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P.S. I'm still trying to work out how to add an image to this post!
Hello @BoeingFan
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your plans for a whole home refresh.
Congratulations on getting your new home! I'm in total agreement with you that there are so many things you can do to refresh your property. Adding a small picket fence, building a paved walkway and starting a garden are just some of the things that come to mind. However, painting is one the easiest things you can start with. My number one tip is to make sure to prepare the surface of the item that you'll be painting.
Every time you start a new discussion you'll find a button at the bottom of the page saying "upload image" simply follow the prompts and you'll be able to load your pictures. However, if you need assistance, we'll be more than happy to post them for you.
Let me call on some of our experienced members @prettyliving, @lifestylebymari and @homeinmelbourne for their recommendations.
Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing each improvement that you make.
If you have any questions we can help out with, please let us know.
Eric
G'day @EricL ,
Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.
I'm moving back to the little village up north where I grew up, to care for my Dad. This little house sits next door to Dads, so it will give me the opportunity to be right there with Dad and also have a personal space, plus allow my partner and I to get out of the Sydney rat race.
She's a little 1 bedder fibro number, with a little living area, dining space and kitchen, with a bathroom. The toot used to be an outhouse but had to be pulled down, so a septic and toot need to be done as one of the first items with the paint, so if you see someone staring endlessly at the range at Bunnings it will be me 
The old Zip instant hot water system over the bath is dripping rust stains, so I think it's time to go for it also. The kitchen had a pot belly ages ago, and I'm thinking this will be the perfect place to have a rangehood and an induction cooktop put in.
I could go on and on, but these are some of the early things to be done, and I can't wait!
Cheers 
Thank you @prettyliving , and the same to you! What an exciting time huh? I swear I have a bunnings shopping list which has already grown to about 20 items and counting, from power tools to fencing, to paint and decor. I'm so glad some simple little things as you mentioned make a big difference, it helps on a small budget. I've already started tackling the yard and getting it back a manageable level. It's really great to learn about all the things involved with how stuff works too, like painting various surfaces, the differences between the plethora of cordless drills, and constant water pressure pumps. We intend to eventually live off grid, and the existing water tank is a great place to start, I just need to connect all roofing areas to it to make sure we catch as much rain as we can. I'll be following your progress too, so please post some pic's as you go for inspiration and ideas
Cheers.
Well, I have finished building my first ever fence! What a learning curve 😀
As I will eventually be relocating my mini sausage dogs to the country with me, this was my first major project. This fence faces the street and is 40m long. I got the wire mesh and posts from Bunnings, however my local store doesn't carry everything needed, so some products were sourced elsewhere. I used 2x rolls of Longyard mesh, 2x packs of 10 Longyard pickets, post driver, netting clips, netting clip pliers, fencing tool, straining wire, strainers, large fencing pliers, U nails, hammer, spirit level, masking tape; I think that covers it.
Given that we'd had a lot of rain just before building the fence, driving the posts in manually was quite easy. The pickets are 180cm tall, and the mesh is 120cm tall, so I drove the pickets in 60cm. I used masking tape on each post to show where the post had to be driven in to. A friend recommended I run the straining wire through the holes in each picket, and plat it through the mesh, however an extremely knowledgable and friendly staff member at a local ag store ran me through the go to whoa of building this thing, and advised me against doing either. In short, running the straining wire through the posts introduces rubbing, eroding the protection to the post and the wire, and allowing rust and wear to shorten the fences lifespan.
The posts were driven into the ground at around 2 metre spans, then the straining wire was run along between the existing straining posts, then strained and and clipped to each picket. Then using netting clips, I clipped the mesh to the straining wire at each post, and midway in between each post. Those little wire strainers were so easy to use, and as this fence is 40m long, I installed them at both ends for extra oomph.
First project done ✔️
That fence looks terrific, @BoeingFan, and I trust your mini sausage dogs will be contained well.
I suspect you've pulled the bottom straining wire taught, but check at the mid-point between two posts that you can't lift the mesh up at all. Typically, this type of fence is excellent for livestock, but a small dog might nose its way under the mid-section. A 450mm tent peg in the middle of each fence segment should hold it down nicely and prevent escape attempts.
Fantastic work, and I can't wait to see what project you tackle next.
Mitchell
Wow this is one of the most fun projects I’ve seen for ages!
With a small building and a tropical climate, could I suggest you look to Balinese villas for inspiration? Not the first or cheapest thing to do, but that’s where I’d be heading with this place. Outdoor living and bathroom with an air conditioned bedroom.
A deck or pavers with a roof out the front would double your living space and hide the fibro-ness. Plant the right tropical plants and they’ll take care of themselves.
Paint is your best friend inside. Ask the locals for their tips on keeping damp and mould at bay.
Congratulations @BoeingFan ! Take lots of before pictures now as this will be amazing.
