I put plywood under mine. It's much cheaper and since you can't see it anyway, why waste expensive hardwood?

Hi, Kitchenredo2. You're kidding, right? Yes, to what Ccoombs said, but since time's the issue of the moment, tell yourself you can handle a little more delay, your kids to behave, and get the job done the way you want it. A week is nothing. Best wishes and looking forward to pictures. :)

I'd go ahead and put in the hardwood. I recently tore out a wall, and my house has beautiful old pine in the kitchen - with a big missing spot where the wall was. I can't tell you what a PAIN it is trying to save the old wood and figure out something for that one spot. I'd have been ruined if the wood floor had been missing under the cabinets too!

I'd go w/ hardwood under the cabinets if possible.

Why does it take an extra week? Is this flooring difficult to get?

ccoombs1 -- You would think, but the estimate was the same whether I put them under the cabinets or not (which does not seem to make sense to me...)

rosie -- I think I'm going a bit nuts b/c this last week was Spring Break and I had my first grader home with my toddler. The toddler has amazing timing and decided she didn't want to wear diapers anymore and wants to use the potty. Under normal circumstances this would thrill me to no end, however the only working bathroom is in the basement and the bedrooms are upstairs. I also have had renovation errands I have to do and she will only wear underwear during the day. Luckily we haven't had any accidents while we were out -- only when we were upstairs looking at the flooring in the living room (I seem to have a few brain cells left and had her in a stroller, though it would have been interesting to see what the construction crew would have done if she peed on the floor). You are right, it is only a week.....

melanie1422 -- What happened to you is what I worry about. And the way my luck is, if I worry that if I don't put the hardwood under the cabinets I will regret it.

jax1723 -- That's what my gut is telling me

idrive65 -- Currently the contractor has the flooring guys scheduled to come on Friday. This has been a bit of an issue - all the quotes we were getting were more than the allowance in the contract. I have found 2 other flooring sources who will be coming on Monday and Tuesday to give me an estimate. I am way over budget due to structural issues we didn't know about until walls, ceilings, floors and a porch were removed. I am hoping the two new flooring estimates come in lower so I can reallocate the flooring funds to other items in the project and that they can do the floors earlier in the week.

In your position I think that could be one long week to accomodate a contingency that will probably never come. By the time your ready to tackle another kitchen reno what makes you think you are going to want to keep that flooring? That ply will probably be the perfect excuse to get something new (assuming your even in this particular house - if not the next owner will probably be thrilled to have the perfect excuse to change it out when s\he renovates).

We put the hardwood under the cabinets-- if the cost is the same I would go with hardwood.

My DH is lobbying hard for the plywood.

caryscott -- you make a good point about the issue never coming up. And it would be a great excuse to get a new floor!

When the flooring guy comes tomorrow for the estimate I will ask about a cost savings if I don't put the hardwood under the cabinets.

Thanks so much!

One week isn't that long. Doesn't it seem like just yesterday your toddler was a baby?
I would wait it out and have the hardwood under the cabinets. Follow your gut.

Since I am a mere TWO ROWS away from reaching under the cabinet space with my hardwood install this is a timely question! We opted to 'go all the way' with it, just in case we ever changed cabs, removed the toe kicks, whatever. Since we are putting it in ourselves the thought of two more rows and slapping down some plywood is very tempting, but we're sticking to our guns. I think it will be worth it in the end.

Have them put the plywood and order enough extra hardwood (to be delivered later, so no delay) that you could put it under the cabinets if you ever need to do so.

I don't know if this will help or matter but a couple of weeks ago, while talking to a designer about this same topic she told us that in the higher end homes, she always includes the flooring under the cabinets, but in the lower end homes she doesn't because it can save a few bucks for someone who is on a more conservative budget. Personally if I had my druthers I'd prefer the floor to be everywhere, including under the cabinets, especially wood floors because of if they're like ours (3/4 inch planks) they'll most certainly out live the cabinets.

I just had another flooring guy out to look at the space. He said he always suggests putting the hardwood all the way under the cabinets. His reasoning - if there is ever a leak and the hardwood extends to under the cabinets and appliances, the water will make its way toward the front of the cabinets/applinces and you will notice the water. The plywood, on the other hand, would absorb the water and you wouldn't necessarily know that there is a leak. He says he also suggests that you tile under the cabinets and appliances as well.

Tomorrow is the next flooring estimate - I will be interested to see what he ways about the hardwood under the cabinets/appliances...

I had enough bad run ins with flooring sales people to know that mostly they want to sell you as much flooring as they can not look out for your health and welfare. Not sure what to make of the designer's comment - how does a prospecitve buyer know there is plywood under the cabinets? If they can't tell then what possible impact could it have on the determination of your home as high end or low end? Some folks in this industry can really shovel it. LOL.

Unless it's going to really impact your budget and take away from something else you really want, I think your instinct to run the hardwood under the cabinets is a good one.

I don't anticipate remodelling my kitchen again. Ever. I expect to be adjusting if I need to replace an appliance or something, but this is the big bang redo. Still, where I'm putting in a water line and drain for my steam oven, I'm getting a hot water line too. It just seems dumb to me to dig a trench for the pipes and not do the whole thing. I can just imagine somewhere down then road the discussion of "well there's water here" -- "no, not hot". Can't imagine why, but it doesn't cost so much to put in the unused extra.

We ran our tile all the way under everything b/c we had already experienced two DW leaks in the 13 years we've lived here; the water wasn't just under the DW, it also ran under the sink cabinet and the lazy susan on either side of it. We decided that tile would

* minimize any water damage to the floor,
* minimize leakage to the basement ceiling (kitchen is over the finished section of the basement),
* let water run out from under the DW & other cabs w/o being absorbed so we'll see it (like it did on the vinyl),
* no worries about making sure the floor under the cabinets is the same height as the rest of the floor, and
* if we ever change the layout we don't have to worry about matching flooring later.

Now that I've lived w/our new kitchen for many months, I doubt that last will ever happen as our layout works great.

But, tile is different than wood as regards to water damage. I suspect that if we had a wood floor we would hav done the same, but I don't know for certain.

Listen to those here w/wood floors...they're the "voice of experience" and aren't trying to sell you more hardwood (sales) or minimize their work (GC).

whatever Caryscott, I knew you'd have something r*de to say, it really gets old reading some of your responses to peoples input.