Hi Nik. Here's an article you may find helpful:

http://www.gohaus.com/best-floors-for-humidity/

You're a legend annb.... I did some sticky beaking at some Houzz articles and advice pages but never really found a definitive answer. Thank you!!!! That sure helps clarifies things :) xx

Hi Nik, From experience timber flooring is widely used in tropical climates, QLD, Asia etc without any problems, I think the main thing is that the timber is seasoned/kiln dried etc. As you know I would always have timber over vinyl and you can sand and renew it beautifully x

I agree Siri.... It is beautiful ... nothing like it. My great grandfather & his brothers were timberfellers around Eumundi in QLD so would love real timber... no way the $ will stretch that far I don’t think. Xx

I thought the new vinyl planks were expensive as well, keep researching, it's interesting the different sound and feel you get when walking on wood/tile/Vinyl. Are you thinking of the whole house? xx

Possibly... all 4 of us have asthma & the kids have both had croup/respiratory distress. Hubby would love carpet in the bedrooms but I think animals & sand from the beach would mean tiles or planks will be more hygienic & far easier to keep clean. I sweep the kids twice daily & the thought of all that in the carpet (shudder)....
Thought about soft rugs for the bedrooms to bring some softness & texture etc. The builder suggested planks so might see where they fall cost wise... they have a generous flooring allowance as part of their inclusions so be interesting to see what the excess may be Siri.

Yes it all comes back to cost, carpets are out for your family. One thing to think about is that timber is ageless where as the Vinyl Planks will date, timberrrrrrrrrrrrrr xo

Hey Nik, we used vinyl planks in a house we renovated for rental, and they ended up being surprisingly expensive, as Sirius said.

They were $69/m2, which sounded pretty good, but then add $37/m2 to lay. And what we hadn't anticipated is it cost another $24/m2 to prep the floors because they weren't perfectly flat and smooth. So ended up at $130/m2 installed.

We're planning on a high quality engineered wood in our current reno - it's $110/m2, but on special at $99, and about $40/m2 to lay, so at $139/m2 is only a little more than the vinyl was.

Hope the figures help with the decision-making. Sounds like things are really moving! Good luck with the build!

Demo day at last for us, next Monday!! Oh, the dust ...

Hi Nicole!
Good to hear from you :) thanks for chiming in. Your figures definitely help, thank you for sharing them. I’m hoping with the new build, it should just be supply & install costs (??) as the slab, I’m hoping, will be prepared thoroughly & in mind, with whatever our flooring selections will be. Need to have a chat with our awesome builder about the budget. Although Bear is still wanting carpet ... I don’t blame him... I’d love the softness under our feet too .... but on a practical & functional level for us, it really wouldn’t be a good choice.

Hey Nic... don’t forget to share photos of your Reno!! I can’t wait to see it!! Good luck with it all x

Will do! I must remember to take the "before" shots this week before it's too late! Wish it was time for the "after" shots already! Patience (and coping with dust) is not one of my (many!) virtues ;)

Patience ... yeah it’s overrated lol! I know how you feel ;) yes don’t forget your before photos!! Before you know it, this process will be over & you’ll be living in your modernized, updated, gorgeous new home :) don’t forget to say goodbye to the old before you welcome in the new ;)

Hi Nik,
Are you building your dream house as in your ideas book, will love to follow you along the way, can’t wait to see your progress xx

Hi Julie! My dream house plan eventually had to evolve into something better... so will update the idea book once we get finalized drawings back :). Our block of land is due to get title this week... it’s been a loooooong 3 months lol. We have to sell this house first hunni but Reno’s are nearly finished & we should be ready to list - the agent has a few buyers in mind so hopefully we get a quick sale :) the builder has asked us to start selecting colours, roofing, bricks, fixtures & flooring so we’re not further held up down the track :)

Ooh!!! So exciting Nik, wonderful times ahead for you and your family, I am excited for you , can’t wait to see your dream house and be on the journey with you xx

Awww that’s awesome!!! I’m excited you’ll be a part of our journey too Julie!!! Thrilled actually lovely :) so many awesome people here xxx

Ditto Julie thoughts Nik, you have busy exciting times ahead, and great to hear Nicole is kicking off with her Reno, do keep us posted please x

Nik I understand Bear wanting carpet in the bedrooms it worked very well for a holiday place we had at the beach, sand was no issue as He loves to vacuum. That said with you all having the big A it is better not to, plus Evie would be better on solid surface. That's something else to be considered Evie and scratching the floor? xx

Hey Siri, that is so very true.... dog scratches! Good thinking 99 ;)

you will just need to make sure she has a regular pedicure xx

Evie does get a regular pedicure - the only member of our family who does lol!!! Doesn't sound quite right ;) We have the most amazing mobile dog groomer (who only charges us $25 a month) to come and give Eve's for a full 'doggy day spa'... she gets a nice warm shampoo, blow dry, clean ears, any matted fur trimmed, deodorised and nails trimmed as required... she loves it lol! And my god she smells good - have threatened to throw Bear in there too for a 'treatment' lol. xxx

Or some puppy boots, how gorgeous

looks just like Evie Wahhhhhh

Squuuueeeeeeaaaaalll!!!! Lol that’s so cute!!

I remembered the photo you posted of Evie and when I saw this I thought you had put her into a photo shoot lol, xx

My mums favourite dogs were shepherds, the closest I have come to getting one is our Minnie, she thinks she is a dog in cats clothing, even walks on the lead , so funny seeing my hubby being led along by her down our court. Xx

It looks like the puppy is considering WHAT WILL HUMANS THINK OF NEXT?!

Or, HOW EMBARRESSMENT!

I have never seen a dog sit in a pool of water like that. What a well trained puppy!

Here’s my furry girl Julie :) I’m actually a photographer so should do a proper shoot of her with the kids on the beach :) lol your Minnie sounds like a real hoot!! Gorgeous girl :) xx Evie used to have crimped fur behind her ears when she was a puppy - to the point where your thought she had been to a doggy hairdresser and had it professionally done lol.... as she's gotten older, it's nowhere near as tight but she still has a little of the crimp fuzz behind her ears. She'll be 2 in October :)

She is so beautiful Nik, looks so happy to have such a beautiful family, such gorgeous photos xxx

Nik we are currently in a rental which has vinyl planks and timber floor and we have a dog. Weve found the vinyl noisier and he seems to slide more than on the timber floors. Id have timber anyday.

Thank you cazzie8 .... that's good to know how the vinyl planks go in a family environment. We currently have Fraser Island hardwood floors throughout the upstairs level of our 2 storey house that we're renovating. And while they are beautiful.... they weren't in great condition when we bought the house. We didn't bother sanding and polishing prior to moving in as we have two young kids and at the time, our german shepherd pup so didn't want them brought back to new - just in case they got wrecked. Thank god we didn't as with the kids toys, wheelie walkers (when we first got here) and how rough they can be at times when wanting to drag our timber dining chairs all over the floor to make a train (GAH!!!!), they are scratched and scuffed ... given our personal circumstances, it isn't easy for us to remove all our furniture for a few days to have them sanded and polished again. I think once the kids grow up and aren't so accidentally destructive, polished timber floors would be beautiful - but it's just not a good idea at this point in our lives. I love love love timber and my great grandfather and his brothers were well known timberfellers back in their day.... might have to get my timber fix in the new build through some shelving, a large dining table and other key pieces ;)

Thank you Julie.... she's a beautiful doggy, such a sweet and sensitive girl.... her only main fault is she loves us all so much, she loves to jump on us for cuddles.... but unfortunately, her enthusiasm knocks my baby bears flying :(

Beautiful smiles all round. Sweet family (including doggie toddler)