Oh, KYgirl--Big hugs coming from me, too. I haven't been on his forum in a while because I've been dealing with our own build from He$$, and I didn't read all the responses in this thread, but I did read your original post. We've just gone through something very, very similar--different problems, but similar in scope, jerk of a builder, almost no on-site supervision, several horrible subs, lots of stress and tears. It has been horrible. We ended up moving into our house ten days ago while it was still unfinished because of having to be out of our rental, reaching our bank deadline for closing, etc. I just wrote you a long post, but realized that it ended up being about me, not you--and this is your thread! So, I guess I just want to say that I sympathize with you, and I think I understand a lot of what you must be feeling. It's a good day if I haven't cried more than once before 9 a.m.! This has been the most stressful, unpleasant experience of our lives. Friends will say, "Oh, you must be so excited to be in your house," and I feel like a spoiled brat if I don't respond positively. It has been a nightmare. There's still lots to be done here, dh and I are doing and/or redoing stuff that we've already paid contractors to do, but they either did a crappy job or haven't been showing up. It just sucks. As badly as I feel for you, reading your post at least made me feel as though I'm not the only one who has gone through this and I thought you might want to know you're not alone. The old misery loves company routine, I guess! Take care of yourself, and try not to let it get you down--I know how hard it is, but if we don't look at the positive side, we'll go completely crazy. Although, at least you could then plead insanity when you're charged with killing Mr. Peanut!

They have announced closing of many message boards...and some say that they all are closing, and that some boards just didn't have the notice displayed. Personally, I think they're gone.

Thanks all! This is next to a fridge panel, so sizing won't be noticeable at all. I wouldn't want to remake the whole cabinet, though---partly because we REALLY want to be done, and partly because it would require changing the sizes of the lower drawers and drawer fronts and reordering all of that; that cost would be on us, since he's proposed a reasonable solution (and is also giving us a great price on these to begin with). And we're trying to get this thing done on a budget, so not something I would spend money to change! We did have shop drawings of all of the cabinets, but the cutting board wasn't one of the things the program knows how to draw so it was just noted on the side rather than drawn out in its entirety---hence the confusion. The boards are cherry and the ends are finished to match the butcher block that will eventually be on this cabinet. No seating nearby and this is along a pathway, so probably won't get too much eye time. This counter run is next to our fridge, so it's a combination baking-fridge landing zone. There will be upper cabinets above it. We're planning for one drawer to be a "junk" drawer and the other to have small baking tools (candy thermometers, measuring spoons, etc.) in it. This is actually modeled after a baking cabinet in our old kitchen that was too big to reuse. @fori, not sure if ours is the eclectic half new half old kitchen you're thinking of, but that is roughly the look we're going for, so if it ends up there that's good news! ;) Right now our biggest threat is turning into an Easter pastel zone since our gray cabinets are several shades too light now that they're up against everything else....d'oh! Our old cutting boards were the same breadboard inserts, so not too worried about that---I actually found them very sturdy (maybe more so than the modern hardware for them!) That's also what we asked him to do (no hardware like Theresse was talking about), so that's completely fine. I could ask about taking the space from the middle drawer and trying to move that rail down, but I have a feeling that's a much bigger undertaking---the rails are attached to the frame in some sort of involved way (I know nothing about cabinetry so I can't say how and maybe it's not as complicated as it looks, but I expected screws and nails like our old cabinets, and it looks more involved than that). And the guy in the picture probably is nervous, since this was right after three other cabinets all got packed up to go back to the shop to have dimensions adjusted (happily those were all clearly their errors so those were easier!) I should also add, lest it seem like our cabinetmaker is not paying attention at all, that we are extremely pleased with the overall quality of the cabinetry---the problems have all been measurement snafus. I was really nervous about using him because his price was half of what our other quotes were, but after yesterday I am feeling 100% confident in the workmanship, and he is cheerfully making all the requested changes, so on balance I'd definitely still use him again. Just these details to sort out....ack! :)

I can't believe no one has mentioned "Doggie"!!He wasn't around long I think Spike banned him over something...I just remember when his wife came in and posted that he had passed away suddenly...He wrote the most incredible poem...I'll share it with ya... "Doctor Time" When we lose a loved one and we're in despair Doctor Time is already there He's treating us all, we're unaware When our loved one is gone and on their way Doctor Time helps us move on day to day He treats the anger, grief and sorrow with a medicine he calls "Tomorrow" As the days, weeks and months go by we just look back and wonder why Such a beautiful person had to die But deep inside we feel okay We have lived to see another day He's calmed the anger, grief and sorrow, we took the medicine he calls "Tomorrow" Doctor Time has one thing to say Time heals all wounds day by day I remember he posted this poem to someone's post who had lost a loved one and he died shortly thereafter...