I feel like you'd all appreciate an opinion of someone on the other side of this conversation. As a 23 year old renter who owns a 5 year old Border Collie and a 7 month old German Shepherd, I have struggled and will always struggle to find rentals that'll even consider me. My current landlord gave me a chance, my partner and I have been here since September and have already poured $700 into improving the backyard just because we can and will be spending another $800 minimum just on the yard by the time our lease is up. We're about to suggest going "halves" in a discounted professional repaint by some friends in the industry. (The owner and landlord both have detailed descriptions and drawings of all our plans, and are beyond eager to see it done) We're saving up for a full scale professional clean when we leave, including a bug bomb, tile/grout clean and the roof, gutters and pavers which are stained with bore water and who knows what. The most damage I've seen in houses I've worked on is firstly by children, and then by cats. My ex-partner and his teenage brothers spent three weeks weaving a good square metre of carpet fibres back into place before an inspection, as well as damage caused by the teenagers burning things in their rooms, and the smell of cat urine and faeces was always all over the house. There's also the intense cat damage to the blinds, walls, curtains, windows, wooden fixtures and the urine INSIDE kitchen cabinets. My big dogs wouldn't even be able to attempt half of that damage, yet a cat owner will be selected over a dog owner 9 times out of 10. I ask you, don't blame the pet (especially dogs) for bad owners. Put it in the contract that there MUST be a full professional clean paid for by the tenants when they leave. Make it the norm, and you'll weed out the irresponsible owners. You'll then have the pet bond, a professional clean and can even include required damage payments. The threat of money loss will usually deter irresponsible people.

Just to confirm I have taken the great ideas presented here as advice only and have no intention to do some dodgy diy reno's. With the exception of a couple of quirky exposed timbers as you can see in my pictures there are no other exposed beams. As you can also see from the pictures there is a large roof space on the right (east) side of the house but the ceilings themselves are flat with a slight dip on the north wall. Based on my own personal experiences I would have to agree with Two's Company that there is a tendency towards rendered brick in WA (although there are still many exposed brick houses in my suburb) while double enclosed double garages are also highly desirable. I would also agree that toilets within the main bathroom and non traditional laundries may be considered unusual by many (but not all). Ensuites with toilets however are still very common. Also due to the nature of our work we would prefer the laundry separated from food/kitchen area. For a 4x2 house it is only around 155m2 excluding carport/alfresco which makes the rooms feel quite cramped, hence the desire to open up the family room. However, as Two's Company suggests we will need to first get a builder/eng in to check load bearing walls etc as this will undoubtedly affect what we can achieve within our budget. Having said that I still excited by many of your ideas and with luck hopefully can work some of them into the budget. Cheers all :)

Looking at your proposed changes to kitchen floor plan, and if I'm interpreting it correctly, I think having the cooktop in LH corner of long sink benchtop would be somewhat awkward & hazardous esp having an opening/door into the room right there. I think there needs to be adequate space on BOTH sides of cooktop to allow more elbow room for cooking processes, setting hot pans/pots down, etc., and also need to think more about opening/door placement in this scenario. Will you be replacing the current sink? If so will you have a single or double and with or without drain board? Do you want dishwasher to right or left of sink? Would be good idea to include Euro bins in new cabinetry, and as many drawers as budget will allow. Maybe can include a spice drawer? does your current pantry function well as is?

Hi AndrewJason, I love cavity sliders. they are there when you want them but not visible when you need the space open. Having said that they cost more, take a bit of wreckage to set up and in you WA case you will be wrecking brick walls to put them in which might be a stretch of mess too far. BUT you will need to weigh up if they are worth it in the end. I do not think the build will be too bulky in the kitchen/dining because it will be superbly practical on both sides and it maybe just a matter of what you are used to. Not sure about "Average Joe...…" we are all good at somethings, mine is plans, function, practicality, solar. Yours might be brain surgery, empathy for unwell folks, kinda or you make the best seafood lasagne in the world... we are all needed to make for a great world: and it really is that!!! Good luck with your splendid home: I think it is beautiful. And PS if you do make the best seafood anything I better have your address....!!!!!!! MK