If you feel you need to renovate in order to keep your condo rented, or have some other reason for wanting this done sooner rather than later, here's what I can offer. What do people think of pass-thrus? Pass-thrus are a bit passé. And are white cabinets at the end of their popularity run? White cabinets will never go out of style. That said, you have many other options. Are full-overlay cabinets pretty much standard now? Full overlay is pretty standard. What about inset doors? You will pay a premium for inset doors - beautiful but expensive, for the most part. What would you value more -- more cabinets or a two person eat-in kitchen? If there is another eating space in the condo, I'd want cabinets in the kitchen. Besides, there's really no view in the kitchen as is. What else are people putting in these days? The trash cabinet is a nice idea, but the biggest change for you would be drawers. In a newly renovated space almost all of your lowers would be drawers nowadays. I get that you might want to use the same guy your neighbors have used, but the layouts and finishes are really not that nice. Tray ceiling is fine, layouts and cabinet choices are not that great.

California homes in 1974 weren't being generally built with ceramic tile floors. It was mostly vinyl tiles or sheet vinyl. The previous owner(s) probably had the tile put in at a later date. By 1978 little to no asbestos was being used in much of anything. Grout or tile having asbestos? No the contractor is being shifty. I think the "contractor " is taking advantage of your inexperience with remodeling and trying to pocket a extra cash on the side. I would let Lowes know about it. They don't need the eventual bad rep guys like this will bring on them. Asbestos fears are overstated anyway. The fear mongering is insane. Removal companies capitalize on that fear. Ship builders and people who have worked around it all their lives get ill. Not a homeowner changing out a floor. Taking up even an old asbestos vinyl floor isn't going to create much dust and you have to breath in the dust for it to to be harmful. If it's a concern wetting the area down will take care of the little bit found in the average home built back in the asbestos days.

No expert here, but the layout is confusing to me. What are all those dark, shaded blocks--new walls? It seems to me the traffic flow through your original kitchen would be better, but without knowing what you are trying to achieve here, it's hard to say. I'm right handed and appreciate having my dishwasher to the right, but plenty of right-handed people will tell you that having it on the left isn't a problem at all.

You might want to remove their phone numbers and let people PM you for them.