Replacing whole of house heating - options?
kateandrhys
7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
kateandrhys
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
Can your house take the heat?
Comments (21)We're in a large apartment with sliding glass doors facing west (lounge/dining and bedroom 2) and east (main bedroom, kitchen) each with a full length balcony/patio areas (4&5m deep and 6.5m wide). With this set up we get a fantastic cross breeze that cools down our entire home within minutes of the sliding doors being opened after a cool change arrives in summer. Our front (western) facing sliding doors get the hot afternoon sun so in summer we put up the outdoor umbrellas (soon to be outdoor awning blinds) that keep the sun off our windows and make entertaining out there more comfortable in the late afternoons reducing glare. We also find that we chase the sun/shade (depending on the season) when we're eating outdoors and entertaining so for summer, we use our western side in the morning where it's shady and cool and the eastern side of an evening and vice versa in winter. In the full length planter boxes on our western balcony we've put in rosemary which has grown up and provides a little extra protection against afternoon glare. We don't have air con and manage quiet well for the majority of summer exception of those two or three days each year that are super hot we close the whole apartment up, draw all the curtains and blinds, turn on the faithful Dimplex tower fan and resort to cool showers, salads and ice blocks....See MoreKitchen alterations reasonable without replacing whole lot?
Comments (12)Liz, You have beautiful cupboards. I love your integrated dishwasher, and the designed space for the microwave. It should fit your new oven perfectly. But here's the thing: the thing that makes your cupboards beautiful is the timber doors. As wood mellows, it would be hard to match in new "door" elements - you could tell the old/new. If you are basically happy with the layout, then refreshing the benchtops and a new stovetop doesn't need a kitchen company. You need to work out your new stovetop, as you need to know your cutout. Then get some graph paper from the newsagents, and measure up. You can go directly to a local stonemason for a quote, or use a refurbishment company to overlay your existing top (e.g Granite transformations). (A new sink is relatively cheap and works wonders to update the kitchen!) A good handyman (or even better, a builder who just wants a bit of work on the weekend) can rip out the existing cupboards, mount a new range rangehood, and would probably be willing to take a hammer to break your connection to your dining room. Most plumbers (if its gas) or electricians are willing to connect in a new stovetop and sink for a reasonable price. It sounds to me that the only really "new" add -in is your new pantry area. You might need to be a bit clever to make that blend, even if you can't get a 100% match. If it's a full length pantry, one option might be to consider an off the shelf "door door" or even bifold, with a similar profile, so that it's sympathetic . You could then stain, or paint, or varnish to either blend in or make a contrast. Best of luck!...See MoreReplace Pergola on mid 50's/60's House
Comments (4)I had a client with a similar low pergola, that was in quite good condition, but didn't have adequate slope for drainage, and felt quite oppresive as it was so low. As part of a much larger renovation I designed a soaring, butterfly roof structure to sit on top of the existing pergola with a generous box gutter down the centre. One "wing" of the butterfly overlaps the original tiled roof, but is about 600mm above the tiles. This makes it possible to clean the original gutter fairly easily. This overlap is enough to keep most of the rain out, apart from when it gets really windy and rainy at the same time. Photo below is original pergola structure: Photos taken during construction, before polycarbonate roofing installed: The final result has a lovely, light and airy feeling, and doesn't trap the hot air like your standard flat roofs that are tied into the existing eave. It also seems to capture any breeze on a hot day. Best of luck Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls...See MoreKitchen/living options in mid century house with late 90s addition
Comments (11)you said you could extend towards the west to replace the laundry but what's the distance from the side of the original dining room to the western boundary and what are your long term plans for the old dining room, kitchen and the space behind the garage? if you expect to extend, as me me already said, it's much better to plan the whole house renovation and it can also be more cost effective to add new rooms than to rearrange existing spaces even if you have to do the work in stages but, as we can't read the writing on your plans, it difficult to make specific suggestions and i don't understand where you plan to add the new kitchen ...does the house have only original rooms or is part of the house an old extension? what are all the floors and walls made out and what is the height of the back deck off the ground? please show room names and dimensions on the plans in larger print and some photos inside and out would help understand the existing spaces but my initial thought would be to have a new kitchen,pantry and laundry on the garage side and use the old dining room kitchen and laundry bathroom as a new master suite..but depends on correct dimensions....See Morekateandrhys
7 years agoEnvirotecture
7 years agokateandrhys
7 years agoEnvirotecture
7 years agokateandrhys
7 years agoHunt Heating
6 years agomollgillivan
6 years ago
bigreader