How old is the house? Have you checked for asbestos? It's important to know before you start and to budget for that.

@Kitchen and Home Sketch Designs

thabks for the response. below are my answers

More info please:

Where are you? ie climate? earthern suburbs

Where is north? on the front porch is

Stumps, weatherboard, alum windows, tin roof? stumps, old windows so no alum. standrand title

How old is the electrical wiring? not sire but it must be

How many might live here? (ie how many kiddies) 2+2

House Guests?

Do you like to cook?

Do you want a large pantry? not very large but do the job

Entertain? no need as big

Big families who will decend at your place!? not susure wat u mean

Would you like ensuite? yes if possible. i am thinking to extend the smallesmallest bedroombedroom towards back at alfresco and add ensuite

Do you want to retain the bar in family room? notnot needed

I guess the worst question is about budget? as i asked i have to go step by step. so will do small

If you want to reno lots of the home, always plan it all first before you do anything. Or the kitchen might be wonderful but doesn't help with a great laundry. New bathroom is resort style: beautiful but cant get round it to incorporate an ensuite......whatever it is.

you are right. first thing first. open the kitchen remove carpet and reno bathroom n toilet

With this plan and all the wet rooms in the center and possibly most of them needing refurbishing it is very important to know how they will end up BEFORE you do anything. They are too expensive to get wrong!

Love to help you further, This is what I DO!.

good advice.. thinking not to touch plumbing for now...

Cheers

@macyjean house is abt 40-50 years old. not sure abt abestos. as per pervious conversion nothing.

really appreciate if you can advice on how and where to start from and which

Watch this space and I will see what I come up with!...…...

Eastern Suburbs Melbourne? I'm bayside and very happy to travel!

(I just meant if you two had large families and they came to your place for Sunday afternoons would the home be big enough. I think you said that it is large enough as is for you and the visitors you may expect)

Cheers Margot

no need extra rooms at this stage as got the storage room which can be extra self-contained room

"If your house was built before 1990, it is likely that it would have some asbestos-containing materials." https://www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Perhaps remove laundry and bar. Put laundry in to the area adjacent to garage, using part of the current dining. Dining now goes in area between dining and rumpus, next to the now revealed kitchen.

a 50 year old house will almost certainly have asbestos so contact asbestosawareness.com .au for advice but, with safe work practices and professional help where necessary, there's usually no problem working with asbestos and my new floorplan opens up the middle of the house with minimal demolition and results in a four bedroom, two bathroom family home with three living areas and only removes the walls of the old pantry adds a door between new dining and rumpus but you'll need a plumber and electrician throughout the renovation so it's a great idea to use tradespeople who understand the long term plans and can come back often for diferent stages of the work so first i would have the electrical wiring and plumbing checked to make sure it's in safe working order and ask for quotes for the new work Iincluding extending the pipes for the new ensuite while you clean, repair, replace and prepare (eg , remove old floor coverings and wall paper, repair damaged plaster, replace broken door knobs and light fittings and prepare walls, woodwork, windows and floors ready for new paint etc... what do you need or want eg new kitchen, taps, hot water, space heating, new lighting and power points, paint and floorcoverings for the whole house then i would make sure the rooms are all ready for a last coat of paint and new floorcoverings then start with the easiest rooms: 1. bedrooms, 2. install new kitchen (check DIY flatpac cabinets for kitchen and laundry cabinets), 3. demolish old kitchen and pantry, 4. build the new laundry and dining 5 refresh bathroom and add a handbasin to the toilets (inside and out) 6.paint inside 7. install all new floor and window coverings 8. have a holiday 9. new master suite and rumpus 10. alfresco and storeoom 11. paint outside. 12. garage 13. landscaping...but there will be good reasons for changing the order of work but try and group plumbing and electrical work to suit the whole house and consider extras like double glazing, Solar power, security screens etc and most important don't forget your family...happy renovating

great session. i really appreciate this @oklouise

wat u rekon if i go for 2,3,5,7 will cost. at this stage do the rest in second go..

obviously i can only comment based on personal experience and costs of our regular tradepeople and suppliers (and that varies greatly between states and areas) but you need to include 2,3,and 4 together and leave the bathroom separate ...price depends on the condition of the existing building, quality of new finishes and fixtures (eg price of a kitchen sink can range from under $100 to thousands) and how much you can do yourself eg electrician and plumbing will be biggest compulsory cost and i would expect to pay about $20,000 without any surprises (allow about $80 per hour labour plus cost of all materials (eg new tap from $50 to hundreds) DIY kitchen and laundry cabinets say $10,000 but can you reuse old stove, sinks, taps and lights and don't throw away any old windows, doors, architraves etc and carefully salvage any plaster cornices etc you have a great storage area so better to store items for a while instead of discovering too late that you can't match a section of plaster cornice and have to redo whole ceilings...think about what can be salvaged for reuse in this reno or sold (we receieved about $200 from metal scrap dealer for old electrical wiring in a recent reno of a 1950's house) ...cost of labour for demolition and rebuilding walls around the new laundry (NB is the pantry wall load bearing and will you need extra ceiling/roof support? (suitable support beam might be around $1000 plus labour) then cost of labour to install the new walls (and ceilings?) and the new doorway from new dining to rumpus...labour for carpenter and plasterer, hire of equipments say $5000 and thats' only the obvious things..if there's more than a few sqm of asbestos you'll need to allow $3000-$5000 just for removing asbestos in a space as big as the old laundry but you might be able to have a new kitchen and laundry with the other rooms refreshed for around $50,000 (assuming no surprises like ripping up old carpet and discovering that the floor needs replacing) and should plan on about $20,000 for the bathroom ..but if the old kitchen is ok and bathroom is falling apart do the bathroom first but if you haven't renovated before start with the easiest jobs (one bedroom at a time) and build up...btw rethinking your plans there's an opportunity with the old rumpus/new master suite to create a granny flat with access from a new outside door near the laundry so keep that in mind for future reference

I hope you read through oklouise's link and mine regarding asbestos. Don't be part of the third wave.

I knew someone over forty years ago who had mesothelioma. Don’t take any chances with asbestos. It is terrible listening to someone trying to breathe .

Love your point 8. Oklouise

thanks bigreader...i was exhausted just writing my long winded notes and hope everyone remembers that it's just a house and nothing's more important than your health and family well being...the renovation will still be waiting when you come home

@all. really appreciate the comments and answer.
@oklouise. great response. i was thinking if we remove pantry n laundry instead put a bathroom n toilet there keep the bedroom size bigger. put the laundry outside the house where the toliet it with storage.

also open the space by removing wall between living and dinning hall. which will give more open space to the house and lights to the house.

don't understand "keep the bedroom bigger" why add an extra bathroom to the laundry?...if you do a rough sketch of what you mean i will try and redraw to scale..."put the laundry outside" who will do the washing and how many people and what are the ages of those who will be living in the house?

please see the picture of plan i draw we want to have big master with ens and walk in rob and may be spa in the master

my wife thinking to move laundry outside the house in the storage area. advice on this.also advice about , space between master bedroom and kitchen .

1. use is as laundry + walk in pantry

2. only laundry

3, take it inside the master and use it for ENS.

we want dont want to block the windows on the outer walls, as one side for bed head and other to keep the view of backyard.also advice on the wall between living and dinning, i am thinking to remove it or put the glass block walls which can keep the light coming into the house and privacy as well between living and dinning

Reusing what you are able to can be a good idea but there can be asbestos in items you don't associate with it and which you might think about salvaging, for example putty in old windows. I would get a survey done before proceeding any further.

I never did understand what you meant by "not sure abt abestos. as per pervious conversion nothing"?

@macyjean, i am looking for advice on changing the floorplan as we dont like the current plan. regarding asbestos,

it will be taking care of when renovation will start. i understand the concern you mention as i am not a builder or expert in it so cant anwer that.

thanks for your comments

"it will be taking care of when renovation will start."

How are you budgeting for it? Bad idea to leave it until work starts.

"as per pervious conversion nothing"

What does that mean?

i am not at budgeting stage as my initial post says i am after advice to change the plan not the budgeting. let keep this advice for floorplan change only

Going in blind to deal with likely asbestos, good luck then, I'm out.

Could you post some photos, thank you

if you want to use the big rumpus for master bedroom, ensuite and walk in robes without changing any windows we need a plan of the room showing the exact measurements of the walls and location of all the windows and doors...if you ignore the bar and built in cupboards and measure the distance from corner to corner and from the corner of the room to the architrave around each window and door and also measure the size of the window (including the architrave) and the distance from the floor to the bottom of the architrave i can make a better plan of the room...and photos of the rooms will also help but can't see any advantage to removing the inside laundry as it makes a great walk through space from the outside door and seems like enough space for laundry and pantry although a laundry outside would also work but again depends on the size and the existing walls and plumbing

please find the.photos of the house and also i did update plan u suggested for master
bedroom i dont have excat measurement.. side wall oneastern side have to long rectangular windows on top and back to the house windows is exact center of the room.
i will try to get the excat size ..

This was something I was working on today, so thought it best I show you now as I could be way off track

your master suite... but location of windows need to be confirmed although windows can be moved but any changes always add cost and cost depends on what the outside walls are built out of but i would not change the old kitchen window to a door (taller window would be ok) but no need for another outside door when there's an external door in the new back entry hall and no need for a door between new dining and back entry hall and can't see any advantage to moving laundry outside or changing wall between living and dining..extra light would be better provide by skylights

I agree with OK Louise that you need Velux skylights/windows over the new/old kitchen. . I have kept the kitchen in the same position using existing plumbing and electrical, introducing a glass sliding door between the kitchen and alfresco area.

After looking at your house (dimension missing) I have considered moving the front door, entrance. into the living space or by using part of the porch as a new entrance, this importantly takes away anyone entering coming in via the bedrooms. The rumpus is perfect for a master suite and the exisitng toilet laundry/storage room will be great to have with a future pool

Love the internal photo's do you have any external

@siriuskey thanks for the advice and your plan give us another way to think about.

pls. find below is the front of the house. i am not sure if I can able to extend the front, but a great idea. to move the door on the other side, but we got heater/fireplace on that wall as well. I was thinking to move the door in the center of the porch with double doors.

you suggesting to keep the sink and cooktop both on the wall? or just cooktop and sink on the island?

would love to hear your suggestion about the master bedroom if you can suggest pls.

@oklouise thanks really appreciate your feedback. i am thinking the same. as the house got skylights windows on the wall where u suggest to put cooktop for a new kitchen as well as on rumpus.

skylight windows are abt 170-175 cm height. attached is the back of the house photo for rumpus just for the idea

would you share the whole floorplan with the measurement or email, so i will go for next stage of my renov... :p

Option moving kitchen and dining to rumpus. Kitchen becomes a bedroom and front two bedrooms become master. Front door shod
Fits and gas heater goes.

Sorry. Last was Front door shifts

in the photo of the back of the house there's a big window in the centre of the rumpus room wall and two HIGHLIGHT (short, wide, high up windows) on either side.(skylights are windows in the roof and ceiling over your head) .....is this a recent photo of the rumpus room windows windows? if so the wall enclosing the wiw would need to be different from the last pla i posted that was based on the sketch with outside wall dimensions..we need accurate plans and sometimes you can find original plans with your local council the plans from the real estate agent are not good enough or you will need to make proper measurements of all the walls, doors and windows from inside the house and we also need to know what the inside walls are made out of ...there can be no progress until you have accurate plans of what is already there and, with such a substantial brick home i think its a very expensive mistake to change any outside walls, windows or doors unless absolutely necessary

@oklouise apologies . i meant highlights in rumpus. new kitchen area got highlight on wall at garage side. existing pantry and kitchen both got the skylight

try to get the measurement done.

if the windows at the back of the rumpus are about 1800mm wide and located equal distances across the wall there should be space to have the bedroom and wiw as already suggested but the window in the ens would have to change (not such a big problem to make that window smaller and the patch on the outside wall at the side of the house is not so obvious) ... and, if Mrs MK would like the laundry in the storage room, we need to know more about that room...is the floor of the storage room a concrete slab on the ground or the same level as the alfresco? is the roof at the same height as the roof over the alfresco or the same as the house? what are the walls of the storage room built out of?

With out further details, the following ideas for you to consider, an d check out the attachment for the style of sky light you will need, tlhe ones in the house are out dated and need replacing

https://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/brands/v/velux-skylights

The Gallery and kitchen sliding doors will open up the kitchen and dining rooms to more natural light

@oklouise windows are all equal distance which can be observed by backyard photo of rumpus. regarding ENS i agree with you to modify the window.

about storage area. its on same level as alfresco floor but concrete floor which is it lower than house floor level abt 8-15 cm or 20 max roof just flat and woof beams are visible i wan it to be covered. as roof is not very high may be abt 2 meter-ish... walls are bricked same as outside of the house.

for the storage room if you mean that the inside height from concrete floor to ceiling is only about 2m then the height is too low for a comfortable room and it may be that the floor is not properly waterproofed so don't plan anything for this space until you have much more detail..

@kate good advice as we were also thinking abt this as well and great thoughts abt media room..

3rd bedroom will be in the middle of the house and all the beddroom access will be far from kitchen, backyard and laundry.

Regarding front door. i have decides to put it jn the middle in future if not now with double french doors

really appreciate ur advices.

@oklouise ok... will check this if its not be waterproofed.
i omly wanted it to keep it for study/mrs craft workshop

It would be a shame if you lost the opprutninuty to open up more view to backyard

@kate. not sure what makes u feel i am not doing that . only reason not having 3rd where u suggest is to open up the house and have bavkyard's view will be blocked.

@siriuskey. really appreciate your ideas. best thing you suggest which didnt came jnto our mind about robe at the back of bed......

When it comes to considering ideas for any kind of building project, the impact of budget to what you're trying to achieve is critical and the first thing to get a proper handle on. The various floor plan ideas are only valid if they align with budget. Budget limits should not be sidelined until down the track. In fact they can be utilised as a great way of guiding, filtering and focusing various ideas and plans towards the most appropriate outcome. We should always design with a conscience and consciousness for the budget involved.

I have tried to post that plan for several days. I am so pleased it has gone now so you can see how I think you can improve your home, M K. Bedrooms, robes first, laundry, ensuite to follow then new kitchen and all the long area of living for years of family fun!

Cheers,

Margot

@Margot, really appreciate your design n feedback. i havent seen ur pervious design. but i like this design and different thinking upgrading current bedroom into master ensuute is something i am thinking of i long term

Hi M K,

I didn't post the Plan A as this was better! But yes, I agree that to put in ensuite planning now is very important. As I said I think in first comments do ALL the planning now even if you cant see it being built for a while. This plan does rely on the bedrooms on the boundary and being made into part of the home. A good plan to not add more to the foot print too.

If I can help any further, please don't hesitate to call.

Go for it! Cheers Margot