Thank You warmfridge for getting all those measurements. That helps me tremendously. Aren't you the one who had problems with your electrolux? Did you ever get it fixed? Are you happy with it now? Weedmeister: The oven is smaller because in the freestanding it's listed as 5.7 versus 4.2 in the slide-in. But since cubic feet doesn't always translate to useable space I wasn't sure if the difference matter for normal cooking. I'm glad to hear you're not find a noticeable problem with the space available. So far this is sounding like a better option for me. The electrician said it would only cost about $75 to upgrade the breaker since the wiring is already done. A carpenter friend is trading my husband a couple of hours of work and he says he could handle the countertop issues easily in that timeframe. So now I have to go read the installation manual (thank for that link) and see if there are other potentional problems. Thanks again, Stephanie

The WetStyle f/s tub has a removable tray that sits across the tub. I like numberjunkie's idea of a shelf or ledge behind the tub for placing items and also like the idea of having the shower wall next to the tub tiled half-way up to have a space for installing a grab bar. WetStyle has an optional shelf that surrounds the tub, but I think it would make it more challenging to get in and out of the tub - would need to hop over the shelf. The drop-in tub I was initially considering was 72"x42" but that would likely not fit, so would need to be 72"x36". This weekend I looked at an open house (new construction) in my area that had a drop-in tub with a narrow space for the deck surround (see attached photo). The deck was tiled on the top and on the apron with white subway tile. I noticed that with the narrow deck space (about 2") and the tub overhang, it would be awkward to sit on the edge of the tub and swing my legs in or out of the tub. Wiithout space for a deck that is wide enough to comfortably sit on, ease of entry or exit may come down to depth of the tub and options for placement of grab bars. The Wetstyle tub is 22" deep; the drop-in tubs are generally deeper, more like 26"

I think a free standing gas stove in a fireplace is a great idea if you don't have access to free wood to burn. In my situation I would be more inclined to install a free standing wood burner. Gas is very little maintenance but it also costs $! Municipalities are constantly looking for ways to discard wood. How many times have you seen cut trees lying on the side of the road? If I needed them for myself, (I have plenty of my own), I'd be out there in a heart-beat with a chainsaw and a trailer. If you have a free standing gas stove in your fireplace I don't see any reason that you can't use the existing chimney. The only consideration is if it's lined with a material that is resistant to gas type flue gasses which can attack the masonry in unlined chimneys. You can run stove pipe up the chimney to avoid the expense of having the chimney relined. The only problem is if it's a straight run or not because free standing gas stoves that are considered direct vent are typically 80% efficient, or better, which means using a double walled vent pipe that intakes outside cold air in for combustion as well as venting exhaust. I have a stove of this type in my kitchen and I love it, but it is vented to the outside without the need for a chimney. I still burn wood in a stove in another room which is vented up a chimney with a ceramic tile liner. This is a real money saver and I really don't mind the work associated with it. Jim

I agree, I'd go with the freestanding stove in the great room. My theory is if you heat the larger mass of air, you'll have more convection to the rest of the house. Whether that actually works or not, beats me. And remember, if your power is out for any length of time, a lot of the heat that insert would recover is going up the chimney because your fan is off. Also, what's the coal situation like in Utah? A coal stove is better for prolonged heat, in my opinion, but you can't run them like a wood stove.