Hello houzz helpers! We have a rough new plan! The kitchen, living, dining are on the north and bedrooms are on the south. We are planning to push the house to the rear (south) of our 1 acre block and have a long driveway. We can look out onto our beautiful (in time) front yard and watch the kids run wild! We plan on using landscaping along a front fence for privacy. I am concerned with the size, in regards to being way over budget, but I am hoping the simple shape of the roof will help to offset some of that. I was thinking I would get the plan as close to what we want/need then get quotes and scale back if we need to, which will involve another post on houzz ofcourse! We would love your honest feedback and I am happy to answer any questions...

Custom joinery is comparativley more expensive than the Ikea pre-fab options as you are paying somebody for the labour. You are also paying for their skills and experience to measure up correctly, to make it work with your crooked walls (no wall is ever straight and perfect), and to fit it exactly to the space it was designed for, without any crooked gaps that collect dust and spiderwebs. You also are paying for somebody to go back to if something sticks or jams, or doesn't work the way it was intended to. To make the cheaper options look neat and complete you do need good craftsmaship skills to install and work out how to get it straight and neat, but as it works on standard modules it never fits perfectly into the space, there are usually gaps. For instance their kitchen modules are designed around a 200mm module. If the kitchen space you have is 3300mm, then you need to figure out a way to cover the 100mm gap. With custom joinery it is designed to fit perfectly in the 3300mm space. If you can't assemble Ikea units perfectly you don't really have anywhere to go back to if you stuff it up. If you don't have these skills then you will need to employ somebody who does, and at the end of the day you may not save a fortune. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

What country and state are you in. In NSW, Australia there are statutory warranties. https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/382123/Consumer_Building_Guide.pdf

Hey! Figuring out the layout can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I've been there too. It's all about finding what works best for you and your lifestyle. Personally, I'm a fan of open floor plans because they create a spacious and connected vibe. It's great for entertaining and keeping an eye on things, especially if you have little ones. As for the bedrooms, it depends on your needs. If you're thinking of a home office or a guest room, that's always handy. For those planning to purchase a condo in the near future, I recommend looking at the options that Hillock Green has to offer. They are considered to be one of the best real estate developers.