Hi Donna - Look for a company that offer a 10-year warranty and a product that complies with Australian Standards. There are some companies that provide a 'kit' for your builder to install to make it a little bit cheaper again. There are also products that have a 'rack and pinion' design which minimises maintenance and eliminates the need for a motor pit - just do a google search for "dumbwaiter rack and pinion' . Good Luck!

Lick light, apparently we are painting it now rather than just colouring render. recommended not to go dark colour as polystrene cladding doesn't absorb heat like bricks do and this keeps heat on the render layer. No major issues but will need to re-paint more often. So now wondering about all old stone wall. I did want to do an area of old house in monument as that is the view from kitchen window and thought it would blend more.

The 'underneath' is really nice , and that would be my preferred option . The current cladding does remind me of a Queenslander -- well , a Queensland shearing shed . Sorry to be so rude , but it's not great -- even the windows are different sizes ! The only couple of positives ( apart from the obvious fact that it is your home ) is that the windows appear quite dark , and that front stair looks quite pleasant in charcoal or black . The gable in a faded green doesn't help , nor match anything . A green like the Houzz house may suit , a mid blue , a steel blue , a yellow -- hell , most greys would be better , and thats saying something ! So that would be my step 1 . Step 2 would be better steps ! Even if you kept the existing ones , added railings , horizontal boards around the base in charcoal . If you are on a real tight budget , get a couple of sheets of smokey grey perspex cut so that they are about 100mm smaller than the holes in the railings , and attach using 10mm wide strips of stainless steel . Likewise , close in around the base of your house , as you quite rightly said , with horizontal railings , 100mm wide , 25mm gaps , stained charcoal . Maybe do the top rail in the same colour as your gable , so it looks a bit planned and interesting . The side fences -- stain in charcoal . Around the windows -- mask ( masking tape ) and paint in a metallic charcoal so that the sizes appear the same . A front fence would help , but all it needs is a 100 x 100 rail , with chamfered corners , mounted at a 45 degree angle , about 250-300mm above ground level on short posts , stained charcoal too . Add a letterbox , keeping to the monotone theme , so the only real colour is your gable . The life will be , as you said , in your excellent garden , and that is all it needs until you have the $$$ or braveness to go back to the houses roots .

I'd want to see the whole house , the street view -- basically , more info . You have red brick , which by the gap I am guessing is a veneer , and does it go to the ground , or is there a lower panelling in something different ? Then there is the monument on the gutter , and the windows are different stages , different shades , one appears to be peeling . And an orange downpipe . Then back a bit , you have a pastel snifters green , with a pink window surround and trim , olivey green roof , lower surround in olive in some places , charcoal in another . Back a bit more , and a different snifters green , stained timber base boards , natural fibre cement , dark green or charcoal window surround and white downpipe . THEN a deck , in what looks like a different green handrail again , and a different white . In other words , is white even the right choice , because it seems like you'll still end up with just a different colour of hodge-podge , whereas by planning you will end up with something that looks like a 'semi-planned' colour scheme .