Changes cost an absolute bomb so consider your modifications carefully Joy. Looking at both plans you've not altered the design much rather you've moved rooms around whilst trying to retain the original content. Some rooms appear less usable as a result. The #2/bed/study is one, seems too small, even the guest bed seems smaller and it didn't appear large to begin with. Without room dimensions it's a bit tougher to make comments however. I wonder why you made the guest bathroom a powder room given the location is such that it won't be used as frequently as the bathroom off the main living area? Sure put the doorway into the guest room so the bathroom can service the bed/study too but don't lose the shower up there. Nothing worse for guests than having to pad through the main living area in their pj's to the shower or worse with a towel wrapped around their middles on the return trip to get dressed. It's enough to put some off their cornflakes! I'd seriously rethink some of those changes Joy they will cost you a lot with little gain methinks. I'm sorry to sour the mood I know it's an exciting time but I'd hate to see you make expensive and possibly unnecessary decisions.

A northern frontage. Alright, then I'd move the garage to the NW corner, to take the brunt of the summer sun. I probably wouldn't flip the plan, I'd redesign, as you want rarely used rooms in the west, not your living areas. If you'll be working from home, predominantly in the study, I think a lot of thought should be put into it's location, among other things. I certainly wouldn't want it facing west! I'm interested to hear people's thoughts on which direction is best for studies. I've heard some people say north facing studies are not great due to the refection on computer screens from the all-day sunlight. If that's the case I'd locate the study on the east to get morning sun, to start the day in a good mood. Possibly in the SE corner, for dual-aspect, if the study should take pride of place. I'd have OPEN planned living on the eastern side, running north to south, so that all these rooms can gain northern light. So to the west. Garage, guest bedroom (if it's rarely used), laundry, bathrooms, maybe lounge (with a predominantly south window, not west). Upstairs, have corner bedroom windows face mainly north & south, smaller windows east, & none facing west. As I mentioned, have a good read of the Your Home website. Your architect friend should read it all, & know this stuff! Orientation & passive design is critical for creating a comfortable efficient home, & should be the first thing a decent architect or building designer thinks about when designing a home.

I would just like to thank all of you brilliant people too, as well as Karyn. I am I’m a similar boat with respect to only having fur babies and wanting in the future to have a home and not just a house , that meets our needs. Although my first decision will be whether to continue throwing away money in my current money pit of a home, where it is all about the land value and people - such as my new neighbours, remove the house and build oversized mansion for the block or alternatively buyers want to walk in and will pay $1.3 - $1.7 for the mansion that is already completed. Neither of which are within my means or suit my living needs .....pity my house is such a money pit. With all this rain, it has highlighted possible multiple roof leaks from tile roof - easy to see where there is no sheeting on ceiling. Anyway....... As well as being extremely impressed and actually touched by how much Houzz users are prepared to help another stranger ....kindness of the human spirit.....Karyn, I have been reflecting on how much you are teaching many people about the ‘process’ of buying a turnkey house and land package. Don’t underestimate how much you are helping others who may consider venturing down this path and are naive to all the constraints associated with this type of build etc....particularly when one has the additional stress of being otherwise alone on the journey and overwhelmed by the things one has to consider.... Wishing you the best of luck Karyn with both the process and the outcome. and thank you houzzers for your creativity and generosity to strangers....

Ashjean I have had a play with your house and suggest the following very basic layout at this time to see if you like it I would have the garage on the Battleaxe drive way along with laundry, bathroom and study, this could be built on the boundary with the eaves on this side reduced if needed, Windows would be high light up under any eaves. I suggest that the bedrooms are on the western boundary which will be quieter and cooler with plantings, the hard surfaces of the driveways will store any day time heat that will be released over night Keeping the floorplan simple with removing the extra passage to separate the bedrooms and bathroom and using a simple roof without too many extra ridges will save you money. Can you please confirm the front width of your block and the length