Firstly, thank you all so much for your thoughts. Will answer in turn. Vy... That is definitely something I had considered too. Given that our current apartment master bedroom is next to the nursery and we wish now that there was some separation. Will definitely ask the designer if they can move things around at all. The reason the master is at the end (or far right when looking at the plans), is that the views to the right (or North West) is a key feature as it overlooks a lake. This was the primary reason for the L (or T) shaped house. Hopefully the designer can move around the rooms to add some privacy but keep the master at the end. Daryl... Firstly, your plans are great. I am building within a few km's of you too. What a great place to live :) That's a great idea with the removal of a hallway and have the spare room accessible from the breezeway and through the bathroom. It could definitely save us some room. Also this could allow me to make the office slightly larger too, so it could be considered an extra bedroom for resale value. The only problem I can think of is that if someone wanted to access the bathroom from inside, they would need to come through the office. My office is always a bit of a personal space (pretty messy for guests to walk through), and if I'm working in there I wouldnt want to be interrupted. I guess people could just go outside and walk around. Will run it past the designer anyway. I also agree with the entry gate. This was something we definitely wanted to change as it looks a bit awkward and not quite fitting with the angled roof etc. Will see what other options they come up with. With the fence planned where the (current) gatehouse is, do you envisage the fence just hitting a right angle there and then running along the decking to that further set back entryway you suggested? Kjs.. Reasonably hot summers in Northern NSW. The back deck probably wont get used too much. The deck facing the pool/North will be the primarily used deck. The views out the back are just quite nice (looks out on to bushland) and this is where the kids play area will be, so thats why we wanted windows looking out that way. I can't quite picture what you mean with the moving to an L Shape to avoid the sun. Have you seen a similar design somewhere you could link? Would be great to look at some different options. Great suggestions re the pool/bathroom connection. Perhaps with Daryls suggestion for the bathroom being linked to outside (with two way doors inside) this will be achievable. Cover over entry gate if the entry gate stays is also a great idea. Some excellent suggestions guys. Keep them coming! Cheers

Hi Zunilka, you might want to delete your address from the post. We had a very similar problem- semi also, complete disconnect from internal to courtyard. We created a split-level on ground level (5 steps down from hall to kitchen-living), a step down to patio out the back stacker doors, another step to mini deck and then only 3 steps to yard. RE- your question on passive solar heating. Where is north? Are you on slab, or suspended floor? My only feedback overall would be that for a house proposed to be this size, in the area you live, I would imagine you need to consider an ensuite. I'd play with the size of Bed 1- get rid of the bath tub in that adjoining bathroom- turn that into the ensuite through the built in robes. Put a WC in the laundry to turn it into a laundry/powder room for visitors.

Do you have to use the smaller front boundary for the garage? Is the noisy living space going to work with all bedrooms coming off this space? If the garage went to the south and can it be on the boundary in Sydney, that would leave the middle for bedrooms and the northern aspect for living, as most Australian houses benefit from northern light. The front setbacks would make an ideal outdoor space which high fences or high shrubs if not allowed high fences, if on a busy road most councils allow you to have sound barriers, leaving the entry to the house to come in off the long boundary, which you can make more of a feature. You have a corner block which is always a bonus. The beds will then have a quite zone, the living can have that northern end and cars can be pushed to boundary. Always look at the site before you look at plans. Always make sure the living aspect overrides the plans. Always make sure that living in a space overrides the plans, always.

Hi and thanks for your feedback. The rear building might now move further around to the north of the !7 acre rural block (2+ hours from Melbourne), where there is a flatter patch. We are now hoping to make it 2 story, with the storage shed below and living above. That way the huge views to the south and east can be seen over the top of the house. The idea is to build the shed (with studio accom) hopefully at the end of 2020, as a place to stay while the house building starts towards the end of 2021, when we will have the funds, fingers crossed. The width of the building area is only about 30 metres before it dips away a bit steeply to the east and west. We hope to avoid too much excavating for a slab (for thermal mass) but may need to consider stumps if the slab is far more costly. Looking at Carbonlite floor system as a reluctant alternative... A local architect has done the initial design to maximise the views and northern sun. We think the slight kink in the middle will add complexity to the roof so the kink can go. It is a big 'entry' which might need to go to cut costs but we do want an 'air lock' entry... The hallway along the bedrooms is intended to warm up in winter, ideally trombe wall style. We hope to keep the house to about 150 sq meters- we don't need bigger. The council has indicated where the dispersal field for the septic tank needs to go... We love the reverse brick veneer principle. The architect has been fairly open to our ideas but says the budget will be tight at approx $3,500 per sq meter. How does an internal masonry spine work? We figured a continuous skillion roof would be simpler and cheaper- going for a rural shed look...