底下的layout 是弟弟使用google sketchup畫的，當初購買房子的家人沒有房屋平面圖，我們利用捲尺一間間地計算出每間房間的大家規模，高度，以及牆壁的厚度等。這張平面圖才能問世。
The layout is made by my brother, we measured everything by ourselves, and then he drew it with google sketchup, it looks impressive, in order to ensure the measurement is exactly right, he put a lot of effort on it.
我們想要改變的東西很多，就如我寫的原貌大公開，這個家是很古老的建築，它的外觀已經不能被更改，能動的只能在室內而已。也因為這裡面有許多火爐，以至於屋子內有許多的厚牆，這些都是浪費空間的，那些可以留下，那些必須拆除，都是必須要仔細地與許多施工人一起討論的功課。
This building is an antique, it’s easier if we could knock down everything and rebuild a complete new house, but we can’t, and it’s a semi-house. What we can do is the interior renovation. As there are a lot of fireplaces in the house, and they are all no longer used. We had to discuss with builders about those what could demolished, and what should remain the same.
工程開始前，我聯絡了幾家建築公司，但許多都是沒有回應的，事情不能一直拖延，所以我們直接找了朋友介紹的一個建商─杜師傅。
他是個中國人，他很健談，我們邊帶著他參觀了我們整個屋子的狀況，邊跟他說明我們希望改變的有那些，他最常說的一句話就是：「沒問題！」但是他真的是個很喜歡跟人說話的人就是，明明應該是我們跟他說我們的計畫，常常到最後都被他拉到其他話題去。
可能是因為他是友人介紹的，於是對他產生了點可靠感，當然我們陸續也找了幾家做工程的人，也都是找中國人來看，但是報價的錢都不是滿意，或者有些人不是全包的，只做單一的工作，一一比較下來，我們最後還是回頭來找杜師傅做。
Before the construction project started, I managed to contact a few western companies for enquiry, but many of them shown not interest about the work. A friend of my brother’s offered him a mobile phone number, and told him this may help us — Mr. Du.
He is a Chinese, he loves to communicate with people, while we shown him the condition of the house, we explained him the features of the future look and feel. When we ask question, he always say that’s not a problem.
We called some Chinese constructors for quotations after Mr. Du, unfortunately we didn’t get a reasonable price than Mr. Du, a few days later, we called back Mr. Du, and arranged a renovation time with him.
這是我們後來想要做的修正，基本上前面原封不動，客廳的部分我們把火爐蓋起來了，旁邊的小置物櫃將會改成build-in的書櫃，本來只有一間衛浴的即將會有兩間衛浴，第一間加裝馬桶，第二間增加淋浴的洗澡房，廚房呢與餐廳呢，將會成為開放式的場所，會比較大也更明亮點。
Here’s our final layout for house project, there won’t be any fireplace in the hosue, we covered up the living room one and there will be a build-in shelf next to it. We will have two bathrooms, and for our kitchen and dining room, we decided to make an open area. It would make the whole area brighter and bigger.