The tile needs to go under the non built in features in the kitchen. That means the refrigerator, range, and dishwasher. Tiling when cabinets are already in place will create one of two problems with your dishwasher. If you do not tile under the DW, then you will have trapped it in place, and the only time it can be removed is when your cabinets are removed. Placing tile under the DW (which is the proper route to go) will create height adjustability issues with your average DW. Most can not adjust their legs short enough to go under the counter after you add in the underlayment and tile. If you are tiling on concrete, then it may be possible for the DW to adjust to a short enough height to be able to still fit under the counter with the added tile height.

Look at your DW's owner's manual. If you cannot find it in your records, it's probably online. It should tell you how much wiggle room there is in it's height. Your tile professional should be able to examine your floor and tell you what height your final floor will be after whatever prep will be needed. Do the math. It's not the end of the world if you have to replace your DW with a short clearance model, and that will allow you to proceed with installing your tile no matter what the math tells you.

Have you been to any actual kitchen design firms, or merely visited big box stores? You need to widen your scope for cabinet estimates. And find your own General Contractor for all of the work you want done rather than relying on any contractors associated with box stores. Go ahead and schedule your electrician to change out your kitchen light. Ask him for referrals to any General Contractors he would work with again. Ask if he's been part of any kitchen redos and if he has any recommendations there. Same with your tile contractor. Once you find a good tile contractor, they usually know other good contractors in the different professions.

What she said. I have that problem. The dishwasher is boxed in. I would like a new dishwasher, but I will have to demo the tile floor, or remove the countertop.

Hollysprings & clg7067, thank you for letting me know about problems with the dishwasher. Now I wish I chose the Bosch for the smaller footprint since the KitchenAid top of the line one with the vent at the top and hidden controls barely fits as it is with some sticking out. There are legs under it and I am o a concrete floor so I wonder if it can be lowered but it is a very tight fit. If I would have knows the dishwasher would stick out a little bit, I would have went with the Bosch top of the line since I love the drawer on top or the Miele.

I definitely want the lights changed now and I wonder what I am going to do since I have not place to put the tile and I want my pretty kitchen chairs back in the kitchen. The tile is in boxes under the table. If only we could go under the dishwasher since I am keeping the same exact layout and I like all my appliances.

Hi Lynn

Wish I could be of more help to you. All I can tell you is that my husband calculated the dimensions very carefully before installing the tile floor and then installing the dishwasher. We have concrete under our dw. The tile goes under the dw just slightly. I don't know whether or not the dw front feet actually rest on the tile or not. I think there's some sort of panel or plate that covers the bottom of the dw (where it meets the floor). I remember that it was a very tight fit to get the dw into the space.

Laurie_2008, thanks for letting me know that your husband put the tile just slightly under the dishwasher.

I have a new quote from a tile installer that asked his plumber what to do and in his quote, his plumber would come to disconnect and reinstall the dishwasher and amazingly there are wheels and legs under my dishwasher that I did not realize were adjustable and they are right now at the tighest level giving 1/2" of room for the wheels and 5/8th of room without the wheels so the tile installer seems to feel, he will be able to tile under the dishwasher. I just hope the wheels are not removed. I am waiting for my final quote and then I will decide but so far this new tile installer is winning.

This news about your dw wheels/legs sounds encouraging! I will keep positive thoughts for you and hope the tile installer does a really great job for you.

I wish we had spent more money and had updated lighting (recessed/can lighting)put in. We kept our old 1980's fluorescent lighting : ( Oh well...maybe someday we can do that improvement.

I am very happy for you and you have been making a lot of progress on your home. Keep us posted as you continue with your projects!

Laurie

Laurie, I have that very old 21 year old blinking and humming on its last legs fluorescent light in the kitchen ceiling. Your light is not so bad looking as my light. My tiles looking so different in my light than the home I fell in love with the tiles on the floor is what made me realize how bad the lighting was in my kitchen.

If I am not going to invest right now in new cabinets, then I want something for all this effort I put in and instead of undercabinet lighting and instead of installing the small fixture that is not big enough to light up the kitchen (will install in my dining room that only has 60 watts right now since 300 watts in a 15" fixture will look nice there), I am investing in recessing lighting and installing the tiles. I will revisit the kitchen after my busy season.

But thank you Laurie for being happy for me. This does sound encouraging and I hope tiling under the dishwasher will help me if I ever replace the cabinets to maybe not tile under them and leave everything the way it is.

For now, I may try to paint the cabinets (after removing the tarnished hinges) and if I like the way it turns out, I will add hardware to the doors and change the counters. If I don't like the way it turns out, I will save for cabinets with at least the lighting and floor out of the way.

The new guy tonight kept pushing me to get new cabinets and wait several months when he is less busy and felt he could not go under the dishwasher. So far the other installer is winning and has the 2nd best price with the only one bringing a plumber into the picture to making sure the dishwasher is done properly.

Your post means so much to me since you and your handy husband are on budgets also and just reminding me that I have been making a lot of progress is making me realize I have and must be patient. My home is so much better looking and functionable before I joined GardenWeb near the end of the 2006 year. Then I had stark white walls with matching white trim, almond appliances, damaged blinds in the rooms (all new window treatments are in my home now), old dirty beige carpets downstairs, and did not have the nice tile I have in my two small foyer areas (tiny area upon entering my home and in between the garage, utility room, bathroom and coat closet tiny hallway that sits between the living room and dining room that I made into my home office). I love my new engineered hardwood floors, love my blinds, love my appliances, love the new efficient central air conditioner/heater/compressor unit, love the new washer and dryer that I bought around 6 years ago now, etc. I just wish I could do more at once.

Sometimes, it's nice to appreciate getting/improving things a little at a time. You seem like a hard worker and the type of person who spends wisely.
I hope you and your cute little dogs stay warm and happy in your well loved home : )