Bought an old home...I loving refer to as my retirement bank..124 years old. If your husband or you have any carpenter skills or a family member who loves you a lot...look for old doors that includes barn doors that are too large...cut them down or refigure to size...its custom. You did it...wood is thicker and better....paint them all the same color....instant character. Or start with the one that is the worse problem...see how it goes...mine are beautiful...add something different and built to last. Most were $25.00 to $50.00 except the front door..but new doors they are thin...not real wood and to me cheap . its work to sand strip and measure ....make sure to measure about five times...keep in mind old homes are not square...but for us it worked...old doors you pick up for almost nothing aren't either. I made paper doors to take with me to lay on top of old doors to see how it would be...that wasn't easy but used old cardboard first and butcher paper taped together I could fold and take. You can check the height of the door knob which is important I found out..we have a door that we mismeasured and it like a dutch door I think they call them top opens and bottom opens or together..it goes from kitchen to dinning room so like a pass through. Which worked out to look good but what a headache..so the butcher paper template is a must. You are in for a lot of work and fun...as long as you know. Just about anything can be changed someway to work...diy magazines and web sites are educational...good tools...borrowed or hope for as a gift a blessing...renting if your sure you can get it done in a day is an option. Lots of info...custom doors start at least at 200 where I live uninstalled not real wood...for us this made sense...not for everyone...we love our house or recycled doors.good luck...doing it make you love it more.

I'm glad you guys are growing.

Does anyone know if its a massive task knocking a door way through firth hot block interior walls? Big question I know - just not sure if they would be 'self supporting' as such and only require a lintel OR would I have to put in a steel beam the entire wall length, Yes I am prepared for engineers to have to design it but wondering whether it will be worth the cost or not before getting them involved. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

I didn't see this either , and how long is a piece of string ? Wellington ( a bit like parts of Queenstown ) is known for steep slopes and high winds , so the actual design will affect things a lot -- my sister once 'conned' me into moving her to Wellington when she got a Government job . We loaded one of my small trucks and drove several hours , when we got to her new place on the side of Mt Victoria with lovely harbour views , it seems she had forgotten to mention that the new house was the one up there -- yes , a 1920's build 130 steps up from the street . Hard enough moving a glass fronted china cabinet and solid Kauri 1880s dining table -- imagine carting every bit of timber , tile , window , kitchen appliance up there !