Another close up

I don't know how replacing the roof will help with thermal efficiency but making sure you have good insulation will. Same with windows - did you mean you would be replacing with double-glazed windows to improve the thermal efficiency?

Hasd the front facade been updated at some stage ? The window frames are dark , and suit the place IMO . However , the side of the house , by the pool , is that creamy beige , that is dated now .

While its not perfect , I'd leave the 'bones' , and simply do this --

-- change the beige windows for double insulated black frames .

-- possibly go double insulated on the front windows

-- change the garage door to cedar or similar -- breaks the colours up , looks way more modern .

-- change the front door to cedar too , or paint the existing one in bright citrus orange -- looks good but also fits the browns and greys too , as well as the terracota tiles and driveway -- in fact , look at the first pic with an orange waste bin , and see how it suits ( the colour , not the bin haha ) .

-- redo and add to the gardens -- some flaxes and bamboos and lancewoods and green and brown leaves , various heights , various diameters .

Have a look at sandwiched colorbond, with the middle layer bieng insulated. My house is made totally of this. Very thermally efficient. I have no heating nor cooling. I rely of the thermal mass and the breeze in Western Brisbane with a temperature of 16 in winter to 30 in summer, while outsid may be a low 3 to high 30s.

Hi Steph P,

Not sure where you are located but agree with most of the comments already made so far and insulation is the key to keeping you warm in winter as well as condensation control and ventilation.

Before you carry out the changes, to get the best of your money, I would seek the advice of a LOCAL professional that specialises in thermally efficient design and retro fit. You could contact your Green Building Council to get a list of companies near you that you can contact. They can assess what you have and how you can retro fit it to acheive the best results.

Your house orientation will determine what areas you need to concentrate on. Is the front glazing North facing?

Is it just cold upstairs or downstairs too?

Do you have a lot of recessed downlights or other penetrations in your ceilings? This allows moisture from inside to escape into your insulation.

You might be best to install a 'heat transfer ventilation system or perhaps just ceiling fans in the top floor to bring heat down from the ceiling to where you benefit from it most.

Insulation is not quite as simple as it is made out to be. It is not just a matter of putting more in, though this does help. It needs to be installed correctly and kept dry so having a ventilation gap between your new roofing and the insulation is important as well as having a vapour control layer on the inside of the insulation.( in a heating climate) Again, consult your local professional, they will ensure you are spending your money in the right place.

For the windows, step up from what you have to double or triple glazing and thermally broken frames to reduce condensation. Your budget will probably determine what you can do but remember that they are the weakest link in the thermal envelope of your building. Here in NZ you only get less than an R-value of 1 where as roofs now have to achieve a minimum of R 6.6. About ten times higher value than the windows and the frames are the weakest part of the window so make sure the installation detail is considered and upgraded if possible.

That should give you plenty of questions to put to the person you chose to help you. Spending a few thousand dollars of the right advisor is well worth it.

Good luck,

C.

Hi Steph. We are building a thermally efficient house thru a custom builder & using Houzz & a Facebook Group MEEH My Efficient Electric Home for inspiration. This group very often discusses exactly what you are asking. There are so many right & wrong answers to what you want to do & can be very expensive so get all the facts you can. My quick answer is, your roof tiles are fine if you insulate underneath & there are cheaper options than replacing windows but if you do make sure you go for thermally efficient frames as well as glass as this will get best result

Monier has a solar tile that integrates & looks like a charcoal slate tile. This would look great as well as save long term running costs. Insulation is key. Get a quote-see how you go.