They are partly correct in saying 'Plans often have errors on them' however this is usually a pretty basic spelling mistake or a minor 'typo' rather than something of significance such as a door with sidelights.....something like this is difficult to overlook when checking drawings. Note: It is quite significant! If the door in the elevation plans show the sidelights (as well as on the door schedule if one is provided) with no extra notes saying to amend to a single 820 entry door then you may have a case. The plans may well be council approved but do those plans also say the same thing, as the building certifier may well be expecting a door with sidelights to be in place when they inspect! If it's not as shown on the drawings then where will that leave you, the builder and also the inspector......? Note: All amendments are to be noted on the construction plans. A client recently decided to change backyard facing windows from 1200h x 970w to a 1200h x 1210w during construction. This would have not only affected the BASIX Certificate (NSW) but would have also needed to go through council for their approval in case of overlooking and privacy issues..... Check the approved plans and specifications (against the builders inclusions) thoroughly. It could be a misinterpretation by either party but at least you'll know for sure where you stand. It really is a shame that this has happened, building 'should' be enjoyable from beginning to end. I do hope you get your sidelights as they really will make a great entry to your new home. All the best.

Renovating an older home that’s already seen a few changes can pose a number of challenges; a Feilding project proved no exception for Refresh Renovations specialists Wayne and Anna Gordon. “There were all sorts of head-scratching questions,” says Wayne. “The home-owner’s father was an old-school ‘brickie’ and it was important to the family that we retained a brick archway he’d created between the dining room and kitchen. We complemented it with work that continued the curved theme dictated by these features. Another special feature is the striking circular window in the vestibule which the owner’s father rescued when a granny flat was added to the house. This was no straight-forward makeover and building consents were required. A corner and exterior wall of the kitchen and one external wall of the dining room were removed; the sub-floor in the kitchen and dining areas were replaced because they were uneven and not strong enough to carry the slate tiles – this had to be carried out without disturbing the brick archway; a porch was encapsulated to enlarge the dining room, the entrance from the old kitchen to the new dining area was moved and a new vestibule added ; the kitchen was reshaped; a brick fireplace and chimney in the wall between the laundry and the dining room was removed as was an under-used and under-sized hall cupboard - the reclaimed space was integrated into the new laundry which was remodelled to create a modern space with plenty of storage, integrated drying racks and appliances; a doorway to the laundry from the house – something which had not previously existed – was built; and, perhaps one of the more challenging aspects, the curved tongue-and- groove ceilings in the kitchen and dining room were implemented. Wayne delivered on the Refresh promise, says the homeowner. “The people he works with are all excellent and the end result is exactly what was wanted.” And while there were a few finishing touches to be completed, the project was delivered in time for a special family event – without the addition of trade vans and power-tools! Check out this entire transformation here!

To my eye the only thing your house lacks is floral aspect in the garden. You have some lovely foliage but florals make a bush block come alive. Some beautiful grevillieas will bring birds, moonlight is my favourite as the white florals really lift a landscape. Leucospermums are dramatic and come in sunset colours that work so well on bush sites. Pandorea are a native vine that's extremely fast growing popular with nectar feeders and comes in a huge range of colours. The flowers appear in massive sprays in early spring. Would look great on your porch, Unlike wisteria it won't harm the structure it grows on and is easy to chop back. I really love the sunset one. But they range in everything from pure white to deep red and many bicoloured like this one. And for a light, airy bush with some different try the honey lace myrtles, the bees will love them. In the darker aspects of the yard you can tuck brake fern in those spaces to bring them alive and make the site appear more lush.

Why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone ? The kitchen is , and proposed to be , boring ; plus you need a splashback ; and you can't decide the height . I'd even add to that -- the only 2 'interesting' things there now is the wooden blinds , and the floor , and unfortunately I don't think the blinds go with the grey . So here's what I'd do -- a tiled splashback , probably 150 x 150 square white , up to the height of the upper cupboards , but then a row of horizontal subway tiles along the top of everywhere except the larger 'cupboard' wall -- and I'd do them in your favourite colour . A powder blue , a burgundy , an apricot , shamrock green , bright orange , well maybe not brown or grey . Adds some colour , 'lifts' the room in 2 respects , but also adds some relevance to the blinds .