If you "change" anything that involves a building approval then the floor area on the plans relevant will count towards the overall amount. If it amounts to beyond 50% of the existing conditions then the whole building becomes applicable to energy calculations and so you enter into up spec'ing existing areas. And yes it can often be a good thing to be doing anyway, but of course it costs money. If the total area being changes is below 50% then only the areas of new work are applicable. I'm honestly not a specialist in this area, but I have to deal with the issues naturally in the course of the design and resolution of project solutions I provide, and hence I use an energy consultant regularly and we have a way/system of working through together how best to achieve the requirements for permit. As far as I understand it's a case by case/project specific exercise and also there's various ways of negotiating/achieving the necessary performance requirements - e.g. you can play around with different levels of insulation together with a particular glazing/window spec, and depending upon circumstances you can save money one way or another. Sometimes I'll squeeze windows overall down to get it under a certain amount to not trigger requirement for expensive glass...also timber windows rate better, but if you are in a bushfire area you'll be caught out or require very expensive timber windows...it's a real juggling act in particular contexts...which is why you really need to be working collaboratively with an energy consultant/specialist to work out the best solution in this regard, as well as the other aspects of design, structure and bushfire etc. It's a true team effort ;) If you're really up for some technical reading you there is some further energy info here NCC Volume One Energy Efficiency Provisions 2016 - Australian ... but it may get confusing........Coming back to the core of it, my advice: 1. define your budget 2. list and prioritise your requirements 3. seek some preliminary advice/assistance from a seasoned designer doing this type of work to test whether or not the general concept of what your endeavouring to achieve is viable, and this depends upon the relevant context/existing conditions etc (and bushfire rating is yet another layer on top of all this), and then refine the concept from there. If you are just doing a bathroom or kitchen isolated then you can arguably do it yourself, but if you're re-jigging the whole house like it appears you are heading towards, and on a very tight budget then I'd highly recommend (to save yourself headaches and frustration going around in never-ending circles) to invest some of your available budget into front-end design, to get to a solution that works to your nominated priorities so you achieve a viable and professionally advised outcome. Trust me it will be money well spent. Have a great Christmas, and best of luck with continuing to work through it all :)

That looks fantastic. Thank you. Thank you. I had considered the access via the garage to the house via the laundry or through the workshop/bedroom. It came up as an idea from a prospective buyer when I had the house on the market a couple of years ago as he had 4 children. I changed my mind about selling in the end and figured while I was doing the kitchen I would have a chippie put up the wall and door at the same time. Don't need another bedroom myself but it could be a "man-cave" or study instead of the current use as storage area for "stuff" and maybe an advantage later for any new buyer. The pantry on the other side looks interesting but would mean losing the larger island wouldn't it? Food for thought. I am glad you think the existing cabinetry could be re-used as that was my plan. How much should I allocate for a reno as a general rule? A

Hi Carolyn, "pivoting pocket doors" by Hafele I believe is the product that you are seeking/referring. There are other manufacturer alternatives too, however take note, don't skimp on this stuff, you either spend the money on the good gear, or don't bother.... the quality hardware is not cheap, however in the right situation you can certainly justify it/ is worth the expense when you consider the function - you're absolutely correct in regards to the impracticality of having hinged doors opening out and a nuisance to work around, particularly in main thoroughfares - the success of these european laundries ultimately relies upon the detail and capacities to integrate this sort of hardware/cabinetry function. The specific manufacturer will suggest the required clearances, and it depends upon the width of door being used, but think as an approx about 70-80mm each side give or take to set up the "pocket" for the door to slide into. So you'll need to factor in about 150mm in the overall length of the laundry cupboard/set-up .......hope this helps. Cheers PD :)

Yes, your towels will get a little damp opposite a rain-style showerhead. If you are determined to have one of those, it might be worth looking at enclosing the shower. You could always make the shower space wider rather than longer, then you will have a dry floor area to put your bathmat, instead of right behind the door! The towel rail could then go across the middle of the wall and have the opportunity to dry properly (especially if you get a heated one).