Thank you everyone for your comments. We live outside Christchurch, and the house was badly damaged in the quakes here. The post-quake rebuild process could safely be described as slightly chaotic, and the house company I am using are located some distance away (like on the North Island), which is why discussion with the architect has been - em - less than optimal. The architect threw something at me to get me out of my comfort zone I think and this is what's freaking me out! I think the windows on the east side are to come (no reason for them not being there), and probably a skylight in the kitchen roof. The section of land is narrow and steep, (this is a historic port town and with access from the south (where the view is); there is no parking other than on the street (south). Patricia - the laundry doesn't sit right with me either! Looks a bit like it's been glued on the side of the hosue. And it is too small as it is to store coats, shoes etc. This is the access to the back garden - thus the door (also means muddy boots can be dumped when we come in!). Entering a house through a living room is very common over here, especially where space is at a premium (small section, small house footprint).

Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Earlier in 2019, we retired into town and purchased a property for the location, not the house. The house is an old Lockwood with a questionable floor plan and poor traffic flow throughout. We will embark on kitchen, en-suite and master bedroom improvements in 2020. I also intend to completely paint over the wood using Resene Triple Merino. The single living space has a long barn-like appearance. It's a good sized space but the traffic flow makes it a difficult space to set up furniture etc. In the meantime the old obsolete styled, gas space-heater decided to 'spit the dummy' and we are having to replace that ahead of schedule. This has presented a dilemma. Where to locate it in the lounge so that it will work with the improvements scheduled for next year. The new fire is much larger in the room than the old one. I would really appreciate some thoughts on how to make my new gas fire more aesthetically pleasing. Originally, [pic 1] it was thought it should be placed straight on to the room but that looks wrong as is evident from the photo. Also, fire regulations have squashed that idea, because the curtains and wooden beams are too close. In Pic 2, the fireplace has been angled slightly, to overcome the regulations but the wooden posts prevented a nice 45 degree angle being achieved. The new angle now means that I have to reconsider how to rearrange the seating in the lounge for the traffic flow to work but more importantly, I'm left wondering, how do I add finish the fire? Do I build a false chimney and how do I work in all the new angles. I'm usually able to come up with good ideas to overcome problems, but this one has left me a little stumped. Pic 3 shows how I thought I might angle the couch.

Hi, Wondering if anyone has any ideas for our house layout? There are 2 options we are thinking of at this stage: 1 - keep the kitchen where it is located but take down the wall where the fridge (fridge is actually where the stove is located in this picture) is located and the wall where the door into that space is and put an island bar in. We would put a door in to block off the hallway/bedrooms. Possibly try and put access to the Laundry (which is in behind) so the laundry can be a laundry/scullery space as the laundry is quite a large space. This may not work though as the kitchen bench space would become quite small on that back wall. 2 - move the kitchen to the living room in the centre of the house and maybe have access to the side cupboard for a pantry cupboard and make the old kitchen space as a games/movies room. 3 - ???? Any other ideas are welcome. Thanks.

Without looking it up , the new Credit Regulations came in on 1 Dec , and there is a fine of up to $200,000 for every instance of 'irresponsible lending' . The problem seems to be that it isn't defined . So a couple who have been together for 5 years , saved $100k , both on $100k plus , have $50k of cars that they are prepared to sell and drive $5k ones , plus 1 lot of parents has $50k to lend them . A house that is $1million they can afford . But what if the female gets pregnant ? What if he loses his job and takes 2 months to get a $50k job ? What if the parent dies and the lawyer wants the $50k back ( or $37.5k of it to distribute to other siblings ) ? Those clothes trucks that go around the lower income suburbs sell a pair of 'knock-off' designer jeans to a solo mum for her 14 year old daughter . They charge $5 a week for 20 weeks , mum and daughter are happy because it fits their budget . You and I can probably find them on-line for $40 , they might be able to too , but to get $40 might mean missing a couple of meals or not prepaying the power , so they don't . I am a director of more than 40 companies . Probably half of them I own 99% of shares , others I own 33% or 40% or 50% . Pre-Covid , combined turnover was well over $250k a day , my property holdings are well into 8 figures . In June/July when I bought the Lincoln Street property , the mortgage was almost a formality -- I've dealt with the same bank for 35 or more years , have good cashflow and own a reasonable whack of my properties . Almost all have mortgages , and the more valuable ones also have floating charges , but I doubt I am classed as a risky borrower . Tenders close on this place in just under a month , but as it is technically not livable ( a couple of walls have been taken out and additions started -- they have closed it in with building paper and ply and wrap ) , I cannot get a mortgage , even though my intention is make it better , spend up to $1.5mil , and live there for at least 15 years ( I will have turned 70 by then haha ) . So if I do get it , rather than a approx 3.5% mortgage , I will have to get it via Bridging Finance ( at 11% ) , then after a year or 18 months , when everything is complete and Lake Crescent ( my current place ) is hopefully sold , and hopefully the rules have been clarified , I then go the through process of getting registered valuations and applying for a mortgage etc . Assuming Lake Cres sells for around what everything thinks , even after spending $1.5M on alterations , the mortgage should be under $2M and valuation likely to be around $7.5M ( land and stables etc will make up about half that ) , but right now its harder to get that than it was to get funding for Lincoln Street , which depending on exactly how it all pans out , will be $15M plus when complete . Interesting couple of months . This is a picture taken from a spot towards the rear of the property -- a bit clearer than the other ones .