@ EMILY! Thanks so much for showing us all that you've accomplished...what a big...ongoing job and its not cheap undertaking something like that. Thanks for the tip about the star jasmine...I have a beautiful planting of that.....or rather 'had'...I got a chap in to trim it for me who advertised himself as experienced....Oh Dear! He killed most of the vine by cutting it at ground level! Now its a brown horrible mess up a tall trellis and no privacy. I'm devastated. To make it worse the neighbour sits out on her back deck and calls out to me when I'm out there when before she couldn't see me.....I'm putting up atemporary reed screen...I think....would rather my star jasmine with the blackbirds nesting in it....I know the feeling of not jumping in in case one makes a regrettable mistake. I also had gardenias but once they get sick its not worth all the trouble. I've had to learn heaps about what plants are appropriate for my place and I've made some really silly mistakes too. I've never seen those cut laser panels before and am a bit intrigued. What are they used for,,outdoor lighting? That colourbond fence works really well as a privacy screen! You've done so much and have invested not only your hard-earned money but also your ideas! Hope you have some lovely times in your space.

Hi Sarah, hope you enjoyed your travels last night, that's something we have spent our lives doing plus living in different countries. Do look into the attic room/s they are lovely and the Velux skylights very unobtrusive, look great and if positioned correctly take care of venting any hot air, as I mentioned ours were pivoting ones and could be locked open in several positions. I much prefer these to dormer windows, you don't really notice them. The stairs were built off site and lifted into position and installed, built in. At the time we did ours a very good friend a builder did the same but just completely opened the whole ceiling space right out towards the gutters into a large bedroom play study area for his daughters, also using Velux windows. Glass ceilings, like Velux windows have been around for years, believe me I know, we're both getting older. Velux windows can be used as glass ceilings in opening and non opening configurations. I would love to see you keep the outdoor loo as well and updating the old shed into a new connecting space to the house, perhaps a glass breezeway. I will have another look at your plan again over the weekend. I love your front iron gate as well, auto sliding driveway gates work really well and would really fit with your carport. My brother in law put in a tall timber sliding gate at his last home, lovely cheers

Hi Sarah, If you refer back to my initial 'Help' post, you will see the ideas were already there and our dilemma was actually more in relation to which paint colours might work with our bricks. Also, I'm not sure where the idea of us not wanting to add a garden has come from as my post clearly states that the improvements 'will also include a simple low maintenance garden'. I can only assume that the confusion has come about due to so many expressing that we should just do the garden and not worry about anything else, but that would simply put us back to where we were before the previous garden was removed. With all due respect, I can appreciate that many have posted in an effort to save us from what they consider to be unnecessary work and expense, and for that I am truly grateful, because it would be really lovely to simply not worry about doing anything, and as you said, go and enjoy a holiday instead! :) That said, people also need to acknowledge that we are not all of the same opinion when it comes to buying or selling a home. Aside from focusing on our revamp, we've also been actively searching for our 'retirement' home. Suffice to say, the first thing we notice while driving around is kerb appeal, or should I say, a lack of when it comes to some properties, including ours at the moment! :( While the photo's may look good, in reality, the exterior is tired and dated, with the gravel driveway being close to bare earth. Compared to the interior of our home, costs outside have been relatively minimal, therefore I can honestly say that we are quite excited about this project, but, it's goes without saying that we don't want spend a bomb either. Might just be the only little revamp this exterior's ever going to get! :D Anyway Sarah, full credit to you for giving me my first aha moment, which came through reading the final paragraph of your post. You've made me realise, that up until now, some of the decor and colour preferences I've presented are those both myself, and my husband would like if we were the prospective buyers, as opposed to what might work in favour of a broader market. Therefore, after some discussions tonight, we have concluded that... Columns, will definitely be plain square, as round will appear too similar to the existing ones. Front Door and handle will be simple classic Porch tiles - both against the idea of painting, so will definitely replace Paint - haven't ruled out neutral creams. Colour is simply something we're going to have to experiment with Existing gates will stay and get a repaint Our home is a spacious 3 bedroom/ 2 bathroom/ 2 car space with granny flat out the back, therefore we see it appealing more to couples with a young/growing family. I can't thank everyone enough for their time and effort in providing an endless stream of invaluable advice and photos... it's been nothing short of enlightening and I only wish I could print the visual that's in my mind now, compared to the muddle that was present when I first reached out for help. As with any revamp, the journey will be a mix of both highs and lows. That said, it's the end result we're working toward, and we expect to achieve nothing less than a positive outcome. Cheers again to all, Sandi :)

Australian homes face some of the world's harshest conditions! Termite attacking your home is one, that unless your paying attention can cost you lots of money. Did you know that your home insurance generally does not cover the cost of repairs to your home should termites cause it damage ! There are some small no cost things you can do to spot these destructive little pests. Now before i explain the signs to look out for please understand the most important thing you can do if you suspect termites is nothing! The reason I say this is the moment you disturb termites or their nest they will disappear ! (that may sound fantastic), but when they believe the threat has gone they will return ! If you suspect termites in your home don't disturb them, instead call a certified pest specialist. A termite specialist will inspect you home, advise on the best way to treat the problem to eliminate the whole colony & possibly an ongoing maintenance program to keep them out of your home for the long term ! Now the things you can do & the signs to look for ! Take a slow walk around the entire outer perimeter of your home. Your looking from the point where your brickwork/slab edge makes contact with the ground to the weep hole (i'll explain this below & please see attached photo). If your home isn't brick & it's outside walls are timber or some other cladding there should be a pressed metal devise running along the bottom edge of the cladding, commonly this projects out at 45 degrees to the wall & is painted to match the cladding. You are looking for a weep hole (concrete path should be lower). Weep hole with termite tracks "mud track" more mud tracks. Termite "mud track" to cladding. (again please see attached photos), this track will extend from the ground to the weep hole or up to & over the ant cap (the 45 degree thingy) for those of you with cladding. If you see these tracks it can be an indication of termites getting into your home. Take note of where these tracks are, now take a nail, piece of stiff wire, pen anything with a reasonable point really & "gently" inside your home opposite the mud tracks at the bottom of your wall where the skirting board meets the floor covering look for ripples in the finish of the skirting or visable mud around this area. I f there is mud call the pest expert, if there is rippling in the skirting gently poke it where the rippling is, if it flexes or your nail disappears into the board & it feels hollow beyond the painted surface don't go any further call your pest expert. There are other things you can do to help maintain your property & reduce the risk of termite attack, these involve some sweating & hard work but it's worth doing to help keep the termites away. Remove any timber you may have stacked against the home, keep it away from the edge of your house ! Move all gardens away where possible, "only footpaths should abutt the slab edge or brickwork". There should always be a minimum 75mm (3 inches) from the bottom of the weep hole or ant cap to any finished surface i.e: ground, footpath, pavers, garden mulch or lawn. This doesn't stop termites it just gives you a clear area to inspect to detect their entry (mud tracks). If your home is not built on a concrete slab, it may be a timber floor with a crawl space underneath and if you're game to inspect under your home take a torch and get under there! (there should always be a gate/ door to access this space). Your looking for the same "mud tracks" that I described above. Make sure concrete paths, gardens & ground levels fall away from your home. This keeps water from ponding around your home, termites are attracted to moisture and ponding water can affect the foundations of your home also. If your handy fix leaking outdoor taps quickly, not only will this save you money on water bills but it will keep ground dry around the home. Inspect your home as i've advised above every 3 to 6 months. And have it professionally inspected by a pest specialist every 6 to 12 months. If the worst happens and a pest inspection discovers termites ask this professional to advise you when to get a builder (like myself) to undertake your repairs. Keep in mind that quoting on repairs to termite damage can be difficult as until plasterboard is removed from the inside it can be difficult to assess the damage done ! If your building a new home or renovating/ extending your existing home ask your builder to include treated timber into the frame of all construction they do for you, this will cost you a bit more as treated timber is more expensive, however knowing that the structural timbers in your home won't be on a termites menu may help you sleep more soundly at night ! If you would like more information/ advice or are considering building, renovating and or extending go to our web site on the attached link below.