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.

Snap Sirius!! I just came from a meeting with a colour consultant at an inspiration store, lol! The consultant loves the choices as is. She liked Whisper White for the window frames and said the Surfmist windows on upper extension will be harmonious with them. She suggested Woodland Grey for rear extension roof was modern and felt leaving the tile on the original home was fun. She suggested Gully for the outer frame of window and baseboards, Woodland Grey for gutters with Whisper white for the Fascia. Gully for garage and base extension render with timber windows she liked too. So I guess, sorted? She thought a blue, teal or orange toned front door with the wire door sprayed in Woodland grey. She thought my gold ceiling room facing south could go with Hogs Bristle well, I might do that half strength though...

If you want to make the house hotter, then painting the roof charcoal will certainly achieve that. Repointing the brickwork is the most sensible from a maintenance perspective. Once you render and paint, then you have to keep painting (and it's likely to be out of fashion sooner or later). Try to keep passive cooling in mind (i.e. light colours & permeable landscaping) with any of your renovations, and I think it always pays to try and embrace and compliment the original architecture and be unique, rather than trying to look like the latest project home. In my opinion the arch window is actually quite cool, and the excellent mock-ups provided by Geo Toria are along the right track.

This post gives some good advice https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/building-to-a-budget-12-must-know-design-considerations-stsetivw-vs~81537054 The same author also has a number of other posts about budget that are worth reading. One of the best ways to contain the budget is to build compact, with well designed spaces. We are building a 163 m square house for a family of 4. It will have decent sized/multi purpose rooms and raked ceilings in all of the living areas and the master bedroom, which will give it a sense if spaciousness. One thing that has helped contain the space is NO walk in storage. That said, we’ve got more robe space, pantry space and linen cupboard space than many places with walk ins. But the walk in space eats up floor space and therefore, budget. Also think about sustainability and maintenance. Brick and Colorbond need no/minimal maintenance, render, weatherboard and timber need regular repainting/treatment. A timber deck needs annual maintenance (sanding and re-oiling), a brick patio just needs a sweep and maybe a wash. A well designed, “solar passive house” or “passive Haus” will significantly reduce your energy bills for heating and cooling, possibly to almost zero. Check out the yourhome.gov.au website for more details on building a home for your climate. Building for the orientation of your site is key to a comfortable home with spaces you want to be in. Better still, try to buy a block with ideal orientation for your climate. Getting the right type of light in each room will do wonders for your wellbeing and reduce power bills. Check out the Under Cover podcast series about orientation and budget and much more before you build. Her advice is invaluable. Ultimately, the easiest way to build cheaply is probably to build a small, low spec volume home. Whether that’s value for money is another matter. Australian building codes, laws and regulations (local, state and federal) and the way the building industry works make it very difficult to build on a tiny budget or make significant savings. Our labour and material costs are quite high in Australia so this is reflected in the cost of building. PS I think tradies deserve to be well paid. Best of luck