Christmas gift from my sister-in-law! Yay!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1880120186/ref=ox_ya_os_product

And she says this is its "technical big brother" (what they use in her office—she works at a planning consultancy)
http://www.amazon.com/Residential-Energy-Savings-Existing-Buildings/dp/0135125413/ref=pd_sim_b_2

We finally have a layout we feel pretty good about. It seems it will be within square footage limitations and covers everything that we're looking for. I'm sure we'll run into many obstacles, but as a client who will need a design consultant, we finally know enough about what we're shooting for...and now we go from there. Time to find an architect, or, a really really great builder.

Here's our first start on the hunt:

NOT SO BIG HOUSE's website has a list of professionals. Note: the list members are formally interviewed or vetted; they just have to demonstrate enthusiasm for not-so-big living.
Here's the URL: http://notsobighouse.com/directory.asp

Here's what I found so far:

Sargent Construction, Inc. (remodeler)
http://www.sargentconstruction.com/
Rich Sargent
Burlingame, CA
(650) 949-4009

Alice Y. Hwang Architect, AIA
Mountain View, CA
415-244-5607

We saw this place walking around downtown Mountain View:
Vox Design Group
http://www.voxdesigngroup.com/

LEED AP DIRECTORY:
My sister-in-law, who does planning consulting in the Chicago area, gave us this link:
https://ssl27.cyzap.net/gbcicertonline/onlinedirectory/

And here's what she found doing a quick search of Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto. In no particular order:
http://www.henryjacksonarchitect.com/

http://www.michaelheacock.com/projectsprefab.html

http://www.carriegomez.com/
[update, 2011-04-08: not currently practicing
but she called back and gave me the name of her employer who does LEED-certified work:

Ken Hayes
Hayes Group
http://www.thehayesgroup.com/
650-365-0600
they do both commercial and residential work]

http://www.studio02.net/

Here's the webpage:
http://www.mountainview.gov/services/learn_about_our_city/utility_services.asp 

City handles water/sewage. They contract out waste disposal/recycling. You contact the contractor regarding waste disposal customer service. But all account management and billing is done by the city of Mountain View.

FYI, the city is on vacation all this week. I had to explain it was really important that they turn our water back on, which they did very quickly once they got the idea of what I was asking for. But, they had no one available to open my water/sewer/waste disposal account. I will have to call back next week to open the account. :)

Mountain View waste disposal tips from a coworker:
- The city provides you with as many recycling/yard waste bins as you like
- The city charges you more for trash bins
- The city will charge you less if you choose to have a smaller trash bin (they offer a few sizes)

PG&E tips:
- they cannot schedule the close of an account more than 30 days out from the end date
- they can very easily add a second address to an existing account, and everything will go onto one bill
- we have autopay, and autopay will cover the two accounts for January
- customer service was very good on the phone; knowledgeable, friendly
- the Comcast up-sell was kind of heavy-handed, though

I think we have it folks. Assuming our bumpup and opening of the 1st floor is actually structurally feasible, we are pretty pleased with v05B.

v05 first floor:

• open entertaining space
• entryway moved forward by 6 to 8 feet, same for garage
• laundry + utilities in garage
• move 1st floor bath to east side of house
• put stairs where 1st floor bath is currently
• skylights wherever we can put them
• lots and lots of windows/skylights in the stairway = bright stairway and a way to get southern sun into living room
• shorten current 1st floor master bedroom a bit by adding closet + window bench on southern wall

v05A 2nd floor:

• not enough room when we tried to keep the sides of the 2nd floor a few feet in from the main house walls
• I sort of don't care if the master bedroom is small, but we think it will hurt resale a bit too much. Also this effort was starting to feel half-assed, compromised on all the wrong points: not luxurious, but not small either.

v05B 2nd floor:

• got enough room when we added a few feet all around the bump-up
• sizable master suite w/ closet connecting bedroom and bath
• thinking about glassblock in floor in 2nd floor landing (skylight on southern end of living room) and master bath (get skylight in kitchen)

sketches:

• the husband had the idea of taking one of Sarah Susanka's ideas: closet abutting a window w/ a window seat. I was dubious, but sketched it out. it seems like it could work.
• eyeing our kitchen storage scenario
• deciding if we should go with lots of glass or not at the north end of the living room. Usually, you minimize your glazing (windows) on the north side, but it seems like it would look good, maximize the light we can get into this room.

After a little appliance browsing, we have a first stab at the feature list we're looking for. The appliances we need are: fridge, washer, dryer, microwave, range+oven, and dishwasher. It's going to be a battle between efficiency, features, price, and short-lived holiday sales.

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Viking 36" dual-fuel range...I want you so bad and you cost so damn much.

We started browsing appliances this weekend...learning the typical specs, scoping options and prices.

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We were going to put off this foundation work till when we did the remodel, but our insurance company wouldn't even insure the home without us either bolting the foundation, or installing an automatic shut-off for the gas line (in the event of a breakage). When we said we might have to switch insurers, they gave us a 20-day grace period to get the work done.

So we called Peace of Mind Structural, the company who did our foundation inspection, and they did super quick scheduling of the 2-day job.
The work started yesterday and as of today, our house will not slip off its foundation, sever a gas line and explode the neighborhood! Yay!

specs for house:

• must stay within footage limits (approx. 45% of 5100 sq. ft = 2275 sq. ft.—calculation must include garage and stairs)
• 4BD, 3BA....3BD, 2BA minimum
• fit in with other houses on the block
• move front entrance forward
• move garage forward
• open entertaining space (removing 1 existing bedroom in 1st floor)
• add HVAC
• new plumbing
• new electrical
• move coat closet (to under new staircase)
• add interior entrance to garage (where coat closet currently is)
• we will do finishing work: cabinets, tile, paint, vanities, fixtures, hardware, doors, lighting

green layout thinking:

• not so big
• good sunlight (reduce need for artificial lighting)
• use of skylights
• use of operable windows to create airflow on temperate days
• gloss block floor sections to bring sunlight from 2nd floor to 1st
• gray water collection
• rainwater collection—maybe a cistern
• native plants for garden

green construction processes/materials/building choices:

• pre-fab/modular construction
• use of insulation
• no/low-VOC construction materials
• if not now, eventually: solar panels
• reuse/recycle as much as possible any material from any demolition
• efficient dual-flush toilets
• on-demand hot water
• solar hot water?
• double-pane windows & glass doors
• cement-fiber shingling / insulated stucco
• reclaimed oak flooring
• recycled countertop materials

Looking at bumping up...trying to figure out where to put the stairs. Big changes in v03 and v04:

• knocking down kitchen, laundry room, rear bedroom walls to create open entertaining space, a real dining space
• stairs in former rear bedroom
• sketches: pondering how the stairs will look, how the bar should wrap around to the fireplace

• bolt foundation to house
  [update: done 2010-12-23]
• fumigate, do immediately necessary repairs due to termite & fungus damage
  [update: done 2011-01-11]
• check for gas leaks in furnace + stove
  [Later update: while the owners were in town picking up their stuff in the garage, they noticed the very strong gas smell in the house. Turns out connections to all gas appliances were bad, and the furnace and range needed repair. They had to pay PG&E to do the repairs.]
• refinish floors. maybe. depends on exact remodeling plans
  [update: done 2011-01-13]
• properly connect tub drain
  [update: done 2011-01-17]
• fix kitchen drain situation (exit is too high; causing problems with garbage disposal and sink drainage)
  [update: doesn't seem to be a problem]
• fix flashing on roof
  [update: will do after the move]
• carbon monoxide detector (furnace may not be burning/venting efficiently)
  [update: purchased & plugged in 2011-01-21]
• clean existing gutters, add missing gutters
  [update: will do after the move]
• fix power lines in
  [update: can do as part of remodel]
• not a repair per se, but we need a fridge, washer, dryer, and microwave before we move in
  [update: fridge, washer, dryer purchased 2011-01-01...pondering new microwave vs. craigslist microwave]
  [update: microwave procured via Craigslist around 2011-01-26. Read details here.]

We have some first attempts at a new layout. We're trying really hard to do this within the existing footprint. We are starting to wonder if we can get what we're looking for without adding a 2nd floor.

• v01: we get an ok master bath and closet, but bedroom #3 ends up probably too small for most buyers' tastes. Totally fine as an office or nursery, though. Also we have a bedroom door opening onto a main entertaining space (something I sort of don't like. husband + realtor think it's not a big deal). I did some doodles of how this door might look in relation to the living room. I decided it's not a dealbreaker.
• v02: definitely not a luxurious master bath or closet. The attempt to keep bedroom #3's door in the hallway creates an unfortunately shaped room.

The husband did a bunch of legwork and researched some books. Here's what we bought (opting for used books as much as we could from Amazon Marketplace):

What Your Contractor Can't Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating
Amy Johnston; Paperback

Creating the Not So Big House: Insights and Ideas for the New American Home
Sarah Susanka; Paperback

Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live
Sarah Susanka; Hardcover

Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide)
David Johnston; Paperback

Inside the Not So Big House: Discovering the Details That Bring a Home to Life
Sarah Susanka; Paperback

The Modular Home
Andrew Gianino; Paperback

More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home
Sarah Susanka; Paperback

The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live
Sarah Susanka; Paperback

The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling, 3rd Edition
Charlie Wing; Paperback

Not So Big Solutions for Your Home
Sarah Susanka; Paperback

Prefabulous: The House of Your Dreams Delivered Fresh from the Factory
Sheri Koones; Hardcover

The first iteration of what we're going for. We have lists for the house layout & features, construction, yard, and some nice-to-haves.

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We're also using this inspection period to decide whether we can work with the existing structure and get the square footage & rooms we're looking for. Because if it's a no-go, we probably shouldn't buy this place. :)

First we need measurements, which I took while we were in the house for inspections. I started sketching too far over on the paper...so I folded it over and made a Mad-Magazine-style fold-in.

Here's the place: a 1947 ranch in the Silicon Valley suburbs.

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