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

Hi all, Wow - hard to believe it was 7 months ago I posted this! We are getting there, but now having window dilemma. We decided to retain brick and use cladding for extensions. A few questions: 1. should existing windows in brick part of house (which are like a cottage window) be retained or replaced to match new ones? any advice regarding new bedroom windows - currently louvres - air flow appeals but does it look odd? 2. Opinions on the rear doors - we want this dining area to open as much as possible in summer. The current solution is to have 2 sliding doors on each side, and bi-folds across the rear, with corner glass in both corners - any opinions? 3. Rear paved area - we currently have odd shaped concrete at rear (the grey shaded area). Architect has suggested paving to fill in what is currently grass and make a better square line - but, is it just going to be too much paving?? Would love to hear your thoughts. thanks in advance!

You can get slim range hoods that generally fit into the wall cabinets ours were approx 40cm deep which housed the complete operation, our plumber ran a 6 or so inch flexable ducting into the roof cavity and out under the eaves. Most brands make these. A photo would be helpful. https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/omega-52cm-undermount-rangehood-oru50x?CAWELAID=620013790000422290&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=21711678566&CATCI=pla-376401441757&gclid=CjwKCAjw0qLOBRBUEiwAMG5xMNN63iJr0n0Bnxf31-Gt0t5s0vERt_lOwOYkC6uzovf9TDWwawry9RoCgxQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLOv9erawdYCFc0slgodE5oLHg Where we didn't have wall cabinets we had tall boxes of stainless look laminate built up to the ceiling which contained the extraction unit, which was approx 30-40cm's and extraction ducting cheers

it's possible to have a tiled or steel roof painted and the product, if applied well, should last for many years and can be reapplied if necessary..like any painted surface...not aware of any other product except these roof paints but, if your roof is already 30 years old it's probably time to have it checked for any potential weaknesses ...what is the roof made out of?