Bank? Yo, I'm an electrician, not a banker...OK, I'll stop.

In it's infinite wisdom, the NEC simply requires that your kitchen must have two 20-amp small-appliance circuits, period. Commonly known as counter-top receptacle circuits, these may be shared ONLY with a pantry and a dining room. Want a fridge in your kitchen? How 'bout a MW, GD, merry-go-round or home theatre? Knock yourself out, but all of these, and anything else your heart desires, will require other circuitry.

I design new kitchens with six, 20-amp circuits: 2 SA, and one ea for Fridge, GD, DW, and MW/Hood. For lighting I use a shared, general lighting circuit.

Now then, the local inspector here allows me to power under-cab lighting off the SA circuits, and that's his call. Dunno how your building dept feels about it, and you should inquire.

That said, I like 3-way, switched under-cab lts, switches two-ganged with overhead lt-sws at ea entrance. Cost? Lookin' at bare studs with everything else already done, the additional wiring cost is not much, comparatively speaking. Fixture cost can vary a great deal, but up to you.

I appreciate your response. However, most of what you said is greek to me - did I mention I don't know anything about electrical stuff? What is the difference between a small appliance circuit and a 20-amp? Or are they the same? Is it okay to have outlets inside a cupboard - I assume this is what they do for microwaves. Is $450 per section of wiring for under-cab lighting reasonable?

I obviously need to corner my contractor and drill him! Thanks for taking the time to respond, though!

While putting the fridge on it's own circuit is a good idea, it is not required by the NEC. Maybe you are in Canada?

A little history and explanation may help. Older houses typically had one circuit for kitchen countertop appliances and it wasn't uncommon for that circuit to feed other things as well, such as nearby lighting.

When folks started added toaster ovens, cuisinarts, electric coffee makers (which draw a lot of power!), large microwaves, blenders, bread makers, eight-slice toasters, bun warmers and a myriad of other small appliances, fuses started blowing and breakers started tripping right and left so the code (NEC) was changed to require two 20-amp circuits for kitchen countertops. Heck, some kitchens these days have darn near the power requirements of small factories. :-)

To keep these circuits available for all this equipment, the code also restricted using them for other purposes (limited purpose sharing with recepacles in pantry and dining room being the exception).

That's the general rule and I think what LoneSparky's saying is that his local inspector will allow for a little bit of latitude (like a bit of under-cab lighting) but, sigh, that's really not code--it's more a matter of some common-sense give-and-take that you shouldn't presume. (Slap me upside, 'Sparky, if I'm out of school here.)

The bottom line is that you're better off and safer (code-wise) to draw the power for under-cab lighting from some other circuit, preferably the lighting circuit.

Whether $450 per bank is outrageous or not is hard to say. Does this include cost of the fixtures and, if so, how expensive are they? Also, what other electrical work will be done.

Not long ago, I had the water pump replaced in my car and I told the mechanic to replace the fan belt while he was at it. I got the bill and saw that I'd been charged the so-called "Chilton Book" labor amount for changing a water pump plus the book amount for replacing a fan belt. (Note that a mechanic changing a water pump has to take the fan belt off and put it back on even if it's not being replaced.)

This is a classic case of getting ripped off by fixed per-task fixed pricing and they backed off the fan belt labor after I protested. But it's a good case on point to consider.

If that's the way the home center is pricing everything--so much for the labor of wiring a bank of under-cab, whether or not the sparky is doing other wiring as well--it is entirely possible that you're getting hosed if you're getting several electrical tasks done. If so, you may do better by laying out the whole set of requirements and getting a combined estimate for the electrical/installation work.

Thanks for the explanation, Tom! The cost does include fixtures, but I am also having other electrical work done, especially on one wall where they are adding and relocating outlets and will be in there already - I pointed that out to my kitchen guy and he said he'd have to check with the contractor. My life would be easier if I didn't have to go thru the 'designer' to get the answers from the contractor!

Your fan belt example was very good!

Thank you!

OK, the discussion here has me concerned that the wiring I've done for our kitchen/dining room/family room remodel is not up to the letter of the code.

The house is 1984 vintage and originally had two 20A SA circuits that supplied power to receptacles in what I would losely call the "kitchen eating area," the kitchen itself, and a couple of outlets in the dining room.

Both of these SA circuits start with receptacles that aren't really used for small appliances... they are about 16" off the floor and may or may not be in the kitchen per se since they are really at the transition from the kitchen to the family room.

From there they daisy-chained their way around one side of the kitchen on one circuit, and the eating area, dining room and other side of the kitchen on the other circuit.

As of now, I have them wired about the same way except I've added additional receptacles in the dining room and kitchen, with a couple behind appliance garages.

If the location of the 1st receptacles on each circuit can still be defined as being "in the kithcen" I think this should still meet code.

However... the following sounds like it is not OK and I guess I'll need to modify the design... the 1st receptacle on one circuit is a GFCI, and from there it immediately connects to an OUTSIDE receptacle with cover plate, which then feeds all the protected kitchen receptacles.

I've done the same in the dining room... the receptacle in the chain that feeds the kitchen is a GFCI, and it also connects to an OUTSIDE receptacle 1st.

Sounds like I need to get those outside receptacles off these SA circuits and onto their own circuit. Previously there was only one outside receptacle and it was on the same circuit as the protected bath receptacles that are fed from a GFCI in the garage.

Also, regarding dedicated circuits, Wolf says the gas rangetop should have it's own dedicated circuit. That seems like massive overkill to me for a simple ignitor.

Could I power the rangetop ignitors from the cabinet lighting circuit in the dining room, or should I just run yet another home run.

FWIW, I have the refrigerator, microwave, range hood and dishwasher on their own 20A circuits. The garbage disposal has its own 15A circuit.

Thanks for any advice... looks like I have some rewiring to do before the insulation goes in...

The 'small appliance branch circuits' are the ones supplying the kitchen counters.
There are a very limited number of other things that are allowed on them.

You are not usually obliged to upgrade to the most recent code in effect although local rules CAN require upgrades (and GFCI counter receptacle protection is often required).

If the manufacturer "recommends" a separate circuit for the stove you can share, if the "requires" a separate circuit you must comply (the NEC requires you to follow the manufacturer's installation instructions).

lonesparkey there is more to it than that. the outlets must be no more than 4' apart from each other (not more than 2' from any point on the wall). They must also be gfci protected. if there is anymore than that I am unaware of it.