Eric, is it the red colour you don't particularly like? Which timbers do you like most? Have you seen spotted gum? I mention it because the colour tones in spotted gum vary and it might possibly be worth consideration. I realise many consider having the same timber flooring throughout the house as ideal; however, as your bedrooms have doors, I believe it would be perfectly acceptable to have a different timber flooring in them (be consistent here though). If this were my Dilemna, I would match the timber width to the width of your red gum flooring, and use a top-notch installer, someone with whom you can discuss the best way to lay the planks given your other flooring.

Unexpectedly to me, due to it's location on the crest of the Great Dividing Range at an elevation of around 700m above sea level, Toowoomba has a climate more similar to Sydney than Brisbane. With average summer highs of only 28°C, & average winter highs of 17°C (lows of 7°C & cold wind, as has been mentioned). It's located in Climate Zone 2: Warm Temperature, the same climate zone as Sydney, not Brisbane. Though this climate zone is very varied, so care must be taken to cater for local conditions. As has been advised a few times, have a good read of the Your Home site. Read this section, Designing for Climate, for zone 5: warm temperate. http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/design-climate Along with having cooler temperatures than Brisbane, the fact that Toowoomba is inland means it has greater variation between daytime highs & nighttime lows (diurnal temperature range). This means that unlike Queensland coastal climates, some thermal mass in the home will be appropriate, so a lightweight structure isn't needed. Although a lightweight structure, on a ground-coupled slab (with polished concrete or tiles in North facing living areas) would be a good idea. As the temperature is so much cooler than tropical Queensland climates I'd advise against going too overboard with a pavilion style house. As I think it would be too cold in winter. Maybe something like two off-set rectangles, joined in the centre. Kinda like dreamer's inspirational picture, without the middle section, the two rectangular sections joined. Or just go for a more traditional rectangular house. In any case, like just about all Australian climates, you should try to build a house that is generally rectangular, the long sides facing north & south. This will give an opportunity for northern sunshine to enter home in winter, while the shorter eastern & western sides will limit the effect of hot summer western afternoon sunshine. Though I guess this house shape won't look great from the western road, as it will look very narrow from here. You could fatten it's street frontage a little bit, by having the garage to the south of the rectangular house. With such a large block you'll be able to build something that works for you. But as OKLouise said, don't just pick a plan for an average narrow block. The plan you picked is not really suitable for your block. I'd also recommend you do a lot of research yourself. As has been shown with the plan you've received, you can't rely on the builder to design a plan that will work best for you, that is appropriate for your location. So read up on the Your Home website. It's an invaluable resource when it comes to building a comfortable, energy efficient home.

I’m wanting to get advice on what wood so I can look at inspiration then show them the look we want. They will then commence work the day after we have access.

How do you clean the parquet floor? The parquet floor is really wonderful. It has a natural tone that can really combine very well with elegant decorations, it also provides a pleasant cozy feeling in the rooms where they are installed. What is parquet and what types of parquet floors are there? Parquet is a wooden floor that generally has a layer with a minimum thickness of 2.5 mm. It can be solid, composed of a single piece of wood, or sometimes in multi-layers, which have a layer of solid wood, a core, a veneer base and different types of varnishing. Synthetic parquet floors are much easier to clean, and they are also cheaper. They are made with fibers that imitate wood, while laminate parquet floors are made of different layers of wood, the last one being a synthetic resin compound made under high pressure that has a pattern that imitates wood, and even brick, personalized photographs, and more. Laminate floors are made of wood and do not need to raise the previous floor, hence its name of platform. They are assembled quickly and in a short time you can change a ceramic floor for a wooden one without having to damage the first one. With what to clean the parquet? With the passage of time, the parquet tends to darken, so it is important to polish it every 10 years. It is a floor that is considered alive, so its maintenance is a little different from other types of floors. While polishing will leave it looking like new, maintenance should be done by cleaning it to keep it even better. Parquet should not be washed with soap and plenty of water, as humidity is really the enemy of wooden floors. Sweep or vacuum the place very well. Make a mixture of vinegar diluted in water. Use a cloth, preferably a towel to wet it in it. Wring out the cloth very well and pass it hard on the floor. You will notice the large amount of dirt that will come out with a single pass. How to clean synthetic parquet? To clean the synthetic parquet you can do it with little abrasive cleaners. Do not use anything ammonia-based or bleach, as these will cause cracks in the floor over time. Some products can even lift the parquet layers. The most effective is still water with vinegar , following the same procedure as for cleaning natural parquet, initially, then jojoba oil can be applied, this will make scratches disappear, which usually occur from normal traffic on it. If there is a stain due to liquid spillage, a little industrial alcohol can be used, with a towel moistened with it. In case there are difficult stains such as ink or paint, mineral spirits will be one of the best resources that can be used to clean the parquet floor without damaging it. How to clean the natural parquet? Natural parquet is made of wood, it should not be cleaned with high humidity, as this can cause the fibers to break down. To clean it you must first remove the dust with a soft bristle broom. Then, a low PH cleaner can be used, using a towel, in such a way that it can be moistened in the liquid, wrung out, and then wiped over the entire surface. If the natural parquet has stains, for example, oil, grease, or ink, absorbent paper can be used. You can also use talc. In this case, you must leave the talcum powder on the stain, for at least 24 hours, then you will vacuum and that's it! you will notice how the stain disappears easily. How to clean the parquet floor so that it shines? Nothing like having a bright and beautiful parquet. To have it you can use a little olive oil, which can be used by wiping a clean cloth quickly. Green tea oil also works. At least once a month it is necessary to wax the parquet floor so that it is very shiny. The most recommended products to do so are paste wax, or liquid wax. To apply it, use a cotton cloth, distributing it in the best possible way, without leaving accumulated patches. Let the wax dry and polish it with a polisher or a woolen cloth. There are also wool mops specially designed for this. How to clean the parquet daily? Parquet flooring is really easy to maintain. To do it you will only need to sweep it with a soft bristle broom, you will not need more. So that there are no scratches on the floor, it is preferable not to wear high-heeled shoes on it. It is also important to place stickers on the legs of tables and chairs so that when they move they will not cause scratches on the parquet. How to clean blackened parquet? The parquet floor usually blackens due to its use. To eradicate it you can pass a soft cloth, moistened in white vinegar. Let it act for five minutes and then you can dry it with a clean and soft cloth. How to clean damaged parquet? While you change the tablets that have been damaged, you should know that there is only one thing that can ruin the parquet and that is humidity. Either due to errors in its cleaning or due to problems in the base floor. Once the problem has been identified and solved, you must pass sandpaper so that the tables are smooth, then they can be varnished. This step will always be best done by a professional cleaner. We have both the staff and the appropriate instruments so that you can recover your parquet, without causing further damage. How to clean the parquet so that it shines? If the parquet is very dirty, it can be carved, in this way it is polished immediately, leaving it as new. Then with a vacuum cleaner, the dust must be cleaned very well. Varnish is applied to the surface and it will be perfect. If it is normally dirty, it can be cleaned with a mop soaked and wrung out with a mixture of vinegar and water. Use vinegar in a smaller proportion, because in excess it can stain the floor. Wipe with a dry cloth to speed up the process. Two to three hours later, you can wipe a cotton rag with wax, wiping it quickly but evenly over the wood, avoiding any clumps. Let it dry very well and then use a polisher so that the wax is sealed and with extra shine. Deep cleaning your parquet floor can be a bit cumbersome, but we have the professional staff and the right tools to have your floor look like new in no time. Now you know how to clean the parquet in your house, but if you don't want to take care of it, you can always contact us so that we can take care of it, since we have experience cleaning houses and our qualifiedfloor cleaning professionals can take care of this job. for you with a full guarantee. It is always a good idea to seek an external or outsourced professional cleaning service in all states and cities in Australia to take care of all your professional cleaning needs.