Ann, I'm in South Florida as well, just a bit further up the coast in Fort Pierce. I've been all over the place getting quotes for cabinets, granite/laminate countertops, etc. The best quote I've received for cabinets is at this place: DESIGN KITCHENS 412 Farmers Market Rd. Ft. Pierce, FL 34982 772-464-0500 o My aunt actually recommended them to me. One of my uncles used to work there and said they did quality work, which is a high recommendation if you knew this uncle! The guy I talked to there (Larry?) actually went to the trouble to explain to me all about different box materials AND listened to what I want in my kitchen. He made a couple of really good suggestions, but wasn't offended when I turned one of them down. His quote matched what we discussed exactly. As for countertops, in my area alone I count 8 places of the top of my head who are advertising granite starting at $9.95/sq ft. With installation, all of them are actually running under $40/sq ft. In the Miami/Dade area, you may actually be able to find lower prices because of competition. I've been working on my kitchen for nearly a year because I'm fighting with the insurance company over water damage. In that time, I've also been haunting Craig's List, so I know you could probably find all of the appliances you're looking for on there for a fraction of your budget. For example: I wanted a bottom mount fridge (to replace my white SxS) in bisque because I don't like stainless. I figured I'd have to bite the bullet and pay the $2500 price at an appliance store, but I kept hoping. Three days ago my fridge popped up on CL and I went and bought it for $250! That's a 2250 savings on my budget for a little diligence in checking CL (and about a 30 mile round trip). My new fridge is gorgeous!!! LOL, if you're interested in a 4 year old SxS in white, I'm listing it this afternoon on CL. :) Anyway, the whole point of my ramble is this: the Expo may not be the best source for good prices on quality products for your kitchen remodel. It's simple because all of the vendors are under one roof at one time, but you can do your kitchen less expensively if you have the time and inclination to do the leg work. The Expo is great for seeing what is available out there, for sure. And, a big thank you to whomever posted about the Ikea in Sunrise! I was going to Orlando to check out the Ikea there, but Sunrise may actually be closer for me! :)

update - I kept looking at the backsplash and questioning to myself how can this be the same stone? My husband thought it looked fine, but I was not satisfied. So I brought a bunch of the pieces that were left over to the tile store, and one look at the pieces, they confirmed they were different stones. They thought it looked obvious and felt bad that this happened...and was disappointed when I told them that the tiles were already grouted and sealed. They said to talk to my contractor, they would re-order the correct stones (no charge) and hopefully the contractor will do the backsplash over. I made my husband call the contractor (I was chicken...) so we'll need to wait until he calls back to see what he will do...........I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the contractor will agree to re-do the backsplash over. It will be done over, I just don't want a whole argument and fight over this.....keep your fingers crossed for me!!!

Edible, as my wife and I are approaching some major house renovations, I've made a number of posts here asking questions from those more experienced than me. In some cases I followed the advice given me, and in others (after discussing the options with my wife and talking to our KD/GC) we decided to do something different. I've always been grateful to those who have taken the time to offer their opinion though, even those who disagreed with our plans. Although I know nothing about the flooring you're considering, I do speak from the experience of someone who has spent the last 25 years cleaning up one problem after another, caused by a previous owner who consistently took shortcuts, hired the cheapest contractors he could find, and then tried to cover up the ensuing problems this created. I can tell you that it's maddening paying a lot of money to fix things that weren't done right the first time. In addition, I recently had to deal with the issue of asbestos tile removal in my parent's basement. We've known for at least 10 years that the tiles likely contained asbestos, but there was no compelling reason to do anything about it. But then their basement started taking on water and the tiles had to come out before any waterproofing work could be done. It turns out that a professional remediation job wasn't that much more expensive than paying a local handyman to chip up the tiles and bring them to the dump. My bias is to do things right the first time even if it means delaying a project until I can afford to do it properly. You may quite reasonably conclude that, as there are no structural or safety issue, you'd rather get the floor you want now and deal with the asbestos later (if at all). There are obvious risks to this approach (you might not be happy with the floating floor, building codes may change, you may want to sell the house, etc.) though, and I think the people here are merely trying to point out those risks to you. In any event, good luck with your new floor.

$1500 sounds cheap to me, and I am not in D.C. And herringbone tile backsplash is an installation that requires experience and skill, so it typically costs more that an easier tile backsplash. Please read this linked thread about a herringbone backsplash incorrectly installed by the GC’s subcontractor. There is a lot of instruction in the linked thread, so if you decide you want to stay with your GC’s subcontractor, at least you can educate yourself on what to look for, and stop the guy early if he is not doing it correctly. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5886990/crooked-marble-herringbone-backsplash-install-acceptable