Clean definitely helps, but design is not just about making things look pretty. Good design is about usability, creating solutions, effecitve use of space, its about creating good flow and connection, its about embracing the homes surroundings and making the most of the site and so much more. In a nutshell, good design can and does change lives. :-)

We had a house built 4 years ago from a local medium price country builder at $2,000m2. It had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double garage . It was 165m2 and included: 2 pac kitchen and corion benchtop Nuline weatherboads, high pitched colorbond roof Half on slab and half on stumps Top grade spotted gum hardwood flooring 2700 high ceilings, square set double glazing to all external windows and stacker door Tinted windows throughout Extensive natural stone to exterior, ensuite and lounge and huge deck. Insulation to roof, floor and internal walls Ducted air conditioning and fans Did not include driveway or landscaping. Medium finish to bathrooms which each had a walk in shower. If you house is twice the size the high expense of a kitchen would be spread over more square metres and so the late should come down. So many variables though. When you get pricing done you need to PC (prime cost items) - set a $ amount so you can compare easily: Kitchen finish Sink and taps dishwasher, oven and hotplates Tile per m2 Carpet m2 Deck m2 Timber/engineered per m2 Laundry cabinet and vanities Tapwear Fans Bathroom heating/cooling Fireplace Air conditioning (split or ducted) bricks per m2 Skirtings Now make sure you dictate finishes: Ducted lau dry and kitchen exhausts height of ceiling height of tiles single or double glazing External cladding Number of coats of paint Number of powerpoints to each room and type, single or double, triple etc All this can be changed once the builder is chosen but it ensures an easy comparison. So when you increase the $ per m2 for your tiles, or lower them it is simply an adjustment. This page needs to be attached to the final contract and initialled. Hope this helps. This builder had built 4 houses for us (3 accommodation) and yet I did this up each time. Very smooth process.

BEFORE: FRONT FACADE AFTER: FRONT FACADE BEFORE: BACKYARD AFTER: BACKYARD

Lovely slate roof. Great aerial pics. I’m curious if you know if the entire building was renovated.