You need to define what you are trying to do. True audiophiles will have speakers that are well spaced from the room walls so that the wall is not contributing anything sonically to the spatial stage that the speakers are trying to reproduce. You will find very few 2-channel guys who will want anything to do with Dolby anything. Most true audiophiles remove as many things from the signal path to reduce/remove any possible sound signatures that they may impart. This means any sort of DSP processing (like any Dolby Surround/Digital, etc). For the larger portion of the world that is not in the esoteric world of high-end audiophiles - this isn't really a reality that we'll live with. So its a compromise of sound fidelity and reality. Dolby (nor thx) have any speaker requirements that require speakers to be "on the wall". And honestly - thx certified is really a joke certification (sort of like energy star) - its the /minimum/ specifications with which consumers can live with. There are more high-end systems without THX certification that will blow away your "THX certified" system components. Your statement isn't correct that you can't get good sound from in-walls. I will point out that high-end in wall speakers all have their own backboxes and are highly tuned to impart the soundstage with the knowledge that they are to be placed in the wall. If you want high-end - go listen to a setup of triads, Revel inwalls, or Meridian in-walls. I guarantee you that you can tell the difference between them and a $20 Pyle (which I've never heard of). Also, just for your benefit - power plays a very little part of the entire equation. Power is a logarithmic function - it takes 10x the power for double the sound. So, sending more power isn't the solution for enveloping sound. What is primary into the equation for sound is speaker efficiency. E.G if you have an 87 db speaker vs a 90db speaker (3db difference). The 87db speaker will take DOUBLE the power of the 90db speaker to output the same volume. . Taking an even larger extreme - a 94db speaker at 4 watts is the same volume as a 87db speaker at 16 watts. Speaker efficiency is key here. Some manufacturers will lower impedance to drive efficiency but that just means that a higher quality amplifier that can drive a 4ohm (or even 2ohm) load is necessary. The next thing to consider is that full range speakers sound fuller and are better able to give a better (and louder) sounding experience than cheaper limited range speakers. There is a reason why some speakers are balanced toward the higher side and get "lost" when other sounds are present and other speakers don't. Believe it not, Bose is an expert at filling sound which is why some people believe their speakers are good. In no way am I going to say Bose is a great speaker - but I will give credit that they know how to fill sound and market it like crazy. People may not like Bose, but people also realize that Bose made a clock radio that sounded better than everybody else (and more expensive). Why is it that Bose made a radio that sounded better than everybody else ? Well, they made a system that reproduced sound as people wanted to hear (richer, deeper, fuller). You want your in-wall/ceiling speakers to be the same way - otherwise you end up with cheap clock radio sounding speakers.

I absolutely second wwwonderwhiskers advice! And, if your digital camera will take videos as well, shoot very methodical videos of each room starting in one corner and working your way around the room in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Then take your overlapping still photographs immediately after taking the video. It is often much easier to figure out what is what in a video. But still photographs will be sharper and show more details. With a combination of videos and still photos taken on the same date, you can use the video to help you orient your still photos and figure out what you are looking at...especially if you take the time to tape numbered squares of paper up around the room before making videos and shooting photos. Our "open wall" photos have saved us a couple of enormous repair bills as well. And, when we got ready to hang our TV, it was nice to be able to look at the photos and see right where the studs and extra bracing were located. It is also nice when you start to hang a picture on the wall, to KNOW, that you're not fixing to accidentally drive a nail into a hidden pipe. Oh, especially if you're going to have a slab foundation, don't forget to photograph where all the pipes and stuff run UNDER the slab before the concrete gets poured. And don't forget to take pictures of the outside of your house before the sheathing is put on. If your house has more than one floor, be sure you have pictures of everything that runs thru the space between the two floors as well. Water from a leaking pipe or waterline can often travel along joists quite a way before dripping through the ceiling sheet rock and showing up as a wet spot. Rather then unnecessarily tearing out a bunch of sheet rock, It helps to know where the water COULD be coming from.

Once you've finalized your basic design, it's time to analyze your storage needs in each zone. The results of that analysis will drive the size & configuration of your cabinets and drawers. First, make a list of everything you plan to store in your new kitchen, regardless of where it's stored now...kitchen, basement, dining room, etc. Next, take the list and group the items according to function. Will they be used during prep? cooking? baking? cleanup? Some items, like pot holders, may belong in two different zones (in this case, cooking & baking). You can either find storage between the two zones or have duplicates and store one in each zone. Now, determine where each of your zones will be (prep, cleanup, cooking, baking, storage, etc.) The next step depends on the stage you are in the design/order process... If you've already ordered your cabinets, then you will have to work with what you have. So... Identify the storage potential in each zone and list them on a piece of paper with a section for each cabinet (base & upper) and one line per drawer or shelf in that cabinet. This includes your pantry for your "storage" zone. Take the two lists and, while imagining yourself working in each zone, put the dishes, tools, etc. that you will be using in cabinets in that zone. Fill in the lines in the cabinet list with these items. If you are still in the design phase, you will have the opportunity to plan your storage to meet your needs in each zone. Take your list and imagine yourself working in each zone. Go through the motions to determine the best locations for each item that will be used and stored in that zone (don't forget that you will probably have both upper and lower cabinets). Now that you know where to put the items, determine what the best way is to store those items (drawer, shelf, etc.) and what size (e.g., pots & pans work best in 30" or 36" drawers) Lastly, transfer what you've done to your design & tweak as necessary. You should now have a well-thought out and highly functional kitchen! Sample storage map: This process and the resultant "map" will not only help you to "see" how things will fit, but the map will also help when you move back into the kitchen...you won't have to think about it, you'll be able to just put things away. It will also be a handy map for everyone to use when attempting to find things the first few weeks w/o having to open every drawer or door! Oh, and don't forget the Junk Drawer! Most people end up with one, so you may as well plan for it so you at least have control over where it's located! skip line Common Zones, Appliances In That Zone, and Suggestions For What To Store There: Storage--pantry & refrigerator--Tupperware, food, wraps & plastic bags Preparation--sink & trash/recyclables--utensils, measuring cups/spoons, mixing bowls, colander, jello molds, cutting boards, knives, cook books, paper towels Cooking--cooktop/range & MW (and near a water source)--utensils, pot holders, trivets, pots & pans, serving dishes (platters, bowls, etc.), paper towels Baking--ovens/range--utensils, pot holders, trivets, pots & pans, casserole dishes, roasting rack, cooling racks, cookie sheets, foils, rolling pin, cookie cutters, pizza stone, muffin tins, paper towels [often combined with Cooking Zone] Cleanup--sink & DW & trash--detergents, linens, dishes & glasses, flatware Eating/Serving--island/peninsula/table/nook/DR--table linens, placemats, napkins, dishes & glasses, flatware Utility--broom, dustpan, swifter, mop, cleaning supplies, cloths, flashlights, batteries, extension cords Message/Communication/Command Center--keys, phones/answering machine, charging station, directories/phone books, calendar, desk supplies, dry erase board or chalkboard, pens/pencils, sticky notepaper skip line Less Common Zones: Tea/Coffee Bar--tea/coffeemaker (and near a water source)--mugs, teas/coffees, sugar, teapot Snack/Beverage Center--near MW & refrigerator or small refrigerator--snacks, snack dishes, glasses [often combined with Tea/Coffee Bar] Pet Zone--feeding area--food, snacks, leashes, medicines (if no children in the home), etc. skip line Overlapping of Zones Due to space constraints, some zones often overlap. If this is the case in your kitchen, be sure there is enough work space in the overlap for both activities. Zones that commonly overlap... Prep & Cooking Zones--These zones should be adjacent to each other, so this is a common overlap and is generally not a problem. Just be sure you have enough room for prepping as well as landing space for the range/cooktop. (It is strongly advised you have enough room for emergency landing space on both sides of a range/cooktop.) Prep & Cleanup Zones--If there is only one sink in the kitchen, these zones will be adjacent to each other because of the need for a water source for both zones. However, true overlapping is not generally a good idea. Instead, try to keep the cleanup area separate from the prep area by putting the sink between them. E.g., DW on one side, Prep Zone on the other side. (You should strive to keep the DW out of the Prep Zone as well as out of the path between the sink and Prep & Cooking Zones and between the refrigerator and Prep & Cooking Zones.) Also try for at least 36" (42" or more is better) of room on the Prep Zone side of the sink for ample workspace as well as accommodating the inevitable dirty dishes that will accumulate next to the sink. skip line Commonly Used Items: pots & pans, utensils, small appliances, linens, pot holders, trivets, dish detergents, "Tupperware", knives, pitchers, water bottles, vases, picnic supplies, cook books, etc. Foods: Spices, Breads, Flours/Sugars, Teas/Coffees, Potatoes, Onions, Canned Goods, Dry Goods (rice, pasta, etc.), Cereals, Snacks Small Appliances: Toaster, Stand and/or Hand Mixer, Blender, Breadmaker, Toaster Oven, Food Processor, Crockpot, Waffle Iron, Electric Skillet, Coffeemaker, Coffee Grinder, Ricer, Steamer SPECIAL NOTE: If your ceiling or one or more of your walls is coming down, consider wiring for speakers, TV, Computer, etc. skip line Some helpful threads: forestfire..please help me with my lists [Missing In Action as of 5/16/10...if anyone has saved it, please let me know by emailing me via "My Page"] List of stuff in kitchens? What should go within easy reach of the cooktop? What goes where? Reloading the new kitchen, any tips where things should go?

If you want to cut straight lines and do it quickly, an angle grinder would be best on hard materials like granite, marble, or stucco. If you want to put holes in sheet rock for things like receptacle boxes, a RotoZip would work (as would a $5 sheetrock saw). If you want to cut big pieces of sheet rock to size, a box cutter and a straight edge would work best. If you want to drill holes in granite or marble, a drill or RotoZiip would work; however, you would need to practice with the RotoZip because it would be easy to skate across the surface when you first started drilling with it. Also, RotoZip bits are relatively short compared to standard drill bits so you need to factor how deep you want to go into the equation. Finally, You need to understand through experience how these tools work. Just because a tool will do a certain job doesn't mean it's the best or easiest way to do it.