Hi JV, I think unless you are planning to do a huge facelift to the home, I would just embrace the retro feel rather than trying to mask it and have it looking too random and shoddy. I actually think the cream brick at the sides is quite cool, it looks in really good shape, I would definitely leave that! And the trellis, I just think you can't fight it as it's all the balustrade too. Replacing that with glass will just look like a 70s home with bad out of place glass added. I like your timber idea, though I'd just go a regular cladding rather than decking which will look... well like decking on the wall! Get a cladding (Even a Scyon style product), paint it a light charcoal (or even a dark olive/khaki colour) and it would look stylish, retro and actuallypretty cool as I'd expect from an IT guy. Add some plants (mother in laws tongue, a crassula, another succulent) in a few pots of varying heights (say 3), add a stylish outdoor light, maybe a plaque wiht your business name, a cool doormat, remove the screen door and I think it would look great. Look up mid century modern references, there's a lot. Even though it's not mid century, you could stretch to that. I think it would look far better than trying to mask what you've got and have it come off as looking really amateur.

We have been building our house for over two years now. The supply chain downturn has made it a nightmare. We are camping on the mezzanine floor of our warehouse so it isn't costing us to wait, but if I had rented a property while building we would be in trouble now. I purchased most of our plumbing supplies early in the build so at least those items have not gone up in price, but many others have. We ordered and paid for a cantilever pool awning in February this year, and it was sent in three lots. The last delivery was two weeks ago. I suspect the company was having a hard time getting it out of China, so not their fault. We had quotes for fly screens/security screens that totalled over $25,000. We had to forgo the security screens in favour of fly screens for most of the house. We had a quote for a large aluminium mesh panel to place on the front left corner of the house which was over $25,000 also. The fencing company got an order wrong and we ended up with the wrong colour louvre panels on the front driveway sliding gates, plus the wrong colour for a fence. We have managed to turn it into a positive by keeping the wrong coloured louvre blades, and they will now be put up vertically on the front corner of the house, instead of the aluminium mesh. They are six metres long, but the house is two stories, so all good. We had to keep the gate panels the same, so the wrong colour will have to be exchanged for the right colour. People are still building houses here, and some of them are going up very fast, so I don't understand why ours has taken so long. We have purchased most of the goods locally, but I suppose the suppliers are having trouble getting them from overseas. I am at the point where I am losing interest in this house, which is a shame because it will be a beautiful house when finished.

it's great looking old cottage that just needs some TLC but the best investment for a rental would be to increase bedrooms without spending so much that the house needs to earn more income/higher rents to sustain a bigger investment ..my suggestion includes where necessary lining and insulating to make it more comfortable, repair or replace windows, make sure electrical and plumbing is in good safe working order, new lightfittings, floor and window coverings, install an extra toilet in the outdoor laundry, or add an üpstairs laundry and pantry, add pergola covered deck(s) to suit outlook and increase good weather living areas

Other things to note: Downstairs is mostly completed. The kitchen was pulled together from free cabinetry/cupboards that we got from a house demo. We are just waiting for water and electricity to be connected. The flooring throughout the ground floor is bluestone pavers, so there will be lots of rugs needed for the winter. From the kitchen it steps down into a sunken lounge, with the same view as my mum's room (lounge is directly below mums room at back of house). There is a fireplace there. This is plastered and all complete, just needs carpet. Laundry was also created from the same cabinety, its currently used as a tool room, its half tiled currently. We run on tank water and electricity, so we will need to install another tank asap. Problems we are currently facing: we are half an hour out of a main town, so trades can be really hard to get. They are also busy!! as the town is growing quickly. I have split from my tradie husband, he was incredibly skilled, and we were planning for him to do a lot of the work. This one also has big time emotions entertwined in it! We have leaks in the brickwork that need fixing - big one in the chimney, and two in my room - both upstairs. My partner was creative with building, so a lot of the stuff that is half finished we are having to interpret. Case in point, laundry window and tiling, we aren't sure how he was planning on finishing it off, and the chippy is a little confused. I can call my ex, however, I am hyper aware its not appropriate for me to be asking lots of questions. Our septic tank carked it this weekend. Need to fix this ASAP. I will keep updating, as I see this as a really valuable way to document what we are up to! I'd love to turn this into a photobook one day, so definitely a good place to store everything. Cheers Mikaela