For meetings with architects, we refined our checklist and provided a copy of the house's current layout. We refined the checklist over the course of the meetings and finally ended up with this:

the current house:

• built 1947
• lot is 5100 square feet
• house is 1266 square feet, 1 level
• 3 bedrooms
• 4 entrances
• 1 bath (needs to be removed and replaced entirely, due to water damage/dry rot)
• 1 small laundry/pantry room (water heater currently located here)
• 1-car garage (washer and dryer currently located here)
• combination dining/living room
• centrally located brick fireplace
• recently removed un-permitted room in back (pad, chimney & fireplace still present)
• wall-furnace, no A/C
• very large redwood + jacaranda tree in backyard

what we want:

• 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath (either add 2nd level or expand on 1st)
• 3 entrances + 1 interior garage entrance
• maybe 1700 to 1900 square feet total
• open kitchen-dining-living space
• remove brick fireplace; if replace, looking at gas/ethanol fireplace
• add one master suite, one nursery/office-sized bedroom on 2nd floor
• add interior entrance to garage
• add half-bath off of living room
• larger garage (move up front of garage?)
• possibly move up front entrance to create larger receiving area
• skylights in stairway, bathrooms, kitchen if possible
• we want to fit in with other houses on the street as best we can

• would like to move out of house for as short a time as possible
• install central heating/air (also interested in zero-energy options)
• need to replace exterior siding & windows
• insulation in exterior walls, roof & attic
• seal & insulate crawl space
• all new plumbing (current plumbing is very old, and not up to code)
• all new electrical (current electrical is very old, and not up to code)
• we plan to handle finishing work: cabinets, tile, paint, vanities, fixtures, hardware as long as it doesn't delay other work, or getting the sign-off inspections

things we're considering:

• balcony off of new master bedroom (if we do a 2nd story)
• location of current 1st floor bath seems like best location for new stairwell
• if not now, eventually: solar water heating and maybe photovoltaic
• rainwater collection (cistern)
• gray-water collection
• on-demand hot water heater for the house
• individual on-demand hot water heaters at high-demand sinks/bathrooms
• zero-energy setup, or prep house for future zero-energy setup

green layout thinking:

• not so big spaces
• good sunlight
• use of skylights
• recessed LED lighting in entertaining spaces
• ceiling fans in bedrooms
• use of operable windows to create airflow on temperate days
• passive solar heating (e.g. take advantage of southern exposure)
• glass floor sections to bring sunlight from 2nd floor to 1st
• native plants for garden

construction processes/material choices:

• pre-fab/modular construction if cost-effective
• reuse, or recycle material from demolition
• no/low-VOC materials
• energy-efficient windows & glass doors
• on-demand hot water
• efficient dual-flush toilets
• reclaimed materials when possible (flooring? glass block? pavers?)

the yard (we will probably do this work ourselves...it's here to see if any aspects impact the house)

• remove concrete pad & fireplace in backyard
• new deck
• widen driveway into combination driveway/front walk, remove concrete pad & replace with permeable pavers
• native plants, minimal grass 
• probably want to remove and replace the large evergreen in the front yard and replace with a deciduous tree(s)
• vegetable garden & fruit tree in backyard
• rainwater collection
• composting

checklist of information to provide movers (for a local move):

• date(s) of move
• size of household being moved (# bedrooms, size of/quantity of stuff in garage?)
• dimensions of storage unit (if applicable)
• addresses of start, destination, and any mid-points
• # of floors movers need to deal with at each location
• distances between start, destination, and any mid-points
• any particularly delicate furniture, art, etc.?
• special delivery instructions (e.g. put portion of items in storage, portion in destination)
• whether you need packing services
• whether you want to buy/rent packing materials (you can rent certain things like wardrobe boxes)

checklist of questions to ask movers:

• rates (these are usually hourly) per # of movers
• are you available for the desired dates?
• any minimum charges (e.g. 2 hour minimum)?
• what are the billing increments after the minimum (e.g. 15-minute increments)? 
• when does the clock start (when truck leaves company's office, or from the starting point?)
• other fees: do you charge double drive time (moving companies can double the hours for drive time—there's a California law requiring/allowing this)
• other fees: do you charge for materials (shrink wrap, tape, etc.)?
• other fees: do you charge for the truck (flat fee? fuel? etc.)
• any there any other fees?
• what size truck will you provide?
• what's your estimate for the total move?
• what forms of payment do you accept?
• do you charge extra for credit card payments?

Checklists are handy. Here's the one for utilities/things to stop/set up/transfer when moving:

• electrical
• gas (sometimes that's the same company as electrical; may need in-person appointment to turn on gas if not performing a transfer)
• water
• trash, if necessary
• high-speed internet (a necessary for us)
• cable/satellite tv (Comcast required 7-days advance notice to enact a discontinuation date)
• land line (if needed)
• insurance, auto: update your policy and/or find a new local agent if you are moving between states
• insurance, home: update to rental property if you are moving out and renting your former residence
• insurance, renters': cancel/start/transfer a policy as needed
• public storage unit (our Public Storage guy said he just needed us to stop by when our unit was empty...online, you can note your move-out date on your account. Public Storage has a pretty nice online interface, actually.)
• mail forwarding with postal service (TIMING NOTE: if you use the USPS online address change service, make sure you update your credit card address at least 24–48 hours before...it takes a while for the new address on file with the credit card to propagate)

Update mailing addresses with:

• credit cards (takes 24–48 to take effect)
• bank accounts (can take a while to take effect)
• employers
• student loans
• any ongoing mortgages or other loans
• long-term investment accounts (401Ks, IRAs, etc.)
• doctors
• insurance: auto
• insurance: home/renters'
• shopping accounts (amazon, paypal, etc.)
• netflix
• any former employers that may need to send W-2's/correspondence
• friends/family

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