This is the piece that was there, should I hang it on the other wall? Or let my African lady have all the limelight? I'm not really attached to the second piece (it came with the house) but I can't use it anywhere else in the house because of the colours. What do you think? One art or two??

Oh Boy! This is where I come into my own. A few years ago my daughter was working in England and I was driving her small red hot pulsar to the shopping centre to buy coffee (six cans of 500gms). I saw toilet paper was on special so I bought 480 rolls. The only problem was there was not enough rom for the toilet paper and the two dogs, so I left the dogs at the shops and took the paper home and then went back for the dogs. When we had used all that toilet paper I kept my eyes open for when they were on special again and bought 600 rolls - no problem this time because I did not take the dogs. Next time it was 720 rolls and two trips to the shop to pick them up. It should have been 840 rolls the last time but a sudden burst of common-sense saw me buy only 480 and I am regretting it already because more than half of them have gone. So 960 here I come.

"Too much" glass can also cause concerns for energy efficiency. We are trying to build on a rural property with great views and wanted to take it all in with big windows etc. We've had major problems getting the plans passed and had to reduce the size (or remove completely) some windows just to pass the Basix report before we could even submit plans to council.

With extensions, like earthworks, you don’t really know the full extent of works till you start demolition. Then there is the fact that we have been having unprecedented material price rises that in some instances have exceeded 20%. Then there is all your potential variations. Have you picked absolutely everything from cornices, robes, shower base, screens, windows to tiles, carpet, taps, blinds …..