My $0.02 - in NSW designers are NOT registered or accredited, beware. All architects are nationally accredited. I suggest that there are a lot of things you can do yourself before you start - get a proper survey of your block, ensure that you get them to provide angles for anything that isn't square....understand if there are utilities like sewer pipes which will affect your setbacks or useable space...... Go online and workout the sun angles for your longitude and latitude helpful for solar and overall layouts. West facing picture windows are not the best. Some of the solar firms have online calculators which help to do this. Read the local council rules and understand them, apply them to your survey and your design ideas....including if you are a corner block and if you want to go two storey...... If it is still a 'go' Get all of the heritage, flood, fire etc checks done by council - around $150 depending on council........ Eliminate or at least understand all the big constraints before you go any further........ Look again at the survey- any contour lines may cost you money, assume a cost of at least $2000 per sqm to start and do some layouts of your ideas on paper, add up all of the spaces, can you actually put them on your block? How much is the total?.......yes garages are slightly cheaper to build but still take up precious footprint space.... Is access likely to cause issues for trades, equipment and deliveries?......... Keep refining and updating the ideas and plans thinking about how you want to use the spaces and move around inside and out.....where are you putting the wheelie bins, clothes dryer etc..... Try the free to use BASIX site forms if you are in NSW, understand how the size, shading and orientation of windows affects your sustainability and adjust, this will also apply many of the local council rules as well..... Do you want a brick house, with render? A pole home, a kit build? A fast build insulated panel build? What type of roof?...... The more you have worked out for yourself the better, look at the kit home options, there are lots and some are very good... Everything is delivered and you just construct with the trades and some may have builders in your area.....The new InsulLiving Code Mark BCA approved options are also worth a look..... Anyway do all of that before you line up for the fleecing floor lol

Linea board (most expensive) and Nuline weatherboards ( cheaper). House below in Nuline. Each has a variety of profiles or are you looking for more contemporary options?

We have already removed a wall. And although this advice isn’t about floors or ceilings, it’s still important. We strongly recommend obtaining advice from a professional engineer, or demanding evidence that your builder has (and insist it’s free of caveats like, “based on information provided by others”). Our builder removed a load bearing wall. He was supposed to get an engineer’s assessment. The cheapsake, cowboy, con artist didn’t do that. He deceived. He had a rough guess at the size of the beam. And he got it wrong. We asked for a copy of the engineer’s assessment. The builder lied about having one. Then finally admitted he guessed. He engaged an engineer. The assessment had caveats. We insisted it be caveat free. The engineers then had to inspect his work. They found the cowboy had lied to them too - and given false info about what was put in. His beam was under-dimensioned and not even braced to the house. The engineers gave the builder simple instructions to rectify his muck up. Three beams later, the idiot got it right. And the engineers could then approve the work. But remember, on paper they had already declared the under dimensioned beam was ok (but with a caveat). Moral of the story - insist on a site inspection by the engineer. Or, just like our roof could have, your roof might cave in! And probably not on top of the idiot builder who would deserve to be buried under it! Btw - hello John Z. Ears burning by any chance? There’s some good people around but it’s hard for a lay person to tell who’s who, so do what you can to protect yourself from cowboys, is our message.

A well-designed garden adds enormous economic and functional value to any home, enhancing its appeal, whether for living or for sale. When it comes to landscaping and gardening, a well-designed landscape can add value to your home and ensure that you and your family fully enjoy the outdoors. What is landscaping? Landscaping is the art of designing and building a garden. There are two elements to soft scaping, landscaping and hardscaping. Softscaping is the living part of the garden, plants, trees, and grasses. Gardening is both science and art and needs keen details orientation and creative skills, as well as planning, creativity, and imagination, to project the evolution of that intervened space. What do landscapers do? Landscape Design - Most landscapers will come up with a design to enhance the look and practicality of outdoor space. This includes the choice of flora and design, putting a little more cosmetic touches such as paving, paths, water features, walls, and other creative input to make it more attractive. Landscape Construction: After the landscape design is completed, the landscaper will carry out the construction. If it is a new property, the landscape will be designed from scratch. Existing spaces can be renovated or improved. Brick, woodwork and mosaic, even water fountains, will also come into play if this is part of the design. Hiring a project manager is an important factor to consider, as he or she will manage and coordinate the many contractors who will turn your plans into reality. Frompool builders, bricklayers, carpenters, to painters, among others. Typically landscaping professionals design the garden, put the project in place, manage the project, and ensure that the various elements of the work are completed on time. And how is gardening different? Gardening, more than landscaping, is about the ongoing maintenance of the garden to keep it looking its best. This well-designed landscape remains as planned, just as beautiful and functional. There are a lot of maintenance tasks to carry out, such as: Irrigation Lawn pruning Weed removal Replacement and/or addition of plants. Shrub pruning Tree felling Fertilization Fumigation Something interesting to ask yourself is if you are prepared to perform the required maintenance or if you prefer to hire a professional to do it for you. There are many professional landscaping and landscaping companies that will do quality work for a reasonable cost. If you are planting new plants yourself, a nursery can help you select the correct ones for your garden. Keep in mind issues such as the luminosity of the place where you will go, the necessary amount of irrigation, and the type of soil, in addition to the temperature. Choosing plants for your local conditions means that they will thrive. Things to consider before hiring a landscaper. There are several things that will affect a landscape design. These include the presence of pets, if you have children, if you want something functional or simply a relaxation space if you need a pool or Jacuzzi, other uses such as the construction of gardens, the amount of maintenance you are prepared to perform, and the budget you have. A landscaping project can be quite costly, so a good rule of thumb to try to maintain it is to spend no more than ten percent of your home's total value on the garden. This amount of money includes all the elements of the garden, not just the plants. If you are initially on a limited budget, try to spread the project over several years as your budget allows. Because a new garden is such a big expense, try to keep the design as simple and classic as possible, to make it durable and timeless. Then you can go incorporating plants and decorative elements. When to hire ground maintenance? A landscaping professional can perform many tasks for you, such as design consultations, vendor coordination, obtaining municipal permits, supplying materials, and handling payments. This is included in project management and theprofessional ground maintenance may charge a fee for this service, so it is best to ask what their fee is, if any, before hiring them. How to hire a landscaper? If you need a landscaper or gardener, First request estimates. Try to give as much data as possible so that the budget fits your needs. A visit is likely required. Then review the professional's qualifications and references and ask what experience they have had. Another important point is to be able to see photos or videos of previous work. You may want to make sure the professionals share your design taste. Minimalist style garden There are those with minimalist tendencies, to the use of native, exotic, or succulent plants. There are those who prefer trees and those who prefer bushes and bushes. Check first. If you hire aprofessional for garden maintenance, ask what their service fees are. Compare rates to get an idea of how much things cost. Ask what experience they have and be sure to see their qualifications. If possible, get referrals from other clients. If you need a landscaper or gardener, you can Note: All HomeSolution.net professionals have been recommended by the community and have gone through an identity and professional data review process. Then they have been acquiring different professional labels and have received the qualification for each job carried out through the platform.