thanks alek, i prefer to get their conversion kit. It allows me to go back to propane if ever needed. (Or return it to Costco if some appropriate reason came up.) Of course I can fine tune their converision kit if I decide that 15K btu isn't enough although I'm guessing it will be fine (as spamdamn points out). Anyhow, mainly I'm just trying to figure out if my gas network off the meter is going to be able to handle all this extra capacity. Anyone have any opinions as to how 'over engineered' the code gas tables are? (or how not over engineered)? It is looking like I'll be over tapped if I add the grill unless going back to the trunk of my gas network and upgrading from 3/4" to 1". Of course this assumes that every appliance is on high and all at the same time which would rarely if ever be the case. (Basically a 50K btu furnace, two gas fire places, one 31k btu and one 40k btu, and this. And it is rare that both gas fire places are on at the same time, in addition to the fact that they are both turned down from their max settings, probably to about 75%). Oh - and if anyone knows, do I count the 12' quick connect hose as an additional 12' in my calculations for gas code? thanks, philippe

I am planning on getting the Virco and the costco conversion kit. Will I need anything else to buy to get this to work in NG. We bought a new house and it has NG valve outside already but will I need to buy a quick disconnect hose or does that come with the kit. We are putting the grill very close to the outlet so only about 3-4 feet of hose is needed. If I do need to buy one, who has the best price on a quick disconnect hose?

I am no expert but I had a regular slide in range of the GE line of nice, but builders grade (not pro-style) range in NG. I bought a similar, but not as nice model, for a cabin that had to be converted to LP b/c there is no NG. The conversion kit and instructions came with the unit and I did it myself but had my then neighbor who was a HVAC guy inspect it. His comment "As long as you remove the jet insert with the big hole (about 3/16 inch) and put in the jet insert with the small hole (about 1/16 inch), you are fine. However, to make a mistake is really bad." When you compare the jet orifices, it really is not hard to tell which is right at all. Anyway, he passed my conversion as fine. Installed, I could not tell the difference b/t the LP and NG as far as performance, but, again, that was not a pro-style unit. With my Wolf and now Bluestar, they were/are NG so I cannot compare but I do know BS comes configured from the factory. BTW, although it was really very simple, I do not recommend doing the conversion yourself unless you are qualified or have a qualified HVAC/gas tech inspect it (FWIW).

Bluestar is one of the most expensive gas ranges available. Although it is a very nice unit I don't really know what you have budgeted. (Not sure of pricing on their cooktop) Ventilation is important if you use gas. Lots of people have a 30" ranges with just microwave fans over the top and they have been fine. So you do need something but it doesn't have to be a ton of money! Or a huge vent hood unless you have some serious heat! There are so many choices out there today if you want a cooktop in the island. My friend has a 36" Jenn air down-draft cooktop and loves it. It has great power and is easy to clean. I believe Kitchenaid now has one identical to the Jenn-air for less cost and it also comes in a 30". Kitchen aid 30" Only issue with a down draft is how it is vented. They do suggest several options but you should look at the manual. Or if you are getting a vent hood just get a GE Cafe gas cooktop. They have really great reviews and aren't as pricey as the PRO cooktops. I do agree with others that you should have the cooktop protected so that it is safe. You do need substantial countertop behind it or a tiered island like in the photo below. Of course you don't need the seating behind it. Just a protective barrier ;) I debated a cooktop in the island but I decided that I wanted some seriously powerful burners (Went with the GE Cafe 36" range) so I needed really good ventilation. I called GE and they said even with LP conversion you don't lose BTU's the way the burners are made. All six are 15,000. Even though my layout isn't perfect I wanted an uninterrupted island and my range on a wall so it can be vented easily. Best of luck and Happy New Year!