Homes

We knew our contractor was a winner when we hired him, but now everyone knows it. Congratulations to Rannala Construction for winning a 2011 Georgie Award.

In a renovation as extensive as ours, it's a good idea to divide some duties. My husband and I decided we didn't each have to be involved in the minute details of every decision. Luckily, Brad was willing to take on some of the dirtiest jobs.

When undertaking a project as significant -- and, at times, overwhelming -- as our renovation, you soon appreciate that the images you likely will cherish most are those that easily become short anecdotes you want to share with others.

Before we began our project, several friends who had done major renovations to their homes warned us that the process would be stressful. "Our reno took a bit of a toll on our relationship," one friend confided.

A few years ago, our daughter Caitlin decided that she wanted to move to the bedroom downstairs.

After weeks of tearing down walls and ceilings, pulling out wires, digging dirt and cutting out pipes, we are finally starting to see our renovated spaces take shape.

This week, I turn over the blog space to my husband, Brad. Below he discusses the choices we made during this renovation to address his limited vision.

The most common question we've been asked about our renovation is: "How much are you guys spending?" My usual answer is: "I don't like to say the number out loud." It's true ­– I don't – but not because I'm worried about what we're spending.

Digging down to find a silver lining We planned for the unexpected – that is a must when you're renovating a house that's 65 years old and has suffered through two poorly executed renovations.

After the completion of the initial design work for our renovation, the most discussed topic was our choice of heating and ventilation systems.