Timber or composite decking also depends on what area you live in, regards the climate and where your deck will be. Merbau hardwood is an Indonesian timber that fares very well in Western Australia as the climate is hot and dry which tends to suit the Merbau. It can leech tannins, especially if wet, if not oiled straight after installation when these tannins are locked in. We laid a Spotted Gum deck for clients in Perth a year ago that needs constant oiling, every two months, to withstand the severity of the sun. Spotted Gum looks lovely but being in Perth, it is better to be covered. However Merbau hardwood decks are more stable, durable and don't tend to twist or shrink as other timbers such as Jarrah, Batu, Spotted Gum and pine may do. Merbau is a hardwood we recommend to clients in they are unsure what timber to go for. A timber deck fully exposed or beside a swimming pool will need more oil applications than one under a veranda or patio. NexGen composite is a beautiful board manufactured in the USA that comes in various colours and is secret clipped. This is maintenance free other than a wash down with warm soapy water every now and again. Trex is also an American board that is highly recommended. Millboard is a very good choice also and has a more of a natural look. This board is a bit more expensive than NexGen and Trex and looks great. Cons for composite is that it does get hot if exposed to the sun however, timber will get hot too. From experience, its also better to lay your composite decking when the boards are cool, not too hot as they expand and contract length wise. Composite is also scratch resistant but isn't scratch proof. Things to consider before having your deck installed are 1) how much maintenance am I prepared to do to upkeep my deck? 2) Is my deck in a termite or fire prone area? 3) Do I need a council permit? (if it is 500 mm off the ground in which case you'll need balustrading) 4) What look am I going for? (Modern, natural, rustic or contemporary) 5) How much money am I willing to invest? 6) What material do I like better? Whatever material you decide on, enjoy your deck. It will be a good investment for you and your family, and your property.

Of course there are other aspects to consider, but orientation plays a very big part in the comfort of a home. The home I'm living in requires not heating or cooling at any time in the year. The living room has sun streaming through the windows this morning, & it's currently 21C inside. That's on a winter's morning! I'd be looking for a lot more than the bare minimum 5 stars! Why build a new house that only just meet an energy rating that will be unacceptable in only a few years. Many builders will orientate their builds poorly, & have to install expensive extras like double glazing just to reach the minimum standards, adding costs to the build. Reorienting the build costs nothing. Plus you'll save on heating & cooling costs. In the end, you'll be far better off financially, plus you'll be living in a far more comfortable house. You're lucky to have the north facing backyard, only 1 in 4 houses have it. Most blocks have quite narrow frontages, you've been blessed with a wide frontage & are extremely lucky to have that very wide backyard. Is be using it to my advantage & placing all the living areas to the north, along with the parents retreat, & the master of you can manage it. The other bedrooms, & bathrooms could occupy the south side (along with the media room, if you want it dark).

It’s the wall colour that doesn’t look nice everything else is fine. Repaint the wall it’s easy and you want regret it , use neutral colours but not light go for darker and for the corner I would plant giant bird of paradise either in the huge pot or if possible in the ground but keep it well away from the wall to give it space to grow and give you tropical look and feel. If you are using pots you can have few of them they won’t drop leaves in the pool.

I was going to suggest that the shower and hanging for togs and towels be placed in the red zone using the pool house plumbing. It looks great where you have it but it should have somewhere for the togs and towels as kids will use them several times a day in hot weather. If the Pool House was a POOL house and open to the pool would that mean you could just fence it and the pool together, but I guess by being multi function that changes the rules