They're selling snake oil. There are so manys thing wrong with this proposal. First off, why do you feel you're not getting enough airflow? Is the room they used for their demo hard to heat or cool? If the existing 370 cfm is enough to keep that room comfortable, then there is no reason to pay money to increase the airflow. "More" is not always better. Your air handling system was designed to move air as an enclosed system. OF COURSE it's gonna move more air if you rig it to operate with the fan cover door opened. But again, more is not always better. I'll bet you could stand in that back room and *hear* the air rushing and whistling out of that vent after they took the blower door off. Your system should be set up to move the required amount of air as quietly as possible. You're also risking damage to the blower by making such a drastic change to the static pressure. The fan is designed to work against some amount of resistance. Lessen or remove that resistance and you could burn your fan motor out. A return in the basement is going to bring extra humidty and musty odors into your home. The air conditioning unit would have to work harder to remove the extra humidity. It could actually cost *more* money to operate. And if the unit was not capable of removing the extra humidity, you end up with damp air in your living quarters. This results in a cold, clammy feel that makes you feel uncomfortable. If you have some rooms that are hard to heat or cool, have a reputable HVAC company *calculate* how much air needs to go to each room. It's not a guessing game, and more is not always better. I noticed that you called the original installers and they blew you off. Forget them, they don't sound very professional. Try asking some of your neighbors for referrals, or check something like "craig's list". There has to be a reputable company in your area.

Your GC doesn't know?! Make him call/visit the permitting authority and ask. Give him the DW model and a copy of the install sheet (I think that's where Miele puts the info) explaining why how the Miele works negates the need for an air gap. Make him earn his money by finding this out for you since he should know. If he won't do it, go in yourself armed with the info. Write down what was told to you and by whom along with the date you visited. That way when inspection is done, you have back-up if inspector questions it. Sorry....I GC'd my whole house reno so I feel the homeowner is entitled to know the laws. Side note: My municipality supposedly enforces the make-up air requirement, like most states do, for range hoods over 400cfm. I put in a 600cfm beauty and no one along the inspection path ever asked me about it at all, other than to admire it. I was a bit worried, but it turned out fine. I was really quite shocked at how little the final inspector looked around and enforced code. My island outlets weren't to code, but the inspector never once looked at them. It was a cursory 5 minute glance through my house, and he was gone. Long story short--your inspector might not even care about the air gap.

HELLLOOOOOOO EVERYONE! I am so excited to come back and post UPDATES! This was a thrilling, wonderful experience. (Well, doing dishes in my disgusting laundry tub was perhaps not THRILLING, but it's over now, and it truly was thrilling watching all of this take shape over the course of six weeks!) So, here are the afters. I'm too tired for details right now and have friends coming over imminently, so ask if there's anything you want to know that I haven't already posted here or in another thread. I am so grateful to everyone here for all of your wisdom. There are many things I did that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't found this forum!! My yearned-for coffee area, all plates, mugs, glasses are located on this little area.

Thanks for the advice and support everyone. I've managed to make a few soups (4 different ones - butternut squash, pumpkin, roasted corn & potato, and a turkey rice...I expect that we'll have a lot of soup) that I've frozen and some stuffed peppers that can reheat in the microwave without being much worse for the wear. We have a sort-of kitchen down in our basement - an old fridge, the old range is getting hooked up down there (it'll be used for canning next year and if I need a 2nd oven for anything in the future), we have the laundry sink that i can sort of wash dishes in...the only issue is that we will need to travel through the work zone to get to the basement. Not ideal, but acceptable. We will have our regular fridge in the living room along with a portable island that was in the old kitchen - it has the microwave, an old coffee pot (that I use for tea!) and simple things that we'll need for eating (a few plates, glasses, flatware, napkins, paper towels (I expect that I'll use more paper towels during this remodel than I have in the past 5 years!) We officially got started today. We are in the thick of demolition of the kitchen - cabinets and the rest of what made it look like a kitchen is being removed today. Tomorrow, we are supposed to be getting rid of the old ceiling and wall that is between the kitchen and dining room. Hooray...we are FINALLY started! :)