Hello Sarah; I can see what we can do...pls send me the model ... I assume you need them pre-hung and pre finished? Send email to gary@mahoganydoorshonduras.com..many thanks...

Hi ca69. I haven't read through all the comments but wanted to point out that my eye keeps getting drawn to the massive 'blank' space under the semi circle gable. As an Australian that has visited QLD alot I know the look you are trying to achieve but the front right of the house seems really unbalanced with the window so far to the right. What about one window centred on that wall or two windows the same size to give it symmetry? Also, might be good to look at light coloured colourbond roofing. Something like Dulux surfmist as the lighter colours reflect sun rather than absorb it and it is already hot enough up there. I would lose all the brick on the exterior and replace it with the coloured hardiplank composite - it doesn't need painting and is a composite rather than timber. Keep the colours lighter for eco reasons. I work for greenstar builders and lighter exterior colours in hot environments is becoming common building practice. Also look at painting your front door a red or lime green. There are pictures oh Houzz for inspiration.

mforr - It's funny you should mention that, because I just looked at the map of queens, trying to remember the name of the highway that went thru a friend's neighborhood like that .. and I think they renamed it! There used to be an "Interboro Parkway", and now it's called the "Jackie Robinson Parkway"! Wikipedia says it was renamed in 1997 .. who knew?! "The Jackie Robinson Parkway is a 4.95-mile (7.97 km) parkway in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The western terminus of the parkway is at Jamaica Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York. It runs through Highland Park, along the north side of Ridgewood Reservoir, and through Forest Park. The eastern terminus is at the Kew Gardens Interchange in Kew Gardens, Queens, where the Jackie Robinson Parkway meets the Grand Central Parkway and Interstate 678."

This is really becoming very interesting Linda, maybe things are different here too. Take for example when I called people to quote on my bathroom renovation - the first two guys I called were loosely described as builders in that they had served apprenticeships and were qualified carpenters (or chippies as we call them). They would take on any structural work in a home, even do extensions and build completely new homes. They do all the basic structural work and then, in our case, call in licenced plumbers, electricians and qualified tilers. If new walls are necessary, as was the case in our ensuite, they will call in qualifed plasterers to do this work. The third guy and the one we used described himself as a bathroom renovator as he was a qualified tiler but he had years of experience to do basic building work as well and then called in other trades. He even used a specialist demolisher to gut the bathrooms as they had all the tools to do the work cleanly and quickly in one day. All the tradespeople have done courses and apprenticeships and are licenced and if you have any sense you don't use anyone without checking their licence first. For this reason, I would consider anyone, like Sir David and Kutchie and even yourself with your vast experience to be able to advise on structural issues that are pretty much black and white and things that have to be done for correct and safe building practices. On the other hand, designers or decorators, no matter what their qualifications are only giving an opinion on furniture style, colour schemes, furniture placement, etc, things that aren't black and white but are a personal preference thing. I note many of them come on strong with colour schemes having absolutely no idea of the climate or lighting or aspect in a room that can make a huge difference to the finished result and it really surprises me that as professionals, they always miss this. When dilemmas are on structural or building issues, I never comment simply because it is something the average person would know nothing about - the only time I have commented is when I have had a similar problem and I can state how it was handled and the result, successful or otherwise. Decorating, on the other hand is something anyone with an eye for detail can join in on and these are the dilemmas where I feel the Pro could be intimidating. It is bad enough when they come back with the "I'm a pro so I'm right" without having a "Read my Title" attitude as well. As far as I am concerned there are no REAL rights and wrongs in decorating anyway where building practices are another thing completely. I'm glad you got a Pro anyway, we certainly value you here.