You can actually do a lot with a little if your prepared to have a go and get a bit experimental. Firstly, get the high pressure hose out and some outdoor cleaner to get rid of any moss build up on the paving and any of the walls and get a hose caddy/cart that when entertaining can be moved out of the way. These things will instantly make it feel better and tidier. use the vertical spaces available with hanging baskets with colour from the roof beams (use light weight baskets and potting medium) and window troughs that you can use with hooks off the fence (again, use light weight potting medium and troughs so as not to interfere with the structural integrity of the fence and beams). Use screen panels or lattice to hide any tanks/plumbing that exists and use well behaved climbers to continue to cover it. Look for some old outdoor timber settings to recycle by painting it up in either white or bright colour(s) (remember you can use outdoor cushions to introduce colour too) and then add hurricane candle holders - this looks inviting and casual. Look at your local hardware for either solar or electrical outdoor bollard lighting to make the space inviting of an evening (don't forget fairy/icicle lights for parties and/or Xmas) - look around for specials as you can save a bunch if your local Bunnings/Masters/Mitre 10 has a sale. Shade sails are an option if the area gets unpleasantly hot can also be used under the transparent roofing as is inserting some hooks into the beams and jerry-rigging a canvas awning that can be put up and taken down in minutes (just remember that you'll need eyelets in the canvas for the hooks to go through) are easy and cheap. The same idea can be done with net/muslin and LED fairy lights for evening parties. Have a colourful gorilla tub to do double duty around the house - gardening, laundry and as a good sized esky. If budget permits and there isn't already one - get an outdoor powerpoint - it's so handy for lights, the high pressure hose etc.

if the original asbestos walls are in good condition then they can re-be painted but if the walls are too damaged to be saved the asbestos needs to be removed by professionals and the cladding replaced, no reason you can't have different profiles on the front and sides as long as joints and corners are sealed properly but if you plan to install new windows it could be better to wait to repair sections of wall as the windows are replaced (i'd prefer to have all the roof and external walls in good condition and then do the internal work at leisure)... .modern fibrous cements are excellent ...we've just used flat fibrous cement with curved battens over joints and very happy with the results for our 50's house (there are several different brands available through the big hardware stores and research on line is much easier than trying to work out the variations in store) the gabled portico can be made as a separate structure or as a extension to the roof with valley gutters depending on placement of the solar panels (and/or solar panels can be moved)

You have a classic post-war cream brick home, and the cream brick is the feature with its subtle variation in colour. The dark brown accent colours, which are not original, were probably added in the early 1970's. With your tight budget I would not be rendering the brick. You may like to read my blog post about why you should NOT render a classic home. https://secretdesignstudio.com/render-brick-home-tribute-triple-fronted-blonde-brick-veneer-home/ I would be looking at removing the "feature" awning and replacing it with something more appropriate to the home such as vertical black and white stripe which I suggested to these clients who have a similar brick and tile combination to yours. I would then look at repainting the gutters and fascias to co-ordinate with the awning. Introduce some landscaping to soften the look, and consider painting or rendering the dark brown base brickwork (but never the cream brickwork). Finish all of the timber window frames in the original Dulux Vivid White. I would not be adding the fake Victorian-style verandah to the home as you have proposed with its ornate iron lace. It will just look so wrong mixing these elements from different centuries from homes with very different proportions. I don't think I have actually seen a new renovation with fake decorative iron lace since the 1970s! At the end of the day, you won't be able to "modernise" or change the style of the existing home with your budget. What you can do is to celebrate the 1960's character that you already have and build on the original parts of your home which will be more cost-effective. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls.

I have a relatively small but very well designed house of 160M2 on a block of 1000M2. We get lots of northern light in all the right places. Garden views and connection from every room and plenty of borrowed views. Outdoors we have space for produce gardens, fruit trees, outdoor patio and BBQ area, a fire pit, play space and a native garden. We also have a large, private courtyard off the master bedroom and a small one off the en-suite bathroom. And utility spaces to the south (washing line, hot water, outdoor compressors for air con, garden sheds etc). Internally we have 3 bedrooms, a study and open plan kitchen/dining/kitchen plus small activity area for the kids. None of the rooms, other than the activity area are poky. Because it is well designed there is no wasted space, and it flows really well, accomodating two adults and 2 teens while providing a good balance between connection and privacy. Ample ceiling heights, 2.4m high windows and sight lines that connect with the outdoors means it feels spacious despite its relatively compact size. It’s such a joy to live in this house. It feels like the goldilocks house. Not too big, not too small. Just right.