Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Thanks for the replies! My wife suggested we talk to a local real estate agent, so i think that is a good idea... just that Im not sure how helpful they are likely to be if we arent selling yet :) As for saving for our dream house, I dont disagree, however if doing this up nicely over the next ~5 years or so while we live here nets us some extra in the eventual sale, then that of course will help us as well. Interesting thing happened today actually. I got a knock on the door and one of the older neighbours asked if he could take some lemons from the tree. I of course said yes. Anyway he was telling me he had lived in the street for 40 years. I asked him if the house had always looked like this, and he said no that ~30 years ago the old old owner did a massive renovation and pulled off the timber and put up the bricks and gutted the inside of the house. Interesting stuff!

Hi. We moved into our home in Central Otago in 2013. It had been built around 2000 and clad with Oregon and Plaster. It was evident that this house was tired with the most pressing need the rescuing of the Oregon cladding. It was well overdue for a recoat. On much appreciated advice from a Resene Rep we bleached (Moss and Mould Killer) and scrubbed (Timber and Deck Wash) then coated with Resene Waterborne Woodsman in Nutmeg with CoolColour, This took up my summers of 2014, 2015 and part of 2016 the remainder of which was taken up overhauling the plaster. This summer I have tied in the entrance slat fence. Unfortunatelyn we were let down by Resene in early 2015 with an unannounced change of formula resulting in out of stocks and worst of all colour changes. Nutmeg which previously was a warm brown definitely moved into the orange spectrum. Resene WW is meant to be recoated every 18-24 months so strictly speaking I can't physically keep up with the staining let alone have a life as well. Stripping back is not an option, no no no. What compatible product would you recommend that definitely lasts longer than Resene WW? Where can I find LRV for Resene WW in case I need to stick with that but change the colour? Sadly I can't find information on comparing products across brands as reps only compare between their own products. Many thanks.

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 .