How are add-ons automatically built into the contract price? I never heard of this the company charges you a flat fee and you can order whatever you want?

we went with:

trash/recycling
cookie sheet rack
1 silverware drawer (out of possible 4)
pull-out drawer for oils/spice next to stove

I'm still not sure about the suefulness of the sheet rack. we didn't have one in our old kitchen and the cookie sheets were still easy to get in and out of the cabinet. aS for the spice rack, I don't really like the look, plus I have too many spices to fill up just one rack. I prefer to have some in the pull-out drawer near the stove and the rest in a cabinet near the prep area.

I love the trash/recycling pullout.

I opted to go with a drawer divider for the flatware rather than a cutlery tray for the flexibility reason you mention. I have these in several drawers and like them very much.

I love my mixerlift. It's easily accessible, not sitting on the counter, and I don't have to lug the big ol' thing around when I want to use it.

I think I'm going to get the pegboard insert for the drawer that holds our everyday dishes.

I'm deciding if I want a spice insert for the drawer next to the rangetop or not. It would be convenient, but not big enough for my all my spices and I don't think I'll like having the spices divided up into to places. I may do a between the studs spice rack in the pantry that is right there instead.

Other than that, there isn't anything I'm "missing". Good luck with your plans!

Full extension drawer glides!!

Dishwasher panel! I have one for the first time and it's a dream -- it's an amazing improvement over the ghastly stainless fronts I always had before, which, while pretty for 5 minutes after polishing, showed every drip and smudge after every cycle.

And another vote for full-extension glides.

I love my bread drawer! DH made fun of me when I got it, but he likes it now! No bread sitting on the counter. Such luxury.

Also love my tray dividers in my over the refrig cabinet, double trash pullout, my super susans, and my lazy susan in my upper corner for spices. Love my rev-a-shelf drawer dividers for utensils, junk drawer, etc.

One thing I would not recommend is the sink tiltout tray for sponges, etc. Now that I have my new sink grate in my deeper sink I leave my sponge on it.

Good luck!

Barb

PS Don't forget the full extension drawers with soft close!

I much prefer drawers for lower cabinets. One step opening and getting what you want VS open cab all the way to then pull a pullout to find what you want.

Agreeing with the others. I have all drawers in my base cabinets except under the sink, the trash pullout, and the mixer lift. They are awesome.

Plus, I have all full extension glides and soft close on all drawers and cabinets. Love it. Absolutely worth it.

-double waste basket pull out
-tray dividers (mines over ref. w/ 6 slots...still NOT ENOUGH!)
-wooden silverware divider
-pot & pan deep drawers
-full extension drawers
-soft close doors
-ref. end panels (for built in look)

Thanks for the suggestions - you've given me more to consider! I knew drawers were popular here, and I think that will be the majority of our base cabinets. I'll look into the full extension and soft close features (I feel like I've already discussed this with my GC, but it is all a blur at this point.)

headspinning - (love your name!) I know it is an odd approach. Basically, you buy a "grade" of cabinet, floor, and countertop and the GC calculates a price. If you order the highest grade that's your final price. Whatever you need/order after that is included. So cabinet extras, cabinet glazes, highest grade of granite, wider plank of wood floor... all included. Now, I can only assume his price is padded to anticipate the fact you will be getting all these options (so here I am trying to make sure I get my money's worth!) This GC has been in business for almost 30 yrs and is huge in this area, so I guess he's found an approach and a pricing model that works.

Interesting discussion & very useful. I redid my kitchen 20 years ago & am now in the process again - hopefully wiser. Here are my thoughts.

Things I got last time that I really like

sink tilt-out tray
tray dividers over fridge - I'm short, so it makes this high space more usable. Use it to store cookie sheets, cutting boards, muffin tins and trays
large drawers for pots and pans - as everyone seems to agree, these are much more convenient than standard shelves

Things I got last time that I wish I hadn't

spice rack inside cabinet door - I have a small kitchen, so this seemed like a great space saver. However, the weight of the rack and spices meant the latches on that door were always breaking. I finally removed the door & left the cabinet as open shelves.
Pullout cutting board - the problem is that you couldn't cut on it by pulling it out partway, it had to be completely removed from its slot. Then it had to be carefully replaced after cleaning. Just too much trouble.

What I'm getting this time

sink tilt-out tray
tray dividers over fridge
even more drawers for pots and pans
pull out containers for trash & recycle
different kind of lazy susan in the corner - have one now, which is useful, but stuff falls off the turntable and is lost in the back. This supposedly doesn't have that problem. We'll see.

Anyway, good luck with your choices.

If you get a mixer lift (which is the ONLY specialty cabinet I really wanted), make sure your mixer fits before you order it. I have a large KitchenAid which won't fit in a base cabinet that has a drawer on top. You need to have a dedicated mixer base for a large mixer. -- That said, it's wonderful thing to not have to surrender counter space to a mixer nor have to lug it out for every use.

Oh, if you do have cabinets that house electrical items (i.e. a broom closet, mixer lift, microwave shelf), make sure an outlet gets installed in them.

If you have inside corner cupboards, you NEED some sort of interior fitting so that you can access those deep, dark recesses (I used to send my daughter into those chasms to fetch stuff, but somehow, she grew up and is now as big as I am!)

I like the vertical storage for trays, etc above my fridge.

Full extension drawers and soft-close (we call them "anger management" features in my house).

I took a pass on the trash pull-outs, opting for a small rack inside my sink cab that uses grocery/shopping bags. The last thing I want to store in my beautiful new kitchen is garbage.

My Mom did:

tray dividers over fridge (just across from the stove - KD rec)

2 spice drawer inserts (both by large prep area for now)

2 utility trays (one by oven, one by large prep area)

door mounted two bin recycle pull-out

pull-out shelves in the pantry (too short so when I'm house sitting over X-mas I will build them up with old plexi from de-framed art at work and L brackets)

self closing drawers were standard but she didn't spring for full extension - a lot of inserts are built for standard drawers anyway

didn't do sink tilt out as we warned off of it by a local custom shop who said they don't recommend it - something about hinge fatigue - they suggested just mounting the plastic trays on the inside of the sink base doors

No decisions for under the sink, we will wait until the plumbing is run to see how much space she will have

old school type pull out breadboard

Sink tip-outs. Retro-fitted them at my last house & loved them. So handy for stashing the SOS pad, scrubber, old toothbrush for cleaning, rings.

Spice cabinet fitted into wall between studs if you can find a place for it. I've had these in two houses & they're great.

Tool Drawer (built extra sturdy)

Charging station cabinet/ drawer

I think I want the under cabinet trash/recycling pull outs, and ideally they'd be under the sink. I really don't want to loose space in the island for trash. At the same time I want a deep sink. I'm flexible on the shape and # of sink(s) (1, 1, 1.5 etc.) but there needs to be room for the disposal too. Now I see the problem.

I'm assuming this is a common question base cabinets are a standard height. How deep a sink (and size/shape if that's a consideration) can I have and still fit the trash/recycling under there?

I've got the a 10" deep sink, undermounted, and the ISE Evolution Cover Control (batch feed) disposal. It fits, and there is about 6" between the bottom of the GD and the bottom of the cabinet. Hope this helps!

I'm afraid it does. It looks like my trash/recycling pull out needs to go in my island. Oh well, better to know now I guess.

tsherman, I bet you'll love not having your trash under the sink. One of the things I'm really looking forward to in my remodel is having a trash pullout next to the sink so other people can get to it without having to nudge me out of the way when I'm at the sink.

All (or most) pots and pans drawers . . . had them in the last kitchen and wouldn't consider anything else for this one!! Full extension drawers . . . ditto. I liked my super susan, hope to like my appliance garage in the corner of this kitchen. I plan on loving the trash pullout -- after years of an open waste basket. Light rail -- didn't know they existed before doing the last kitchen; what a nice finishing touch!

I had a couple extra shelves because of changing out a glass fronted cupboard with glass shelves . . . I used them to customize my mug cupboard so that the mugs were all on shelves, not stacked. Loved it!