Very pretty house at front. Are you planning to resell within the next 10 years or less? If so then do the kitchen and bathrooms first.

Then you should research ageing in place. This includes ramps, lever taps and door handles, eliminating too-small doorways, pot drawers low down in kitchen, no hard tile floors etc etc.

bigreader mentioned Undercover Architect - have a look at her profile on Houzz to read reviews from previous clients!

Agree with Gioenne & bigreader. This is a big decision & a big project that needs someone like Undercover Architect to help you realise your dreams & translate them into a realistic plan.

When trying to make big decisions on our previous home we had a drafter come in and do a 'feasibility study'. Relative to the cost of the prospective works the fee for this was small but gave us a clear picture and realistic estimated costing of the project.

in our 60's we've almost finished our MAJOR reno for retirement. (having already built or renovated several homes and extensions including a granny flat and rental properties) we know it would have been cheaper and easier to knock down and re-build but we're also sentimental about our old home and aimed for minimum ongoing maintenance with maximum comfort and flexibility. Looking at your house there seems to be enough to make an enclosed "verandah" all down the eastern side to create space for ensuite/ kitchenette off east front bedroom, extra sitting area off middle bedroom (new master bed) and extending the new rear living area closer to the side boundary. Replace the old fibro extension bath/laundry with new living area and make a new bath, laundry, hall and staircase in the old living room. Upstairs kept simple for family use. Front bedroom with eastern ensuite and kitchenette become granny flat, able to be blocked off with lockable door part way down the and entered from original front door. Big front bedroom becomes bedroom, guest or TV room. Old kitchen is refurbished with breakfast bar/opening to new living room and entertaining areas across north and extended to create carport/covered area up to the refurbished shed "mancave" (keep outdoor loo with added handbasin and self closing door to retain convenience) Details are subject to personal taste and pocket but good luck with your reno

Fb57, I wish federation, most of our street federation ours is 50s, no one actually knows as all records from council were lost in floods in 1964, so all that can be said really it was before then, but most of the builders, trades reckon mid to late fifties. Our first marital home that was on husbands family farm was 150 year old cottage that we saved from the ravages of time. I just like saving buildings. As a teenager I started with a little wooden cottage on my family farm. A beautiful old place with hand made bricks was demolished in our street, I nearly cried, I couldn't believe it was allowed to happen, I think of someone's labour of love making each brick then putting it all together, it was big on a big block, looking at the inlet. Unfortunately out of our price range as husband and I both wanted to save it. We inspected it, it was savalgable, the block has stood a vacant mass of weeds for sale for over two years now.

Hi fb57,

Great charming federation house, retain the front and fix the back, then maybe later you can put in a granny flat - depending on cost and local council bylaws.

I would not put in an attic - stairs are a good place for mishaps and as we age it might have limited functionality - but if its something you have your heart set on it might prove worth while.

It appears that you are competent enough to do a decent measure up plan, going from what you have posted - you might need to take a few photo and a few other dimension to get a good design from someone working online.

The idea is to get a design that you are happy with and then get a local competent Drafts-person to do your working drawings for a Building Permit and then get it built with a Builder of your choice.

This would result in my opinion in a significant saving and a design of your choice, especially if you are willing to do some of the legwork with council and other authorities.

To get a good design that you feel is a solution to your requirements, you need to produce a variety of design schemes (plans elevations perspectives etc.) and this can be done online with any competent Building Designer that you can get along with. It will not take one go at it - and it will not be quick, as you need time to digest every scheme but generally it works out in the long run.

These are some of the things I would look at:

1. The possibility of breaking up the build into stages - maybe stage one do the renovations at the back and the stage 2 place in a granny flat.

2. As you have good access on both sides of the property I would place a new garage on the largest width and possible gate and walkway on the other side to give individual access to the granny flat. The new garage would be as closely to the front as possible, with the new fence an gate on the other side it would greatly improve security.

3. Depending on budget I would provide a bathroom shower and toilet with a walk in robe to the main bedroom and redo the kitchen and laundry if required.

4.The area next to the lounge area I would develop into an external entertainment area.

5 Since you mentioned that you have a "Fibro Extension" it implies to me that you may have asbestos on the property - get an expert in and determine if you need to remove asbestos when you renovate - this is a dangerous material and you should take all precautions possible to avoid long term damage.

6. An indication of the position of your neighbors windows and setback might also help in providing a design that complies with your planning laws and respects your adjoining neighbors.

Like all things it will take a few revisions to get it right , but if you are willing to work at it, it will payoff in the end. The first thing is to draw up the existing conditions to scale so that an initial proposal showing possibilities can be worked on.

I would be willing to work on this project with you online, I hope this is of some help.

Regards

Michael Manias

mm407p@gmail.com