Hello @charlie_com Wow, what a great lot of advice and help. The Houzz community always amaze me with their generosity and info in helping homeowners with their project plans. And how exciting that you're looking at renovating! Your home has a lot of potential! I have a few comments to share which may be of use to you ... 1. Getting the design right - so it suits your family now, and into the future, (as well as creating a home that will sell well and quickly when the time comes) is a great way to start any project 2. Whilst your home is lines on a page, change is cheap - so whilst you may want to hurry up and get it built, it's worth taking the time to maximise every opportunity for your design, and to save time and money during construction, in the design phase. 3. Use professionals based on their specialty skills. Choose professionals you feel a good fit with, but that also have demonstrated experience in offering what you need. So builders are great at building ... some have an interest in design, but it's not their role or specialty. I have a blog on my site about the differences I see between building designers, architects and draftspeople - you can read it here as it may help you choose who is the best fit for you and your project. http://undercoverarchitect.com/architect-vs-draftsperson-vs-building-designer-whats-the-difference/ 4. Speaking to local agents is a great start to understanding what will add value and what won't. The Gap is a little bit of a tricky area of Brisbane value-wise (I have owned and renovated two homes there!) as it can have a bit of a ceiling on value. We really noticed that with our places, and our third reno was a home in Ashgrove, which is such a different market, even though it's one suburb over. Buyers in The Gap usually come from The Gap - it seems to be one of those areas that, once people move in, they don't leave ... because they love the bush setting, the amenities, and it is a lot closer to the CBD than most people realise! However, what people pay for in homes varies - so the local Harcourts is a great agency, and Ray White Ashgrove is also good, and Ryan Smith at Remax is awesome ... but yes, getting 3 or 4 agents in to talk about improvements, and value (even if you have no immediate intention of selling) is worthwhile 5. With kids your age, creating flexible, functional spaces that offer the ability to come together (but still feel some sense of privacy from each other) as well as spaces to be apart (but not locked away) is helpful as they get further into their teenage years. I would always seek to get living areas connecting physically to outdoors - it is especially one of the things that sets homes in The Gap apart from the Queenslander homes in neighbouring suburbs. It facilitates easier living in your home, and is great for young families especially. It will always help your home to feel larger too - as you capitalise on all of the block for that feeling of space. 6. Whether you change your entry or not is one thing ... you can change your address, but I would always check if one street has more real estate value over another. Being a corner block, the challenge is ensuring you create privacy on street frontages, so you don't feel exposed (but still get the natural light you need) 7. In Qld, yes, there is lots of sunshine. However, managing the heat load is essential for homes to feel great. So orienting spaces to the north and east, and reducing the access into the home from western sun. Creating overhangs that protect and shade from high northern summer sun, and also creating shady areas outside your home that cool breezes before they enter the house. 8. Working out your budget at the get go is a great start, and factoring in all those fees as well. I recommend that you think about what will add value to your home, and make your experience easier too. As with any industry, there are great architects, and not so great architects. However, choosing the right professional with great expertise - well, the money they save, and the value they build into your design and home - should more than cover their fees. I am very clear (even as an architect) about not pushing people to use architects ... however I struggle with the advice that says "an architect will cost too much - use a good draftsperson". We spend a lot of time in our homes, and a lot of money on them (often a 30 year mortgage!). If you were about to invest $100,000 or $200,000 in the stock market, what level of expert would you speak to about that? Perhaps thinking about it that frame of mind will help. Because you could be spending this renovation money on anything - so it needs to be an investment that adds value to your home, and your lifestyle in it. I have lots of free help and advice on my website, and send out more in my free weekly UA News (which you can get by popping your email address in on my website). Best wishes as you progress with your planning for your home. Warm Regards Your Secret Ally, Amelia, UA x www.undercoverarchitect.com amelia@undercoverarchitect.com ps - here are some before and after shots of a home we renovated in The Gap. You can see more piccies here ... http://undercoverarchitect.com/portfolio/denning-st/

Are you after a quick makeover to sell or do you intend to live in the finished renovation. ? I will work on details of a renovation to last say 15 years. First step advise the body corporate in writing the water proofing has failed and a renovation is necessary Floor drainage can.t be moved on top floor, however vanity drainage 40 mm pipe can be chased into a wall and with a tile bed 25 mm thick, chased 10mm into floor. to change pos'n of vanity Water is easy to relocate, Plumber on Never paint a bath, the guarantee is only 5 years, Never use white floor grout. Part of a mixer tap is under your tiles, problem expensive to replace. Only purchase tapware with 15 yr warranty, Grohe, Methvan, Sussex, expect to pay from $ 300 each mixer. Bath Only steel Kaldewei Eurowa $ 400 , 15 yr warranty. Designers secret, to make your bathroom appear larger, place all the available space together. Vanity All drawer wall hung ( floating ) is really the only vanity Harvey Norman recently had an imported 900 wall hung at about $ 900. Tile to ceiling Replace your ceiling and add cornice after tiling, top floor unit will require fire rated ceiling and fire rated LED Length of time by pro 3 weeks, any shorter waterproofing is below standards. when obtaining quotes you want the whole bathroom floor coated, 1 coat under tile bed, 2 coats on top, 2 coats on relevant walls. $ Quality Reno All up 20 K, Porcelain floor tiles, Ceramic wall tiles you can save about $ 1000 if you strip out. KEN

Sorry to continue....the plan by Louise on the 20/01/2017.... But the laundry ( with internal access or through cloak room) and ensuite to the rear of the garage the master behind...... Then a Wir separating the master form the living or a bathroom...... The a fireplace if required against the western wall central in the house.... The entrance and small cloak room for the winter woollies against the garage and the other three beds at the front RHS with bath near.... The lounge/ kitchen/ dining in a similar layout but with minimal a walls blocking the view from the entry to the living/kitchen .... I like at lease a small wall dividing the living and lounge for the teenagers also.... If I get an chance I will sketch something up. Good luck this the paperwork... Plans are the fun part.

A late input, going with Oklouise idea for the shower and WC, I'd like to change the bathroom access to the other side, this allows more space for the WC and it's not the first thing you pass on entering the bathroom. I also don't like having to walk through the WIR to get to the ensuite The following adds a study desk, this can be closed off from the bedroom with a lovely barn door on the wall of the bedroom. The WIR would have double sliders that open together. so it can be closed off, plus a tall mirror on the end wall. A pocket door opens into the ensuite with a wall of storage and double vanity along the same wall as the study desk. The linen storage is 600 x 600 with the vanities stepped back to 450 deep which adds interest and defines the vanity The bath is against the wall of the WC and shower, placement of WC to be decided once it's inspected by a builder/plumber, I would prefer the WC to be on the window end for more privacy Plus an Ottoman in front of the window which could have white timber shutters to allow light, privacy and air