bdpeck-charlotte: Do you have any photos, an online album or anything? Everything you've listed describes the home we built ourselves about 5 yrs ago! Unfortunately, we are about to rebuild, thanks to a particularly nasty tornado that came through southern Oklahoma in Feb 09. We aren't straying too far from many of our original choices (why fix if it wasn't broke?), but are looking to improve upon any areas we wished we'd done a bit differently. Main diff this time around: one-story instead of two. Bigger pad, more dirt-work, but the older we get the more attractive a single-story home becomes. If you'd rather than share any photos for any reason, no worries. I'd just love to see what sounds like an absolutely gorgeous home. BTW, I completely agree w/your TRUE description of "custom" as it applies to home-building. The GC situation in our area is similar to yours, but we found a builder who understands our standards, realizes I'm a person with VERY strong opinions, and was open to the fact that I refuse to build without two specific men who kept me sane the first time. It almost trivializes their contribution to our first home to call them "subs", not to mention the trusting relationships that developed during the previous build, but I knew I couldn't rebuild without my painter and my carpenter. Any builder who wasn't willing to work w/them (for whatever reason - had their own guys, so on) wasn't going to be the right builder for us.

With face framed cabinets you lose approx 1-1/2" in the cabinet opening...leaving you with a 4-1/2" opening in a 6" cabinet. But, there's a way you can get all 6" of the opening even in face framed cabinets...use what's known as a "filler pullout". These are pullouts that are installed by attaching them to the walls of the cabinets on either side. I.e., it's not a 6" cabinet, it's a 6" opening b/w two cabinets w/a pullout installed in the space. This is a great way to utilize every inch, especially for those narrow places. They're available for a space as narrow as 3" (like those pesky 3" fillers you need here & there...you might be able to install these in some of them!) I have two 6" ones in my kitchen...flanking my cooktop. One thing, though, get the one w/adjustable shelves. That's what I thought I was getting, but it didn't turn out that way. There are also some w/open tops...a big plus as well. Here's s thread from about 18 months ago about this subject: Thread: Rev-A-Shelf Spice Racks for Fillers -- Have you seen these!!!! http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1020292023561.html Also, see the link below for Rev-A-Shelf's base filler pullouts (they also have wall/upper cabinet pullouts, btw). Oh, and you can get them much cheaper elsewhere! (Try OvisOnline, KitchenSource, TheHardwareHut, CabinetParts, etc.) And, of course, the pictures! Here is a link that might be useful: Rev-A-Shelf Base Filler Pullouts

Thanks munkel. I will add them too. My builder has some people he'd like me to talk to as well. He is great, he was fine when I told him we wouldn't use the person he had originally sent us to and is willing to either work w/ whomever we find our help us to find someone he has worked w/ before. We also got another quote back, from paradise custom kitchens. they came in a little higher than wellsford- $38,000 + $4000-$5000 installation + tax, but that wasn't too bad either. So, we are meeting w/ wellsford on tuesday and going to oxford cabinets on tuesday, and we're also waiting for quotes back from a few other people that I sent pictures to via email.

Interesting discussion & very useful. I redid my kitchen 20 years ago & am now in the process again - hopefully wiser. Here are my thoughts. Things I got last time that I really like sink tilt-out tray tray dividers over fridge - I'm short, so it makes this high space more usable. Use it to store cookie sheets, cutting boards, muffin tins and trays large drawers for pots and pans - as everyone seems to agree, these are much more convenient than standard shelves Things I got last time that I wish I hadn't spice rack inside cabinet door - I have a small kitchen, so this seemed like a great space saver. However, the weight of the rack and spices meant the latches on that door were always breaking. I finally removed the door & left the cabinet as open shelves. Pullout cutting board - the problem is that you couldn't cut on it by pulling it out partway, it had to be completely removed from its slot. Then it had to be carefully replaced after cleaning. Just too much trouble. What I'm getting this time sink tilt-out tray tray dividers over fridge even more drawers for pots and pans pull out containers for trash & recycle different kind of lazy susan in the corner - have one now, which is useful, but stuff falls off the turntable and is lost in the back. This supposedly doesn't have that problem. We'll see. Anyway, good luck with your choices.