So with the impending addition to our family we have engaged an Architect locally in Palmerston North to get some concept drawings to add to our current house. The drawings are done and essentially we will be:

   <> Adding a Lounge circa 22.4 sqm
   <> Extending the Deck to create an outdoor entertaining area
   <> Converting the current lounge to a Dining Area
   <> Re-aligning some internal walls to create better flow through the living space
   <> Increasing the current floor-space from 95sqm to 130sqm (new laundry and pantry too)

Now I should preface this with a note that two years ago we renovated "the other side" of the house. Bedrooms and bathrooms. At that stage I went full tilt with retrofitting data and power.

Essentially the whole house feeds to a 6RU Patch Panel centrally located in a Comms Cupboard. All the rooms got coax too and the lounge got 2 x 2 coax outlets.

Now I have the opportunity to go full tilt again as essentially that whole part of the house will be open to installing whatever I want (within budget and reason)

So the advice I am looking for relates to:

    <> What did you do in an extension that you couldnt live without
    <> What do you regret not doing?
    <> Home Automation.........worth it now or fit later

On the current list of whats to be done:

     <> New Lounge - TV located with 4 x CAT6 and 2 x COAX outlets
     <> Kitchen Bench - Pop-up power outlets (as the wall will come down between new lounge and kitchen)
     <> Underfloor Heating in Kitchen and Lounge
     <> LED lighting throughout the new area
     <> Outdoor PowerPoints and 2 x CAT6 Outlets
     <> Relocate existing heat-pump from Passage to new Lounge.

Uploaded the plans too.