Hi maryprior892 Thanks for posting the extra information it all helps in gaining some understanding, I think it is possible to improve this existing house in a cost effective manner. Just a minor item that I picked up in regards of equipment - I think you mentioned that the existing STORAGE is actually a covered internal courtyard - I also notice that you have a hot water unit in this space - you should check that the hot-water service (if it is a gas unit) that it has sufficient ventilation and is not an external units that has been closed in - any plumber will give you this information - enclosing gas units that are designed for external use is not a good idea. I think that if you are going to make changes it not only should suit you, but also have a good resale opportunity - considering your upstairs areas it might be better to add a decent En-suite and walk in robes and getting two or three bedrooms downstairs - in this way you would have parents areas separated from children - this might have better resale and use that a tiny ES. The third bedroom downstairs could be gained by enclosing the RUMPUS room and providing access to bathroom areas by a corridor to existing bathrooms. This would also aid in getting containment areas for heating - at the moment the plan shows one open space including the upstairs - lots of heating in winter in Tasmania for all that area - some compartmentalization would probably help in combating yearly heating costs. The existing living area are certainly ample, so the loss of the rumpus to a bedroom does not detract greatly to the overall house, and in the meantime you could use the new downstairs bedroom/rumpus room as you have already mentioned as a library. I think this is achievable, but before doing a physical change, I would have a fully developed plan which includes all existing and proposed furniture to scale, with a few 3D views to enhance the concept. (It easier to change drawings than walls - a lot less dust and much cheaper) I would then obtain the opinion of a Real-estate agent (the Real-estate agent you bought it from is not a bad place to start) and maybe two others. This might help in making long term decisions in regards to investment for the future. Staging your proposed renovations is also another approach that you might investigate. Above all I would retain and obtain as many ocean views that you can possibly get, I assume that the ocean views are at the front of the house (" revealed an open fireplace in the front lounge which also has ocean views so that is fabulous.") If possible you might consider developing an external eating/sitting/entertaining area with ocean views - I certainly would be a buyer, and I would assume that it might be supported by the real-estate agent. I hope this is of some help, I would be happy to comment further on this design as more information becomes available. Michael Manias Manias Associates Building Associates mm407p@gmail.com

we need dimensions of the existing rooms as well as distances from house to all fences, position of north, direction of any good and bad views, your climate and any special wish lists?? btw where is the laundry, does the block have a steep slope with laundry underneath the house and how many steps are there from the backyard up to the back door and from the ground up to the front door

Without looking in the roof space you'll never know if it load bearing or not. Builders knock out load bearing walls regularly so its nothing new or difficult. They may even consult an engineer to work out loads depending on construction. Could use timber or steel depending on spans, etc. Have a local builder inspect and price it up.

to remove the whole wall and consider custom storage there are expensive demolition, structural support and rebuilding issues (think $20,000?) that won't add extra space, just rearrange what's already there..whatever the long term decision the unsuitable wardrobes will need to be removed so you could try my suggestion, live with that and then consider more drastic changes that would be equally expensive to restore..an interior or building designer or a draughtsperson can draw up different ideas and a builder or carpenter can do the work but you need to be clear about your budget as a simple job can spiral out of control before you begin redecorating..the key word i considered is "reconversion' and i think you'll achieve a much more cost effective solution by not removing any structural walls ..the computer program i use is called 3D Home Architect Version 4 and is the best simple program i've ever used but it's many years old and not readily available any more but there have been several recent HOUZZ enquiries with answers about other CAD programs that might suggest alternatives..but, for such a simple proposal, nothing better than precise measurements of the existing spaces, graph paper, ruler and pencil and a clear understanding of what's already there (eg are the wardrobes added to the wall or part of the wall, do they reach the ceiling and are they raised off the floor and what style of doors do they have??) some photos could help inspire more suggestions from other HOUZZERS