Jeri, thanks for the encouragement! If I was replacing an OTR w/ another, I would try to do it myself. I just have a regular old standard range hood now, and that's why I posted the original question. If it needs a dedicated circuit (thanks rnmomof2, that's what I was trying to say!), then that's why I guess my co-worker got such a high estimate (the extra electrical work). Buehl, no I have a regular coil electric stove. I'm still not ready to move into the smooth top era - LOL! Re the venting - I have that tiny cabinet over the stove, Open it up, and there's a vent pipe that elbows into the wall. I thought it vented to the roof, is that not right? Does it just vent into the wall? Anyway, I don't fry much at all, so I don't have problems w/ grease or anything. The vent is usually used for steam and smells. If I did go this route, I would save the range hood, so if I sold and the buyers wanted to put it back in, they could. The range hood is actually 9 years old, but it looks brand new (since I dont fry, lol!) Guess I'll just have to break done and call an electrician to find out for sure what has to be done to switch over. Thanks everybody!

The short answer - No The long answer....here's what I just posted on another thread about OTR MWs...in particular, item 3! They're too high for safe use unless you're well over 6' tall (I'd say closer to 6'6" or more) - you're removing hot food/fluids at a height that if it spills, it will spill on your face, arms, chest, etc. (Plus, you can't see inside to check the food b/c it's too high) They're located such that: If someone wants to use the MW while someone else is cooking, the cook must get out of the way at least 2x (once for putting the food in and again to take it out; if you need to stir or check the food, the cook needs to get out of the way a third or more times) If you have any food cooking on the range, you will be using the MW over the intense heat as well as things like splattering grease or clouds of steam from boiling liquids - all of it bathing your arms, hands, and face. Oh, and beware loose clothing if you use flame to cook - more than one person here has described a sweater or shirt catching fire when reaching up into an OTR MW with a gas range. They're lousy hoods - loud and inefficient. They don't cover the front burners so they're pretty useless for any cooking on the front burners. Even for the back burners, they don't work well. They're generally the most expensive MW out there! Post your layout - let the gurus here see what they can come up with - you may be pleasantly surprised at the results!

@Marta I had it made at a metal fabricator using my design and dimensions. It was about $100 and I used construction adhesive to glue it to the wall and tiny nails from inside the cabinet to inside the rolled edge to keep the shelf firm.

There are two types of range hoods that deal with cooking steam, odors and smoke: ducted and ductless. I'm guessing you want to put in a ducted hood where the microwave is now. These are usually superior for keeping interior air clean, but they require access to the exterior of the house. If you can't go through the wall you have to go up then out. But you don't have to go straight up. There are OPTIONS once the pipe enters the ceiling joist area. The exhaust ducting can go up through the attic and roof, be turned to exit at a better location of the roof, or it can turn 90º and run between the ceiling joists to an outside wall vent. The bottom of the hood should be at least 24" above the range top, so you might have to remove the cabinet above the microwave, but you can run DUCTING THROUGH CABINET, though you will lose storage space. If none of these possibilities will work in your space, there is still the ductless hood. These pull steam, etc. through a filter and the cleansed air is recirculated back into the kitchen. Obviously they don't help with removing heat from the kitchen, and the filter does require CLEANING. Ductless hoods are much less expensive to install, because there are no ducts to install or cabinetry to remove.