Generally, I find it commonplace that approximately 10% of your properties value is a maximum figure to not over capitalize, however above and beyond that doesnt factor in personal choices, like upgrading to a specific stone or appliance to suit your needs or wants. These things I would weigh up depending on how long you plan to live with the kitchen, and if it will be a long term ownership or short term with potential to sell with profit. You can easily send off a benchtop plan to any benchtop fabricator or even a st e mason and ask them to quote, just include walls, and indicate exposed edges of the bench so they include a polish cost, and any cut outs indicating your ski or hotplate etc. Where possible, note your stone colour choice for accurate costing, and then ask your cabinet maker to quote Benchtops separately, this way you have disclosed the biggest cost and decide to get it where it works for you.

Hi there. I am shocked that no one is interested in traveling to you for advise as honestly any property stylist should come out and give you an idea and help you with a plan. Also a great idea is people do mood boards and designs over the net where you send photos and measurements and they help you from there. Cost is $250 and well worth the help - this is something i do and honestly it is really popular as it allows you up to 2 months of emails and calls at no charge, some assistance with buying (mot designers will also help get you trade costs not retail and so on). If your interested let me know and i can give you more info. To help you a little today please see my image of a clients home that was one long rectangle (hard to work with) but it turned out well using their furniture. i have more images if you like

it could actually be cheaper than changing the upstairs kitchen but only the trades would be able to confirm a realistic price for demolition and installation of new plumbing... your proposed floorplan looks good except the master bedroom won't fit the wiw as drawn, the upstairs lounge would be better with access back and front to the balconies with bed 3 and 4 at the side and what about the new kitchen in the downstairs storage area which doesn't reduce the size of the new living dining room and retains the big garage and ...why not ask a few real estate agents for a selling price as is and with the proposed upstairs or downstairs renovations...

I like the look of the outside of the house , and initially I wouldn't change the yellowy beige colour . What I would do is get the concrete block retaining wall either rendered in the same colour as the house , or if the budget ran to it -- get a genuine stone facade . As far as gardens to soften the look , I'd stick to the meditarreanian theme , and do a couple of 2 metre tall green leafy plants in wooden round planters ( half wine barrels or similar ) , and maybe a long , slim garden ( 4 or 5 metres long by 40cm wide ) with marigolds or similar .