I didn't see the designer's plans.

Look around and see who else is available and how expensive they will be. This designer might work, but she certainly isn't bringing anything new to the design...and you have concerns about her ability on the project. Talk to friends and check places like Angie's List. Maybe someone better (and still reasonably priced) is out there! :)

Renovator - Here are the plans:

1 - Existing

2 - Her first attempt

3- My revisions to her attempt

4 - GW inspired revision

Lavender - thanks for the suggestion. Hope you are moving forward more quickly than I am!

If you are happy with your plans you have now, I'd look for a drafter, and then hire a structural engineer separately. I don't think it would be expensive for a drafter to put on paper what you have and like. And, the engineer should be consulted either way. I think you'd come out ahead to drop her.

I can't tell you what to do about hiring or firing her, but I can say that we worked with a drafter and it cost under $800 for 6 copies of our plans which included the rafter placement, energy audit, and multiple views from the outside.

I really like the last plan! The division between the bedrooms is so much better...privacy in the master suite and less noise coming from the kids' rooms...and they have their own bathroom :)

Have you considered making the island a little longer and not so deep...and moving the seating to the other side (facing the kitchen window)? It would give you room for a few more stools and you could put some cookbooks, on the end facing the dining room. Just an idea...

How big is the lower right bedroom? I would consider making this smaller and having the entrance right across from the top of the stairs.

I still see some problems with this latest version, but I don't know how important some of them are functionally.

Are people going to be using the new front entry much, and the kitchen entry, or coming up from the garage?

You still walk right into two primary rooms with no separation or sense of entry, no closet. You also walk into the kitchen (essentially) from both second floor entrances to the house. Neither is a very nice entry to the main floor of the house, and not so much if guests come up from the garage entrance either.

The new second bath upstairs and the entry into the master suite are functional but really a little "mean"--the bath seems really shoehorned in there and the entry to the master is private, but seems maze-like and there is a view from the LR directly into the bathroom. A 54" tub will be really unpleasant. You are adding 140 square feet, and gaining a tiny 32 square foot full bath, and it's hard so see what improvement the other 108 square feet (a 9 x 12 room's worth) is giving you.

I kind of don't feel like you are solving a lot considering the amount of new footage you are enclosing. I don't like to be a downer but it just seems cobbled.

Pal- Domino is working with a lot of unusual space constraints. As you can see from her original plan, the garage is actually under the living room and the front door has to stay (MOL) in that same area. The entry into the kitchen (I believe) has stairs down to the ground level and very little view/space on that side of the house.

What I really like about the new front door placement is that you now enter into the kitchen/dining area, not the living room. Kids can go straight back to their rooms or guests can easily find the new bathroom, while the master area is more private...accessed only from the living room.

The only change I would make is the island (as mentined above) so that more people could sit there and would not have their back to the living/dining areas. Also, more of a view out the front window and more space to spread out homework and baking cookies! :)

kirkhall and engineerchic - thank you for the advice.

palimpsest - I agree with many of your points. Believe me I have really struggled with how little additional space we can get and whether the flow is right and worth the money. Our goals were to have an updated and more social kitchen and a kid bath (we have 3). And this plan does that for our budget. But the word "cobbled" feels apt. I just can't figure out how to improve the plan substantially (without tearing the house down to studs and spending $400K). We did look at a bigger option (turning stairs, putting kitchen where right bedroom is, etc) but it is not affordable. Here are some answers to your questions. I appreciate any and all ideas and don't apologize for being a downer. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want feedback.

Front entry is used by guests/dh - garage by me. Kitchen entrance is rarely used (take garbage out there and get to grill and back patio down steps). I hate the lack of entry too. But the space is such I can either have an entry or a dining space it seems. 2 kids share the bedroom behind the kitchen and it is roughly 10.5x12.5 plus the closets. I am open to moving door and shrinking bedroom a bit but I think there is some sort of code about a doorway that close to an open stairwell down? Were you thinking of trying to get the bath between kitchen and bedroom? And, front and side setbacks are maxed with latest plan.

I was attempting to set the kitchen back a bit with an archway or header and some stub walls so it wasn't so prominent from the front door? For the hall bath I think we would put a shower in there due to space. And for the master we could close the existing door and put one in on the bedroom wall so there is not a view issue from the living room. Let me know if you see any way to improve the plan or if you are simply voting no go on the whole thing. I am terrified of screwing up the house. And have thought I should just update/open the kitchen and leave the rest. But then again we don't really want to share a bath with our 3 kids anymore.
Thanks again to everyone...

Hi Lavender -

Yes - if I can get the fridge off that wall I will put the island seating there - it does make more sense. It will be a matter of aisle clearances and kitchen layout (if I can ever get there!). Although the view is of the street so I think we'll usually have blinds up (or the bottom half up at least) and are going to put in skylights for more natural light. It is probably the exact opposite view and feel of your adorable farmhouse. Sigh...

Domino- Don't get down, about your remodel. I think it's going to look great! Views are nice, but inside views are just as important. Do you like herbs, in a big kitchen window? Maybe some glass shelves, above a cafe curtain? You'll still get the light, but you'll have fresh herbs for cooking, too :)

Are you going to put the fridge, where you have it in the plan...by the sink? I like it there. Close to everything, but still hidden from the living/dining rooms.

On the back wall (against the bedroom) what about a buffet/snack area? If you can afford it, a beverage fridge might be nice there...and depending how you use the microwave, maybe have that there, too.

Oh, and definitely think 'vintage' to go with that beautiful range of yours. Once you finalize your plan, you know the kitchen forum is going to have all sorts of wonderful ideas, for your finishes. That's going to be the fun part!

Since you don't use that kitchen door much, could you sacrifice it? I am not sure that going down the steps inside the house is that much longer of a trip.

Then you could consider putting the new bathroom opposite where it is now, utilizing some space from the upper right bedroom and current counterspace in the kitchen, and shift that counterspace down because there would be no door there.

The dining area could shift up slightly, and be slightly larger and you may be able to create a small entry even if it is just another short wall or small coat closet.

The closets in the bedroom seem rather deep and could be made shallower to gain a few inches.

You also may be able to get a kitchen in the plan like this without bumping out the the right only onto the porch.