Creeping featurism

We have a phrase in the software industry--"Creeping Featurism". This happens when the scope of a project slowly enlarges over time, until it devours you whole, like a monster from an old movie.

This week, the scope creeped a bit.  When I visited the Crichtons last week, I described our plans to Alex to re-arrange the bathrooms, expanding into the family room.  Alex said, "Why not just push out the end of the house near the master bedroom to create more room in the middle?"  Hmm--how much would that cost?

So when Scott and Kelly came to measure the house, I asked them about that.  Turns out it wouldn't cost that much, since we're already re-roofing and re-siding.  It would add about 500 square feet, which would bring us up to about 2,750.  This would be more what a buyer expects in this neighborhood and for the price would have to ask.  People also expect a fairly large master bedroom.

It enables so many possibilities for the bathrooms.  We can have some good-sized bathrooms, and even bring the laundry facilities to nearer the bedrooms.  By adding an outer door, the kids can go directly from the pool to the bathroom, so they don't trail water through the house.

It leaves more room in the family/kitchen area.  We've even thought about making what is currently the dining room into the TV room, and moving the dining closer to the kitchen.

And of course Claire will be happy when she gets a much larger bedroom.

Now that we've reset the parameters, we should be getting some really interesting designs from them in the next few weeks. I just hope we can afford it.  I guess we just have to look at it as an "opportunity"!