The story so far

Rachael and Michael purchased their 100-year-old weatherboard cottage eight years ago and have been living there happily ever since. Located on a 310sqm block, the home is opposite a beautiful park in the Sydney suburb of Lilyfield. “We love our house,” says Rachael. “We gave it a bit of a facelift when we moved in – new paint, lights, blinds, etc. It has a nice feel and works reasonably well for us, particularly as our kids are still small.” But the kids won’t be small forever and the couple’s thoughts have turned to renovation. “We want two living spaces, four bedrooms plus a new kitchen, two bathrooms and, ideally, separate sleeping zones for adults and kids.” What’s stopping them? Rachael and Michael are concerned that because the house is an old weatherboard cottage, extensive alterations may uncover significant problems needing costly remedial work, which could blow out the budget. At this price point, the couple may also consider knocking down and starting again. “This is not something we relish as we love the character of our home,” says Rachael. “But we need to get the right layout so we can enjoy our house now and into the future, so we’re at a crossroads.”