Hi How2Girl, I appreciate your follow up! The Reece document is good - thanks - I wish there was something concrete in the Standards though. Worth notiing is that a shower over the bath needs the same wall-sheeting details as if it was a shower base. Also wall framing in the bathroom needs to be done to AS 1684.2-2010 Residential timber-framed construction - Non-cyclonic areas (Which the James Hardie 'wet area design book' is based on) Very frustrating that the Australian Standards are not readily available - ie FREE- or at least, latest copies at local libraries. How are we meant to build to standards when they are inaccessible. Another factor in determining the overall quality of the Australian construction industry Also what I've found frustrating in this instance is that other trades in my small town are unwilling to agree that the work is of very poor quality - there is an unstated 'brotherhood' at work. So Im going to have to engage an independent Building Certifier, probably from out of town. Of course,the cost for this will come off the builder's fees on a pro-rata basis for below-par work

depends on how often you need the extra bathroom and how much you prepared to spend? (i'd expect a modest redecoration of the old bathroom to cost about $15,000 without changing the location of any fixtures, a new kitchen about $15,000 and the second bathroom needing new complex plumbing, new walls and unexpected extras to cost at least two or three times as much if not more (assuming the BC agrees) and, where will you do your washing?.. contrary to other ideas i would prefer to keep a laundry without the second bathroom but removing part of the wall between kitchen and living area would allow for two options for a new laundry "cupboard" and a more spacious open plan kitchen, dining and living area at a fraction of the cost of the second bathroom...(say $40,000 for new kitchen, Euro laundry, floor coverings etc) my concern with the extra bathroom is finding a connection for the new toilet into the sewer which would probably involve digging a trench in the concrete floor to bury the pipe to connect the new toilet to the sewerage under the existing toilet ..my new kitchen and Euro laundry without relocating plumbing but, if you are prepared to completely rebuild the old bathroom and kitchen and rearrange walls this idea adds an extra bathroom in an easier location

I second Dr Retro's advice to start with recruiting and appointing your lead designer. An architect and/or building designer will start with a preliminary check of the constraints and opportunities for your site, including Town Planning matters. They will also advise on the need for other consultants, such as surveyor, engineer, etc., some of whom will be design dependent. In many cases a Town Planning application is not required for house alterations and additions under the Brisbane City Plan. You still need to comply, but it is classified as "self-assessable" development that is checked by the Certifier as part of your building application. Hopefully you have a pre-purchase building inspection report? This will form a basis for identifying potential problems that need to be addressed, which helps to build up a budget for your project. You might also find this information on working with your architect useful.

Yes. I couldn’t find it in my profile though but here is the link. https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/5879722/ceilings-floors-and-weatherboard-questions it was kind of an unrelated question re matching ceilings Which is now redundant as it was a question pertaining to the old floor plan. If we keep our current floor plan, we don’t need to match the ceilings as we no longer have the combined dining living - theyre now separated by the kitchen. The deck on the floor plan is now to be knocked down and turned into a dining room. Haven’t got a floor plan for that since we just got the news from council. Trying to warm my husband to it. Otherwise he wants to move! I’m wanting the wall to be weatherboard under the windows to match our weatherboard living room. We have a nice view from the deck hence to keep that going in the new dining room w these windows. this is advice from council. The deck would eventually need to be replaced in the next ten years as it’s an old house so I’m not bothered we would pull it down as we would have to anyway but to be replaced w a new deck. Just looking for advice on type of window rather than any comments on council is. My hubby is doing a lot of dining about it!