Please clarify why your appliance package includes a GE over-the-range microwave (per the model number you've listed) AND a hood. I'll reiterate what's already been said, get a good exhaust hood. Buy a countertop microwave (not an OTR MW) for $125-150. You can put the microwave on a shelf in your cabinetry to take it off the counter. Panasonics and Sharp MW's are good, with the Panasonic being a better looking machine. The GE model hood you've listed is only 410 cfm. That is not nearly powerful enough, especially with the Bluestar and Charbroiler. I think you'll need at least 900 cfms. Since it sounds like you are building from scratch, please make sure the duct for your kitchen exhaust is 8" or 10" in diameter, not smaller. If it is smaller, you will have more noise, less efficiency, and there are fewer hoods on the market designed to work with, e.g., a 6" duct. Don't let your builder insist that 6" diameter duct is fine. Especially with the Bluestar you want, you will need a powerful hood, and so you need to make sure your builder is installing an 8" or 10" diameter duct for the hood. The washer and dryer you've listed are top loaders. Now that I have a front loader washer, I would NEVER go back to a top loader. You could look at the Whirlpool or Kenmore front loaders (the Kenmores are made by Whirlpool), or the LG brand front load washers/dryers are quite good.

There was no lack of transparency, other than the fact that prices weren't listed on the walls or on the tile in the store (in my experience they never are except maybe at the big box stores) . I saw the tile, went to the salesperson, and asked her to price it for me. I'm not really sure why that's a problem. The only problem I had was with the price once I got it! No different than if I picked up a nice blouse at Macys and it didn't have a price tag. Take it to the sales person, find out the price, decide if you want to buy it (if I picked up a blouse I liked and expected it to cost $100, but it cost $1000, I wouldn't buy that either LOL)

First, tell the painter you need to reschedule because you can't find the color you love. Second and so on, Remember that a couple of coats actually can create a "richer" look. Now remember this next question comes from the colors' resolution on my monitor: Do you realize everything in your home is pretty much the same value? Value is light or dark. Everything is of the same grey/white/tan/hint of blue + your black appliances. Shoot! Even your dog and your dog's toy blend in. IMHO, you need something to make that lovely granite stand out. Something darker. Chocolate is dramatic for someone afraid to invest in paint, but I agree it might be a great choice. A darker, steel blue perhaps? I'm one fighting with my greens turning turquoise in natural light. grrrr... Finally found the perfect color with the Valspar, which I tried simply based upon their current TV ad. Look. It's just paint. It's not a lifetime investment or affecting peace on earth. Buy some darker colors and paint one wall. Make certain your granite and cabinets are involved. And live with it for a week. Pick the paint chips you've looked at, liked, but immediately dismissed as too dark. You've got a gorgeous kitchen and some cool chairs in your family room. Show 'em off!

I agree that professionalism was lacking on both sides of this equation. In my own defense, I have never had electrical work done and when someone says I will charge you $65 per hour and it will take a day, I am going to expect a bill for $520 or thereabouts. When the job timeframe doubled (which is already bordering on an abusively misleading quote) I did not quibble. But then to be hit with another whammy by being given a bill with charges more than 100% of the labor costs, when materials were never discussed seems deliberately misleading and deceptive to me rather than unprofessional. What I am learning is that it is common practice for contractors to quote a lower hourly rate with the hope that higher fees can be hidden in unitemized materials charges. This is terrible business practice and leaves to ill will on all sides. Why not be totally transparent and say my real costs are $100 an hour and you can stand here and make sure I bill you accurately for my time rather than play some game by obscuring fees in markups?