Nice work oklouise. I was thinking the existing porch could be a walk in robe with the current front door being the entrance to the robe. Then reduce the double doors from existing entry to lounge to single and put a new doorway to the study inline with the master/study wall. that way you aren't removing external walls. Entry would then be through a new doorway where the lounge window facing the current porch. If the window is big enough then it might even be possible to use the existing lintil above the window and just remove the window and the bricks below which will save $$. I know you lose hallway but lots of houses (including mine) don't have hall ways per say but use floor coverings or furniture to create walkways around the lounge. I guess it all depends on how much $$ you want to spend in th end.

Hi Lucy, Typical situation here. A couple of things, without going into full depth you need to distinguish and separate (a) project design from (b) project construction...... Firstly, these types of projects can be challenging/involved on a number of levels. But first things first, Firstly, you need a design solution. At a glance you seem to have plenty of existing space, BUT reconfiguration of internal spaces can translate into higher than anticipated cost. It comes down to your specific family needs and ultimately your budget. You need to define/clarify your specific requirements or work with a design professional who can help you establish the detail required in order to resolve a design solution for you. Invariably it comes down to money and balancing out your specific needs in context to ensure the solution is developed to budget. We offer services that deal with & manage this critical front end stage of a project. Secondly, issue with trades and getting people to come and quote etc.....very often, the issue is not that they don't want to do the job, BUT the job actually is not clearly defined or is confusing and may appear too small to bother. However, when you have a properly and professionally documented and defined project on paper then it is actually relatively straight forward to find a reputable builder who will quote the project properly. There are numerous operators setup for various scaled and type of project and sure it's about finding the right one and it's horses for courses. But first things first, without a clear plan of attack you'll be going around in circles getting nowhere - my guess is that you've been trying to work it out yourself and tried to speak to builder or random trades, before actually focusing on the most important aspect of a project, which is the design. You can't expect to pull those guys in and ask them "what do you reckon?" "can we do this" "how much will it cost to...".etc......builders and trades form the "back end"of the projects, they are not "designers" however people seem to often pull them in first, when rather they should be discussing the yet to be defined project with either a designer or an architect. I hope this brief comment helps. If you are interested in further professional assistance and comments please don't hesitate to contact me directly for further information. We can provide concise front end services that are structured to address exactly this type of situation and provide clarity and options for your project that are properly costed in context. You get this stuff sorted/freed up, you'll be able to progress forward efficiently with the process. Cheers PD :)

Thank you everyone for your replies. @dreamer – I agree with what you’ve said. I planned on extending the Alfresco to go down the side of the house along the Living/Kitchen down the track which would add the required shading. Now that I’ve read a few more replies maybe flipping the whole house orientation will work better, and I wear the costs of getting the crossover changed to make the most of the N/E orientation? @HU-319610855 – I will be living in the house for the next 5+ years so I guess it’s long term. It’s the first house I will own/build so there is a million things running through my head. I was told to build with the future in mind, whether it be my own family or if I sell/rent, someone else’s, but I can see how that really complicates things as I need to think in the present! I have gone with a custom builder more so for the fact that I know they are reputable and the workmanship will be top quality compared to some of the volume builders in my area, it wasn’t so much for a custom plan. As I said above, would flipping the whole house orientation work better and optimise the light coming into the Alfresco/Family/Kitchen areas? Or would it be better to rework the plans as you said and have the majority of living towards the back of the house? One of my original designs did have the Alfresco running across the whole back of the house, but it was a 3 Bedroom design which I changed to 4 to suit the estate I'm building in. @User - I thought the entry and hallways were standard sizing, 1.5m entrance and 1m for hallways? The house will have 2.7m ceilings throughout so that adds a bit more space. The reason for the divide between the family and bedrooms as I like to have the spaces separate to create more privacy for the bedrooms/bathroom/toilet. I wouldn’t want them visible from the living area.

retain the second living area, better resale value as more rooms and you will find it more useful the longer you stay. until the children are in primary school they will want to be in the same living room as you so they will play out in the back living area but over time you will be happy to have a separate play room full of toys you dont have to look at constantly while in the kitchen. I would definetely put both children in 1 room for at least 5 years then you will have another room that could become a third adult sitting/reading area. courtyards let in light and could almost become the second living room, or could turn out to look neglected with dead plants and somewhere you have to sweep up all the time its windy?