Hi Please disregard the attached plan (not part of this house), sorry for confusion Matt

I meant to say if we clad in dark blue board and batten from ground level up to floor level of deck. I think if that side wall is all light coloured silvered cedar, the house will look mammoth. Ugh! The black stuff going down the side wall on an angle is water protector. It will be covered by whatever cladding we go with.

I have a 1966, 3 bedroom house and I am currently renovating. I am looking at removing a half wall in my kitchen to open the space up. The wall has a strut from the roof sitting on it (see picture) on closer inspection in the loft, all of the internal walls have a strut resting on then. Is it possible that all of the walls in my house are load-bearing? If it helps its a weatherboard home with metal roof. Any help would be greatly appreciated, feeling a bit lost

You would need to talk to them . I 'almost' can't see why not , but here's a couple of problems -- -- a toilet obviously needs water and connecting to sewerage . So that means both need connecting to the services in or near your house , almost certainly underground . Is the concrete floor in the line between where you want the toilet , and where it will connect ? -- the toilet probably needs to go through the floor -- I doubt they would let you go out through an external wall then down . So how thick is the floor , is there reinforcing ( you'd hope there is if you are parking vehicles there ) ? That will need 'breaking' and cutting , and may weaken the floot . ASnd it will cost $$$ . -- you probably want a basin and tap too . Do you want hot water too ? That may be hard to get from the house , so you may need another water cylinder , presumably small . I doubt if they'd let you have a gas califont and bottle , even if you tell them it won't be used much . -- Now , lets talk about things like a shower too -- not much harder , especially if you are having hot water . And maybe taps for a washing machine -- gives some versatlity . BUT heres what I think the biggest problem might be -- some slum-lords will rent out a garage to a desperate family of 4 or even 14 people . Almost all these slum-lords don't seem to have been born in NZ . Your name implies a similar background . Unfortunately they may think it is easier to decline now , rather than have to act later , so may use the bad few against the better thousands . I have heard they will decline everyone if they think this is a possibilioty , so it does make it difficult -- they aren't prepared to take a risk . Talk to them and see though .