diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index 19ced96..b72ab17 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -1096,12 +1096,15 @@ function renderQuestion() {
   html += `</div>`
 
   const isLast = currentQ === QUESTIONS.length - 1
-  const nav = `<div class="q-nav">
-    ${currentQ > 0 ? `<button class="btn-back" onclick="prevQ()">${t('back_btn')}</button>` : ''}
-    <button class="btn-next" id="btn-next" onclick="nextQ()" ${canProceed() ? '' : 'disabled'}>
-      ${isLast ? t('finish_btn') : t('continue_btn')}
-    </button>
-  </div>`
+  // Single-choice steps auto-advance on tap, so the Continue button is
+  // redundant — render only Back (if available) on those screens. Multi
+  // and slider steps still need the explicit Continue.
+  const showContinue = q.type !== 'single'
+  const showBack = currentQ > 0
+  const parts = []
+  if (showBack) parts.push(`<button class="btn-back" onclick="prevQ()">${t('back_btn')}</button>`)
+  if (showContinue) parts.push(`<button class="btn-next" id="btn-next" onclick="nextQ()" ${canProceed() ? '' : 'disabled'}>${isLast ? t('finish_btn') : t('continue_btn')}</button>`)
+  const nav = parts.length ? `<div class="q-nav">${parts.join('')}</div>` : ''
 
   document.getElementById('question-container').innerHTML = html
   document.getElementById('quiz-footer').innerHTML = nav
@@ -1117,8 +1120,16 @@ function selectOption(qid, val, el) {
   answers[qid] = val
   document.querySelectorAll('.q-opt').forEach(o => o.classList.remove('selected'))
   el.classList.add('selected')
-  document.getElementById('btn-next').disabled = false
+  const nextBtn = document.getElementById('btn-next')
+  if (nextBtn) nextBtn.disabled = false
   saveState()
+  // Single-choice → auto-advance. Short delay so the user sees the green
+  // selected state register before the screen flips. They can always go
+  // Back to revise — the answer is preserved in `answers[qid]` and
+  // re-applied as `selected` when renderQuestion runs again.
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    if (answers[qid] === val) nextQ()
+  }, 220)
 }
 
 function toggleMulti(qid, val, el) {
@@ -1438,7 +1449,6 @@ function renderBudgetMeter() {
     { label: t('bcat_sanitation'), pct: 5, color: '#D4A820' },
   ]
   let html = `<div class="budget-meter">
-    <div class="bm-title">${t('budget_title')} — ${lang==='de'?'Gesamt':'Total'}: €${budget.toLocaleString()}</div>
     <div class="budget-cats">`
   cats.forEach(c => {
     html += `<div class="bcat">
@@ -1447,6 +1457,14 @@ function renderBudgetMeter() {
       <div class="bcat-cost">€${Math.round(budget*c.pct/100)}</div>
     </div>`
   })
+  // Total row at the end of the table — same .bcat layout so alignment
+  // matches the per-category lines.
+  const totalLabel = lang === 'de' ? 'Gesamtbudget' : 'Total Allocation'
+  html += `<div class="bcat bcat-total">
+    <div class="bcat-label">${totalLabel}</div>
+    <div class="bcat-bar-wrap" aria-hidden="true"></div>
+    <div class="bcat-cost">€${budget.toLocaleString()}</div>
+  </div>`
   html += `</div></div>`
   document.getElementById('budget-meter-container').innerHTML = html
 }
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index 6931329..f0ed921 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -482,7 +482,33 @@ body.quiz-active .site-header { display: none; }
 .slider-labels { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; margin-bottom: 12px; }
 .slider-labels span { font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-dim); font-family: var(--font-mono); }
 input[type=range] { width: 100%; -webkit-appearance: none; appearance: none; height: 4px; background: var(--muted); border-radius: 99px; outline: none; cursor: pointer; }
-input[type=range]::-webkit-slider-thumb { -webkit-appearance: none; width: 22px; height: 22px; border-radius: 50%; background: var(--red); cursor: pointer; box-shadow: 0 2px 16px rgba(90,154,120,0.3); }
+/* Slider thumb — dark green paint style. CSS-only approximation of the
+   SVG paintGlossBtn filter the CTA buttons use: a #2a3010 base with a
+   linear gradient simulating the embossed top-highlight / bottom-shadow,
+   plus an inset top stroke and a soft drop shadow. */
+input[type=range]::-webkit-slider-thumb {
+  -webkit-appearance: none;
+  width: 22px; height: 22px;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, #3a4220 0%, #2a3010 55%, #161a08 100%);
+  border: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.40);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  box-shadow:
+    inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255,236,200,0.22),
+    0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.30),
+    0 0 0 4px rgba(42,48,16,0.10);
+}
+input[type=range]::-moz-range-thumb {
+  width: 22px; height: 22px;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, #3a4220 0%, #2a3010 55%, #161a08 100%);
+  border: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.40);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  box-shadow:
+    inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255,236,200,0.22),
+    0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.30),
+    0 0 0 4px rgba(42,48,16,0.10);
+}
 .slider-val { text-align: center; font-family: var(--font-display); font-weight: 800; font-size: 32px; color: var(--white); margin-top: 16px; }
 .slider-val span { font-size: 18px; color: var(--text-dim); margin-left: 4px; }
 
@@ -703,22 +729,60 @@ input[type=range]::-webkit-slider-thumb { -webkit-appearance: none; width: 22px;
    itself is stripped to transparent in the panel-body override (line ~615),
    so only the inner element colours need adjusting here. */
 .budget-meter { background: var(--panel); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: var(--radius-lg); padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; animation: fadeUp 0.4s 0.2s ease both; }
-.bm-title { font-family: var(--font-display); font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 16px; }
+/* Inner budget title matches the panel header typography (.rp-title:
+   var(--font-body), 700, 0.02em tracking) but a touch bigger so the
+   total reads as the primary stat inside the panel. */
+.bm-title {
+  font-family: var(--font-body);
+  font-weight: 700;
+  font-size: 19px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.02em;
+  line-height: 1.3;
+  color: var(--text);
+  margin-bottom: 16px;
+}
 .budget-cats { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 10px; }
 .bcat { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; }
-.bcat-label { font-size: 13px; color: var(--text-dim); width: 100px; flex-shrink: 0; }
+.bcat-label { font-size: 16px; color: var(--text-dim); width: 110px; flex-shrink: 0; }
 .bcat-bar-wrap { flex: 1; height: 6px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.08); border-radius: 99px; overflow: hidden; }
 .bcat-bar { height: 100%; border-radius: 99px; transition: width 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,0.2,1); }
-.bcat-cost { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: 12px; color: var(--text); width: 60px; text-align: right; flex-shrink: 0; }
+.bcat-cost { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: 15px; color: var(--text); width: 72px; text-align: right; flex-shrink: 0; }
+/* Total row — sums the breakdown above. Same .bcat layout so the label
+   and amount align with the category rows, plus a top divider and a
+   touch more weight to set it apart as the summary line. */
+.bcat-total {
+  margin-top: 6px;
+  padding-top: 10px;
+  border-top: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.08);
+}
+.bcat-total .bcat-label { color: var(--text); font-weight: 600; }
+.bcat-total .bcat-cost { color: var(--text); font-weight: 700; }
+.bcat-total .bcat-bar-wrap { background: transparent; height: 0; }
 
 /* Timeline — same dark-on-light flip. Connector line uses a subtle dark
    border colour so it reads on the white-paint panel. */
 .timeline { background: var(--card); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: var(--radius-lg); padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; animation: fadeUp 0.4s 0.25s ease both; }
 .tl-title { font-family: var(--font-display); font-weight: 700; font-size: 16px; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 16px; }
 .tl-items { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0; }
-.tl-item { display: flex; gap: 16px; padding-bottom: 16px; position: relative; }
-.tl-item:last-child { padding-bottom: 0; }
-.tl-item:not(:last-child)::before { content: ''; position: absolute; left: 15px; top: 32px; bottom: 0; width: 2px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.10); }
+/* Each step gets generous breathing room top + bottom so the timeline
+   reads as a sequence of distinct moments rather than a tight list.
+   Padding is consistent across every item (no first/last overrides) so
+   the connector line positioning is stable from step to step. */
+.tl-item { display: flex; gap: 16px; padding: 14px 0 28px; position: relative; }
+.tl-item:last-child { padding-bottom: 4px; }
+/* Connector line — light dotted column drawn as a dotted left border on a
+   zero-width pseudo. Top starts 46px from item-top (just under a 32px dot
+   sat on 14px padding) and bottom extends -14px past the item so it
+   reaches the next item's dot at its 14px padding offset. */
+.tl-item:not(:last-child)::before {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 15px;
+  top: 46px;
+  bottom: -14px;
+  width: 0;
+  border-left: 2px dotted rgba(0,0,0,0.18);
+}
 /* Timeline dot — green-paint circle that matches the rec-icon chip but
    round. Same painted ::before with a slightly larger size so the icon
    inside reads at small viewport sizes. */
@@ -742,7 +806,22 @@ input[type=range]::-webkit-slider-thumb { -webkit-appearance: none; width: 22px;
   filter: url(#paintGlossBtn);
   -webkit-filter: url(#paintGlossBtn);
 }
-.tl-when { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size:14px; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--text-dim); margin-bottom: 4px; }
+/* Step title — vertically centred against the 32px dot using min-height
+   + flex centring so the label sits at the dot's mid-line rather than
+   its top edge. Dark-green-paint colour so the title matches the rest
+   of the brand-paint elements. */
+.tl-when {
+  font-family: var(--font-body);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-size: 14px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.16em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: #2a3010;
+  margin-bottom: 6px;
+  min-height: 32px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+}
 .tl-action { font-size:16px; color: var(--text); line-height: 1.5; }
 .tl-cost { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size:15px; color: var(--green-bright); margin-top: 4px; }
 
@@ -864,7 +943,9 @@ input[type=range]::-webkit-slider-thumb { -webkit-appearance: none; width: 22px;
 }
 .result-panel[open] .rp-chevron { transform: rotate(180deg); }
 .result-panel-body {
-  padding: 0 18px 18px;
+  /* Generous top padding so the expanded content has clear breathing
+     room beneath the panel header (was 0 → 20px). */
+  padding: 20px 18px 18px;
 }
 /* Strip box treatment from inner cards when wrapped in a panel — the panel
    is now the visible container. */