sidpost, did you make up your mind? We got our 30-inch Capital Culinarian manual clean a couple weeks ago and it's awesome. We also live in a condo without a properly vented hood but we got a recirculating hood and pointed the vent "toward" the window -- it's better than nothing, and it's certainly better than the under-the-microwave hood we used to have. To answer some of your questions: "The new model has 3x23k burners and 1x8k burner" - correct, but that 8k burner still boils water really quickly. We haven't tried to simmer on it yet. -"The new model has stainless center grate, while the old model has cast iron center grates" Not sure about this: ours arrived with the old cast iron grates which we were relieved about. -"The new model comes standard with no vertical back trim piece/vent." Not true: ours came with a 4-inch vertical back trim which we installed and it takes up no depth whatsoever. -"They removed the glass cover on the broiler (the distributer told me this makes more space in the oven)" Apparently this is true, but the broiler on the manual clean is gas and has some kind of diffuser plate that makes the cooking very even. -"The igniter seems to be mounted differently -- apparently this is true, too -- it's tucked on the inside rim of the burner rather than outside." Also, you didn't ask but you can get these stoves in any RAL color for an upcharge. We got a dark green.

How far out is your remodel? I ask because Restore Habitat for Humanity store would probably rather have you cabinets donated unpainted, then painted - so if you are just a few years away, see if you can live with them stained. You really don't need your kitchen to look like a particular year. You need it to be functional and to suit your own taste - which marketers are attempting to influence. First, least expensive change - turn off HGTV. It is designed to make you hate your kitchen (maybe even you whole house) so you will go out and buy new stuff. It is also designed to feel like you must have trendy kitchen - which will also be outdated in 10 years and then you can buy more new stuff. Remove the wooden valence over the sink and paint the window trim white. Look into changing lighting - google "replace fluorescent light fixture". Chose paint colors that work for the room. Cool grays and warm tone woods do not mix - neither brings out the best in the other. You want a kitchen that looks clean, bright and functions well, not one that is trying to be something it is not. If you think you are more than 10 years out, consider new countertops, backsplash and sink. I did this and added a farmhouse sink in a similar kitchen for abut $5000 - I DIY the backsplash, so saved some $ there. (Pics are in my "my pics" idea book - no attempt was made to "update", only to refresh.) When you do remodel, or even before if it breaks down, consider removing the over the range microwave and put in a nice stainless vent. If you can live without the storage and tackle some ceiling repair, remove the cabinets and soffit over the peninsula. There are some online tutorials. You could look into buying some unfinished doors and staining to match or painting to match to replace the arched doors. A local cabinet maker can help you if the available unfinished doors are not the right size. You can also remove upper cabinets and replace with shelves - but you have to be comfortable living with that look and the work involved in keeping it clean.

thatsmuchbetter: Although I also suspected that it wasn't reasonably bid, at this point your $1,000 tile job theory isn't holding up. You have an entire agenda to push and you don't care if it matches up with the facts of this case or not. For the most part we have to take the information that we get here at face value. Sure there are a lot of questions about how this job could go so wrong. If the facts are as presented - then a contractor took advantage of a consumer who didn't have a lot of sophistication about managing a job like this. To Elisia Ellis: You need to understand that if things are as you presented them, the cost of the work was probably significantly out of line for what you needed to be done even if it was done right ( I don't have all the details, so I'm hedging here). The work that was done was grossly incompetent at any price. That this could have gone so badly makes me think that you need some trusted help to resolve the problem with the current contractor and repair your bathroom. This should be a family member or trusted friend who can guide you on legal action, as well as helping you to make decisions with correcting the bathroom. It's not really likely for this to happen as you described unless a contractor was taking advantage of a homeowner without the sophistication and experience to manage such a project. You don't need to be shamed or feel ashamed -- but I think recovering your money and repairing your bathroom is going to be more complex than even the original job - and it's not something that you should go at alone. Get some assistance from someone who can help you to think through this (again, a family member or trusted friend who has business skills -- not a paid person). You will probably need legal assistance and such, but before you go there, you will probably need a trusted advocate who can commit to helping you sort through this.

I suppose I should have been more specific in my original post. I am really only looking to have structural changes made and doing the rest myself. Drywall/Paint/Trim- l will be redoing those rooms myself after the structural work is done so I'm not concerned with this. Door- Pennsylvania cold climate, but no hurricanes. The door I can shop for separately apart from the skilled labor. Exterior- Brick. There will be a lot of extra brick as the window being replaced by French doors is a standard size double-hung window. Flooring- Hardwood in one room and not sure about the other, but I'm not concerned with it matching as down the road I will be installing LVP throughout (I have dogs and would like to preserve the wood floors currently protected by carpet). Openings- Both will require a header. Not sure about additional piers, but I have one in the basement already. HVAC- 2 wall vents will need to be combined into one floor vent. Electrical- 2 outlets will need to be removed from the walls being removed, but I plan to bundle this into other unrelated work I need done. I had a structural engineer inspect the house before I bought it and he said opening those walls wouldn't be a problem, but didn't say much about pricing.