --- End quote --- That is exactly how I feel! But if you don't have the money, you don't have it. $50k plus is a big chunk o change, especially to be over budget. I'd tell her to redo those plans within the budget you specified - after all, if you're going to pay her, she better do her job. I suspect she may be feeling you out for cash, to see what you really have. I mean, it's definitely in her best interests, and you can't blame her really... every business is out to make money. But she needs a good sit-down and make her understand. I personally would give her the plans you like and say... "I like this. Now make it work within our budget." Even if it means leaving out the bar - plumb it and add it later. Ask them to install conduit for you but not add the wiring for your fancy stuff. I find that I get stuff cheap if I buy it, but ask a professional to put some wire in the cost jumps like 1000%. Maybe go shopping and provide the stuff they need and have them install it. I was in a fancy lighting store the other day - wall sconce, $180... same wall sconce @ home depot, $35. I ended up going to the deconstruction place, buying a wall sconce from the 80's and repainting it - for $4. --- End quote --- We told her to completely stop working on our project. Hopefully she will get the hint that we just don't have money coming out of our asses. I would tell her to do it over but I don't want to incur one more cent on the design until we have a better handle on everything. I'm definitely open to doing what you have suggested - put in the plumbing for a master bathroom but maybe not finish it for a few years and use it as a closet in the meantime - same thing with the basement bar, etc. Anything we can do to just get the physical space now. We have plenty of time to make it "nice" over the next 30+ years or however long we stay. --- Quote from: shmokes on January 15, 2011, 05:15:35 pm --- --- Quote from: javeryh on September 07, 2010, 11:47:39 am --- For example, the 20'x25' space on the second floor for the master bathroom and bath seems HUGE. We are going to also add a nice walk-in closet but even after that it still seems like we have a lot of wasted space. --- End quote --- Sorry if this has been addressed, but why not make some of that space a big outdoor terrace with a hot tub? --- End quote --- I don't think there is that much room! Also, I would never use a hot tub and my wife would probably use it less than me. An outdoor terrace is an interesting idea though. I'd probably just need room for a chair and I'd sit out there all the time. Anyway, we have been doing some saving since November and we are thinking that we are going to explore going forward with everything. The lead time to even start is 9 months (we need a variance) and assuming neither of us lose our jobs, if the build takes another 6-9 months from the starting point we are at the end of 2012 and by that time we will be able to save up the difference... although I am not sure how I feel about spending so much in general but I'm sure I'll love the extra space. We have decided to go with these plans with maybe a few small tweaks (the new rooms are off the back of the house (top of the drawings)): Additional items: - convert separate 2 car garage into 1 car garage - new basement in addition area/excavate existing basement 2-3 ft. to level of new basement - basement will be completely unfinished other than plumbing (cinderblock/slab) - Second floor bathroom will be redone to be much smaller than existing After tax season ends on Monday we will begin getting estimates from various contractors. I'm nervous but excited. |
| DNA Dan:
I know a lot is up in the air with your addition from reading your thread, however there are two glaring things I think you should consider. 1) The half bath location right in the kitchen is a very poor location. No one wants to be cooking a meal while (insert your buddy's name) is taking a nasty dump. I would seriously consider moving this, or changing the entrance to another side. 2) The seating bar needs to go. There is no way to access the kitchen from the living room through this location. You need to walk all the way through the dining area to get to the sink. I would make the stove area an island with the bar on the other side, or even a cutout opening overlooking the dining room. You can then make a cut through next to the sink to access the kitchen from two sides. I would also consider moving the sink in a different location so you aren't looking at the front door. 3) Since you don't have an enclosed media room anyway and the space is fairly small to begin with, I would keep the dining and living area completely open to each other. This will make the area feel much larger. You can always get by with enclosed speakers on floorstands that will knock your socks off. Just some things to think about. I can imagine you have been doing a lot of that lately. As for Architects and General Contractors, unfortunately there are 10 terrible ones out there for every decent one you can find. Get references and talk to a lot of their customers. |
| javeryh:
--- Quote from: DNA Dan on April 14, 2011, 05:44:12 pm ---I know a lot is up in the air with your addition from reading your thread, however there are two glaring things I think you should consider. --- End quote --- Awesome - this is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for when I started this thread. :cheers: --- Quote from: DNA Dan on April 14, 2011, 05:44:12 pm ---1) The half bath location right in the kitchen is a very poor location. No one wants to be cooking a meal while (insert your buddy's name) is taking a nasty dump. I would seriously consider moving this, or changing the entrance to another side. --- End quote --- I know. The bathroom was there when we moved in. It is actually underneath the stairs and is very tiny. I don't know where else we could put it. We actually have a "no crapping" policy in the house with regards to that bathroom - if you have to take a dump you go upstairs. I'm all for finding a solution but I think relocating the bathroom will be very expensive and we already are going to be stretched on this project. The good news is that a second renovation in 5, 7 or 10 years (whenever) can accomplish this with hopefully not affecting the current design. --- Quote from: DNA Dan on April 14, 2011, 05:44:12 pm ---2) The seating bar needs to go. There is no way to access the kitchen from the living room through this location. You need to walk all the way through the dining area to get to the sink. I would make the stove area an island with the bar on the other side, or even a cutout opening overlooking the dining room. You can then make a cut through next to the sink to access the kitchen from two sides. I would also consider moving the sink in a different location so you aren't looking at the front door. --- End quote --- Yes! You are right and this is something that we struggled with but I don't think there is a (non-expensive) solution here. The architect wanted to effectively rotate the entire layout of the kitchen 90 degrees counterclockwise and make a doorway to the right of the sink but she indicated that this would be VERY expensive. Again, it is something that we can revisit down the road hopefully not affecting the current design (we are going to redo the kitchen eventually - we hate the paint and the tile). Very interesting idea about the stove/island. I'm going to play with that one. --- Quote from: DNA Dan on April 14, 2011, 05:44:12 pm ---3) Since you don't have an enclosed media room anyway and the space is fairly small to begin with, I would keep the dining and living area completely open to each other. This will make the area feel much larger. You can always get by with enclosed speakers on floorstands that will knock your socks off. --- End quote --- I agree completely here. There is (another) cost issue regarding the opening between the new room and the dining room. There are posts showing in the drawing which wouldn't need to be there if they installed a steel beam in the ceiling - again - this is added cost. We were thinking about maybe a 1/2 wall or something on the sides of the posts - I hate freestanding posts. This is still up in the air and maybe this is something we just have to suck up and spend the extra money on. Also, our enclosed media room where we would watch movies and play games will be the new basement when I get that set up! --- Quote from: DNA Dan on April 14, 2011, 05:44:12 pm ---Just some things to think about. I can imagine you have been doing a lot of that lately. As for Architects and General Contractors, unfortunately there are 10 terrible ones out there for every decent one you can find. Get references and talk to a lot of their customers. --- End quote --- It is tough - I really don't know where to begin other than the phonebook. The architect has a few people she regularly uses but I kind of feel like I need some outside perspective on this. She charged a TON just for these plans and she is saying the addition will be around $100k over our budget which seems INSANE to me. I need to get a second or third or fourth opinion so I can compare. Thanks for the feedback - I'm open to any and all suggestions/criticisms on these plans. :cheers: |
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