Even though I love the look of a container and they have a lot going for them, the dollar's just didn't add up for them to be a cost effective solution when compared to standard building practice's. They are just a bit to narrow which is where the main issue stemmed from. Joining two together work's but again paying a metal shop to do it bumped up the cost's with structural steelwork, engineering detailing/shop drawing's, etc. I used to be a boilermaker welder many year's ago so know what was needed....... Shame they didn't work out cost wise as I can see the attraction. Nevertheless, I would investigate both option's of using a container as the starting point, then compare it to if you used standard building processes of timber frame and cladding with the same dimension's......

Hi there Dave, sorry for not responding sooner, I have been a bit unwell. I would like to add the following ideas. 1) You mention going to a kitchen company and showing your current kitchen plan, the better thing for you to have done would to have taken your floor plan with measurements and asked them what they would suggest, as long as they didn't want to charge you. This way you would get more ideas, not just them politely agreeing hoping to get your business, and why not, 2) I would contact several builders to come on site and give you their ideas of what needs to be done and advise if you would need to involve council and the building costs involved in doing this. The builders will have their own trades electrical and plumbing that work as a team 3) You mention flat packs, they are a great option and can save you a lot of money, Bunnings will do a kitchen plan and cost in store at no charge, Ikea will do the same but not sure about any charges. You can also go online to both and work out a plan, but I would strongly suggest you speak face to face them as they know their product. Bunnings run in store programs where they show you how to assemble their cabinets, both stores have video tutorials, believe me it's worth watching as flat pack anything can be a nightmare. If you can assemble your own cabinets in your own time it will save you a.lot of money, starting sooner than later would be a very good idea I didn't get up to mentioning in planning the layout of your kitchen that the larger the cabinets you use will also save money, ie 2 x 900 as against 3 x 600, the cost per unit plus instead of paying for 3 cabinets to be installed it's 2. It's also makes for a simpler looking design. Most of our Bunnings kitchen is made up of 900 units 2 x Drawers & 900 units 3 x drawer. The exception is 800 cabinet for the sink. 5) Cook top, I would strongly suggest you work a 900 into your kitchen (this would mean having to use a smaller cabinet either side or just between the cook top and the wall). 900 cook tops give superior space to use especially when using large pots/woks and fry pans, they also help to protect laminated bench tops from accidental put down and burns, 6) Range hood, the best look for your kitchen wouldn't be a large stainless wall mounted unit and that's good news as the intergrated ones in over head cabinets would not only look better, give more storage and would cost less. 7) The Island, you have been trying to decide what size, well if you don't have plumbing installed, the island can be free standing with or with out plinths and can be moved if you decide you need more space. You do need to have a couple of power points but make sure they have a longer connection. Our Island is 2.7 x 1200 and has both a cook top and oven with power points and can be moved approx 500m in each direction due to having longer connections. 8) Bench tops, you mention laminate due to cost, we had that problem what with the size of the island. So we went with Plywood (not Marine) We went to Mr Plywood who when the next delivery came in chose a piece with a beautiful grain, had it cut to size and delivered. The plywood sheet came in a 3 meter length but not all do, we had enough to do the sink bench and a top for a tressel table & legs my better half made. cost with delivery 2hrs approx $400. We did a shadow line bench top which had a smaller size white set back under lay. You need to use a good two pack pot sealant on the Plywood. Finally I don't know where I got the picture of the retro coloured kitchen cabinets, but look online at both Bunnings and Ikea cheers

It’s the wall colour that doesn’t look nice everything else is fine. Repaint the wall it’s easy and you want regret it , use neutral colours but not light go for darker and for the corner I would plant giant bird of paradise either in the huge pot or if possible in the ground but keep it well away from the wall to give it space to grow and give you tropical look and feel. If you are using pots you can have few of them they won’t drop leaves in the pool.

I signed their Design Agreement in June which includes a non-refundable 1% deposit. I've had to walk away with nothing to show for it except the wasted money and time. From payment it took three weeks to get a consultation. I was talked through a concept, but they refused to provide even a rough sketch. In three weeks they promised a floor plan, 3D render and costing estimate would be mailed, a follow up Zoom meeting a week later. Three weeks later, no communication from Storybook, I rang and they said two more weeks. Two weeks later, no contact, I rang and they said one more week. One week later, they rang to say the 3D artist's computer monitor was broken, so it would be another week. I asked for the floor plan, but was denied. One week later I had a Zoom call with the concept and costing sent via email after. Their was very little reference to the design direction form I'd filled out, but was presented with a concept that looks lovely, but with decking and glazing along both the western and eastern sides would make for a very uncomfortable home - they don’t think so - just get a lovely umbrella! The concept was $50K outside my budget, due to increase in materials cost, and their costing under-estimate put it about $55K over budget. But their estimate to finish the build is not based on any evidence of local trades research and the reality pushed the project well beyond their estimate to complete. However, they have offered, if I pay them 50% more they will give me a new design within my budget. No thank you! Their biggest whinge is that Storybook has done all this design at a considerable loss. Not true, the “Services” vaguely referred to in the Design Agreement was more than 12.5% of my build budget. Then there’s the cost for the Kit. Turns out my custom design was a pre-exisiting design on their website. Along with that, they don’t guarantee the design won’t change or be passed by Council, nor meet bushfire and engineering standards. They are not giving back the deposit.