For Rachel Riley.....I'd just like to say that, without doubt, paying for labour is the expensive bit, so don't be afraid of doing the work yourself. (As long as you do a bit of research first, so that you work safely and do the job properly). If you are able bodied, there's no reason why you can't tackle the work yourself. Don't compromise, if you don't like your decking, remove it. Buy some cheap rough sawn planks of wood to make shuttering to define the area you want to raise and mix the sand and cement to raise the level so that you walk straight from the house into the garden. Check online about damp courses first and make sure, if there are air bricks in the house wall you extend them, with tube ( extensions are available at DIY stores and builders merchants ) to the front of the slab of cement you're laying. It may seem daunting but it really isn't difficult and you can take your time doing a stage at a time. The planks can be recycled, once the cement is dry, to make a bench, shelf whatever! I'm a female and pensioner and I recently built this sunken patio. I really don't want to sound patronising, but yes, it's a bit of graft, but the sense of achievement is well worth the effort. Once the hard landscaping is how you want it, then I'd suggest you have pots and containers ( perhaps recycle anything you can grow a plant in! ) The containers can then be moved around to enable you to maximise impact. Also, a mirror hung on a boundary fence or wall will deceive the eye and make the area seem larger. Cheap garden mirrors are available though, as long as it's fixed firmly any old mirror will do ( mine, 3' X 2' , cost £2 at a car boot sale!) So please go for it! Decide what you'd really like it to be like, and work towards that. Most of all, enjoy it!

PS Rachel, for a quick fix of your flaky wall, you could clean it off and remove loose bits and paint it with a uni bond solution or a specific product ( which are available) which don't alter the look of the wall but stop it being porous and will slow down the deterioration. Also, you could look up the process online and render it yourselves. Start in the least visible area and you'll soon perfect the method! Do it a section at a time maybe.

Rachel, It sounds as if you need, rather than a makeover, a complete redo. First measure up and transfer to squared paper. Next: Where is the rain water going to go? Put that on paper, and get a plumber quote in writing if it's a big job. If you can, slope the patio, so that no pipes are needed. Go for bigger rather than your standard gutter pipes- They will carry leaves and mud, so may get blocked. Otherwise a slight slope 1:5 is enough, with a gulley at one end . Next: Decide what you want /need in the patio. Washing line? Chairs and parasol?. Choose a theme so that the look will be unified. Shop around in magazines and online before committing. Put the sizes in moveable blocks on paper, and move around until you get the arrangement you want. Next: Spend time transferring your plants to plastic containers- The posh ones can come later, are expensive and break when builders are there. You need plant rescue before the builders get there. (Builders= trashed plants) Choose and reserve tiles, but not pay. Next Get tiler quotes- IN WRITING. Certain tiles are more expensive to lay than others. Tally up what you have in your virtual spend. If you can afford it all, get old carpets to go in and out of the entrance to the house- It will be messy! If you are at a loss, now is the time to get a designer, to sort out a great design for you, if not, the main thing is drainage, lighting, and plumbing. Oh and there is an article somewhere on houzz to camoflage bins. Look at that too. Good Luck!