Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating volume build in ANY way....there's actually little positive I can say about it except they are a more affordable option, and for some people that's the priority.....,whether or not it's in fact good value for money is a whole other discussion ;).......people have to work out where they sit within the quality to quantity spectrum for a particular project..................It's certainly a challenge here for you in that how can you accurately assess and distill/filter the "advice" offered by various parties?.......Seriously, unless a builder actually absorbs your design brief and comes back with a considered solution, any suggestion/comment such as " you could raise the ceiling" or "put in a window" or "use trusses" of whatever is neither here nor there, and are just floating ideas to consider in the mix...........but isolated "suggestions", whilst may be ideas to consider, don't effectively dealing with the overall solution/big picture to your challenge..................there are different areas of expertise in this game.....builders are builders, (and they seem to have a knack of getting called in and influencing too early in the process) they build stuff and certainly they have an idea about this and that from experience, and they can provide sound quotation/opinion on how much it will cost to do something... BUT really only properly/accurately once there is hard documentation in place (read: documented&specified, not basic concept/design sketches/verbal ideas) .......I have great respect for builders (it's a seriously hard rugged gig) and I know some fantastic ones, but builders are (in general) not "designers" unless they have come form a design background......and the conversations if held too early can be (unintentionally blurred, confusing and actually detrimental to the client and what they really need to be focusing on...........design advice from a builder can be offered with good intentions, however I have found it generally comes from more a singular benefit angle (usually motivated by business/profit) whereas (good/seasoned design) advice from a design professional comes from more complex, balanced and creative position and process in which various aspects are simultaneously managed/considered to achieve results for a client on multiple levels, ie, cost, function, aesthetic, experience etc.............the different and various professional skills all have their place, but need to be utilised in the right order relevant to the process......................yep I wish you all the luck.....these are always big investments, and big decisions, both emotionally and financially :)

Hi all, I can't seem to reply individually to your comments so here's a general one :) Thanks all for the suggestions and experience-I'm really intrigued by these suggestions of pavilion extensions, those links you attached Kate are super striking! Unfortunately for us we are on a fairly small block of land and one side of the house is a narrow driveway-we looked into building a garage/study on the ground but as we have to be 900mm from the neighbouring fence it was going to be very skinny and just not worth it. I appreciate the thoughts shared on keeping our feet on the ground but as we've two young kids and two dogs (and would love to have chickens again) I'm less and less inclined to give up more of the garden which is what we'd have to do if we extend out. Our verandah roof was done back in the 60's and slopes down and leaks in the rain so hence it needs to be lifted up if we were to build out. Kate, I LOVE your idea of the shed! We actually converted a massive steel shed into a gorgeous shed home when we lived in QLD on a massive rural block of land, loved how easy it was to 'knock' down a wall! :) Sadly we have learned the hard way that trying to save money by hiring a draftsperson that didn't ask us what our budget was has cost us time and money, but I guess in a way I'm grateful as this extra time has given me time to consider building up now instead of out. I'm getting a sense that it will be a lot more expensive to do so so might have to wait another 2-3 years to get re-finance happening. In the meantime we are making some changes to the current set up, slowly adding value and making it more enjoyable to live in :)

You could consider custom joinery that actually looks freestanding - purposefully creating a gap from the edge of the fireplace surround to the wardrobe & on the wall side also. This would also mean that it really does not matter if the front of the cupboards do not align with the front of the fireplace. Adding a nicely detailed leg, and a feature handle (you can get some really unique Australian made ones these days) to give some visual interest to the otherwise minimal finishes. Keep it simple & classic so it ages with your child's taste and preferences. As an example, The Design Files recent article has an image of a cupboard in a lounge area, that could be adapted to two double door units on either side of the fireplace https://thedesignfiles.net/2019/10/interiors-house-p-cjh-studio/. Seems perfect for a child of any age, or even if you want to convert the room to a more 'grown up purpose' once they leave home ;-)

I don't want to lecture , just pointing out some things I've noticed -- Often , 2 things that look the same on-line are quite different when you see them side by side -- different quality , different materials , etc . That's where buying from somewhere trustworthy is important . And sale prices are complicated . Some businesses have a high recommended price , but almost always have 20% or 50% off sales -- they get what they want $$$ wise , but you think you have gotten 1 over them . Other places have genuine sales to clear last seasons stock . Others only sell their unsellable stuff on sale -- in other words , theres a reason it is cheap . Still others need the $$$ , and you are getting a genuine bargain , but they mightn't be there in 6 months time . Not too bad for a rug , but not great for a car or TV . Basically , the best quality , sought after stuff from known suppliers is almost never 'on sale' . I pick out what I want , weigh up the options , and decide on the day who gets my $$$ from that point .