Clint (general contractor at Northwoods Builders) caught up with the homeowners Stephen Gaklis & Giovanna Bortolamedi to talk about their experience renovating the historic Edward Fiske House. From Falling in love with the property to making key design decisions, they share what make this project both challenging and rewarding.
What made you decide to renovate this house?
Giovanna: When we bought the house in 2016, it needed a lot of work. At first, our broker didn’t even want to show it to us – he said it needed “a lot of love.” But we went to an open house anyway and actually fell in love with it because of the charter that it had. Stephen really appreciated how well it was built. And I loved the charm you just don’t find in newer homes.
Even though it was too big for the two of us, we saw it as a project – something we could make our own. We had talked about renovating for a long time, and for me, the kitchen was the breaking point. I hated it. It felt so dated and uninspiring, it didn’t make me want to cook at all. So we said, “Let’s just do the kitchen.” But then it turned into, “Well, if we’re doing the kitchen, why not tackle the rest?” That’s when we started reaching out to builders.
Stepehen: The house was very well built, and it was solid construction. I saw a lot of potential in it, and we thought that it would be a fun project.
What made you choose Northwoods Builders?
Stephen: We talked to a few builders in the early stages – some well-known name companies– but none of them felt like the right fit. The proposals were solid, but the value didn’t seem to be there, especially for the scope of work we were considering. Dean, our broker, recommended Northwoods Builders, and when we met with you and reviewed your proposal, it just made sense. It was detailed, thoughtful, and aligned with the vision we had.
Giovanna: What stood out to us was that you would be onsite – not just sending a crew. That personal involvement gave us a lot of peace of mind.
What was the home renovation process like?
Stephen: Once we got started, things moved pretty quickly. Of course, there were challenges – There are always in a project like this – but communication was strong, and we always found a way to work through the issues.
Giovanna: What started as just redoing the kitchen and parts of the interior ended up growing into a much bigger renovation — windows, siding…a lot more than we initially planned. But even as the scope expanded, Clint stayed on top of everything. Anytime we ran into a roadblock, he found a solution. That kind of hands-on problem solving is hard to find.
What were some of the unexpected lessons learned?
Stephen: The biggest lesson? I should have listened to you sooner. The one thing that I always tell people is that I didn’t really learn to listen to you until the end of the project. Whether it was the floors, the windows, or even the floor heater in the mudroom – I kept thinking that I could save a few thousand bucks by handling things myself. You offered to bring in your floor guy and I said “no, I’ve got someone.” Total disaster – twice. Same thing with the kitchen cabinets. We tried to manage it on our own and it turned into another mess. The hood over the stove was completely off and someone actually tried to tell us “Thats how it is supposed to be”. We should have just listened to you from the start.
Giovanna: We also realized how important it is to stay flexible. With an old home, surprises are inevitable, but you always came with a solution and that made a huge difference.
How did the house hold up after the renovation?
Stephen: Its solid – still standing after 250 years and we didn’t screw it up! We’ve had some minor settling here and there, which is to be expected, but over all the house looks fantastic. In fact, now the untouched parts stand out more because of everything else looks so pristine.
Would you work with Northwoods Builders again?
Stephen: Absolutely! I hopefully have you scheduled to look at a new project that we are considering bidding on down the road – converting a 150 year old horse barn into separate units and then maybe converting schoolhouse into a house.
Giovanna: It was not always fun, especially when we had to use the bathroom as a sink, but we knew that you were genuinely invested in the outcome and that made the difference
To view a complete gallery of pictures for this whole house home remodelling project, see our project area for Weston House.
Interested in renovating your historic home?
Are you looking to remodel a historic home? Reach out to Northwood Builders. Clint and John are very experienced in making your dream come to life. Schedule a consultation today.
