We are still building and just had the power cable put in and I insisted on a landline cable to go in at the same time. Living in the country means bad reception or blackspots for mobiles as mentioned earlier and it isn't being fixed none too fast either!! We also have allot of older clients who still prefer to contact us on a landline because they dont all have mobile phones or if they do, they have the isues just mentioned, blackspots etc... and mobiles are still considered by some to be a financially extravagant way to make contact versus a landline!! I guess the young ones don't remember a time when there were local and STD or long distance calls which used to cost an arm or a leg and these STD calls didn't mean you were calling interstate, it could be as simple as being 40km away. I have a fixed landline monthly plan at very little cost which covers all local and STD calls and I could if I chose to, talk for several hours, still at no extra cost compared to a mobile. Mobile plans are at a fixed rate like say getting $300 worth of free calls for $35 but you go over that plan and you can get a fair shock when the bill arrives. Landlines as mentioned earlier are safer to use, always have clearer reception and really are still the cheapest way to keep in touch from home.

Hi, Just remember the Light Reflective Value (LRV) of a dark colour particularly in Queensland's Summer may cause warping of the lining boards, before painting them strip off the old paint - likely to have been lead based at some stage could be 3 layers deep (easily tested by a test kit from a paint shop) and seal all the holes and gaps with an oil based sealer, then apply the 'filler' - builder's bog etc and paint over, with a good quality acrylic paint - Solagard type exterior paint system. If you don't seal the boards before applying the filler; moisture - condensation will migrate from the back of the board to the face - no sarking to the back of an older weatherboard homes and cause the filler to go 'soft' and blister the face of the board ruining the paint, (4 years as a Trade Paint Rep). As far as asbestos cement sheeting - protocols are in place for its safe removal as any home built prior to 1983 is 'likely' to have asbestos lining materials in the wet areas, laundry, flue pipes, kitchen lino or underlay and probably the meterbox - all the usual suspects. These homes look fantastic when restored properly and I've seen quite a few done 'upside down' with the sleeping areas on the ground floor and entertaining / living rooms on the first floor, that way the rooms below can have all the modern fixtures, finishes and insulation without detracting from the liveability of the upstairs rooms not needing the same level of noise control, or hiding electrical or plumbing lines etc in wall spaces.

On the surface this subject raises quaint images of flowering vine-adorned little granny flats and harmonious extended families 'taking tea' together on the patio surrounded by grandchildren and laughter, visiting care-givers helping the elderly live at home with family, receiving visits from Caregiver services...everyone smiling...but wait, there's more. At a certain stage along the planning process a percentage of us fall foul of the expectations, hopes and idealistic scenarios and maybe, for some, that is because of religious upbringings..."honour they father and thy mother" etc. adding guilt to the already difficult decisions. Housing our elderlies is not an easy topic to bring up for discussion in public because there is no "one way" to address and resolve this issue. I felt that HOUZZ, was a good place to have a discussion about an otherwise difficult and emotional subject that many would be reluctant to approach. On deciding to tell a bit of my own experience I felt that it would open up an opportunity for others battling with the complexities of this problem. So, congrats to all the Houzzers who've had a go at telling their stories here and making the rest of us feel that we are not alone having to deal with this life-situation. Taking care of our elderlies is about much more than building them a comfy granny flat or putting on extentions to our own homes and its not about applying a "One size fits most" solution...( Would that it were all that easy!) I found that my religious upbringing, coupled with unhappy experiences had with my parent made my final decision ever so much more difficult despite that certain 'rules' no longer applied in my own life....or I thought they did not! I discovered that the religious expectations put on me in my childhood coupled with those of friends and family members had reared their heads from the distant past to make my decisions more difficult. I discovered the power of guilt! Mum did not practise her faith but the rules about children and parents were convenient, those indisputable, fearsome rules to enforce compliance and obedience...or else.... I will never forget the day she quoted her favourite "honour thy father and thy mother" at me just once too often after she'd exacted very severe discipline: : I'd found my indignation at being treated unfairly and, through my bloodied handkerchief I screamed : -"What if thy father and thy mother are not honourable ?" There was no answer to that question, no hour long lecture to reinforce the point. Again I paid dearly for my retort. This example to illustrate that domineering parents can be very cruel when they call to bear witness to their demnds any rationale that they have inculcated in their children from a religious perspective and a socio/ cultural perspective So - pondering on wheher we would house our elderlies ( probably meant to call for accomodation suggestions and financial solutions here on HOUZZ) for me, and maybe for others. brought out a dilemma I did not know was there...Obligation irrespectively and Guilt.....they are your parents no matter what. Maybe today I would have guarded more jealously the life I'd won for myself.

@Anne we are drawing to the end of our similar area renovations, I am looking forward to getting the furniture out of storage and thinking what stays and what goes.. it is exciting but exhausting as well we moved out for 4 weeks while structural stuff was done and have been back in for four with about 2 weeks to go, very tough living, my best friend has been a $29 target electric frypan, I am the creative gourmet of electric fry pan foods , good luck with your job, ours is finally looking like it has been worth it. The only bad trade we have had is the electrician and he is going to be here in half an hour I need to get dressed and be ready to have stern words with him