Ask RiotACT: Renovating in Kingston - recommendations please?

What is the existing floor? Unless you have high ceilings, you’ll notice the loss of room height from a floating floor … it sounds as though you could consider paying a consultant to scope out what you need. Phone the Master Builders’ Association and get some recommendations -it should cost you less than a grand including tradie recommendations – and make sure you have a proper contract. Double glazing might be over-engineering: I have honeycomb blinds, pelmets and heavy drapes and they are nearly as good as double-glazing. If your flat is on the top storey, add good insulation to the things to scope out. Good luck with it all!

Does the body corporate need to give permission to change your windows?

When you get your double glazed windows, if the frame is metal, make sure it has a thermal bridge.

I hope you have at least a $150K budget to do all that. This is Canberra, not Sydney.

You should really reconsider the IKEA kitchen until you’ve spoken to a custom kitchen place. You’d be surprised how comparable they are and being custom, you will get a better end result and won’t have to compromise over things like blind cupboards or not quite right colour choices.

Same applies to wardrobes before you go assuming putting in the IKEA choice will save time/money. My builder brother has spent two days (charged to the customer) trying to shoehorn an IKEA wardrobe into a bedroom where a custom job would have slotted straight in, with half a day labour.

Always remember: price, quality, time. Pick two.