As others have mentioned, look at the actual stock, not just the boards. In fact, I like to buy from warehouses where they stock. I urge them to walk me through to the pallets and pick out the stone myself. Here is a crazy idea but it is common in other countries. Lets say you want to buy marble tiles. You negotiate a price (usually higher) where you get to choose each tile from the boxes they have. If the store does it for you, it is called Select. Or you do the selection yourself. Another strategy is to ask how much restocking cost is. Then buy double of what you need, keep the best pieces. Return the rest for the small penalty of restocking. In other words, never go by board samples :)

Hi Quest, Didn't expect to see this thread resurrected :) I borrowed a polisher from our local tile shop (I've gotten to be friends with the guys there) and polished them up, changing out the pads from -- what was it, around 80? until around 2000 or so. I bought a new mounting thing for them (my memory is *so* shoddy--can't remember the term anymore) as a little thank-you gift for letting me borrow it. Polishers are rather expensive to buy if that's all you're using it for. It worked beautifully and is SO much darn fun!! I love running my hands over the smooth edge and knowing I did that. I just did an eased edge, though, nothing fancy. Honestly, I wouldn't dare do it for an undermount, though--while I was good with the hole drilling for the faucets, I'm not strong enough to guarantee that I could make an aesthetically beautiful regular curved edge (straight edges on the front of the counter were easier) that would show above an undermount. You might want to practice, if you're planning to do that. E-counters was having a sale on DIY vanity counters recently, btw--got an e-mail from them--might want to check that out because the labor saved, if you're planning to do an undermount, might well be worth it. Although I do wonder if they polish the edges of the undermount--hm, even if they just cut a raw hole for a drop-in, the *polishing* might be something you could do yourself...only you can know. I'd definitely get a remnant first and practice so you know your strength.

Yeah, furnace and windows = $$$$. As for install, I suppose it would depend how complicated it is. Location relative to ducting, electrical, outside, make up air, etc, etc. My range is currently on an inside wall, we have no outside venting or electrical anything in that area. Big project. As we are unsure if it will stay in that location if/when we remodel (keeps getting put off) I don't want to spend the money now only to have to repay for install if we change the kitchen layout. Modernaire was great to deal with and I thought very reasonable cost wise for a custom made hood that has the goods. Just not in the budget for me right now (nor apparently in the immediate future). Guess I misspoke about the install costs, but IIRC preliminary estimate was around 1,500 or so (w/o a formal estimate which would require putting holes in the wall and ceiling). Still hoping you get your hood soon, though.

greenacresmama I absolutely agree with you that some things are better felt when one lives in the house already..thus can be considered better, chosen more wisely But. My experience..was it especially draining or just draining like everybody else's I can't judge(I am getting very exhausted easily lately that's true..disproportionally so) but after two years of re-building, I don't have it within myself to do anything significant. We have to do some hardscaping/landscaping yet..we looked at each other me and DH,,imagined going through something albeit much smaller even for a month or so..we told each other "next year"..we still have to install one closet..our guys didn't do it on time and we told them "we'll find somebody local"..6 month fast forward, still no closet.. no, I think-as hard as it was to imagine everything, plan everything, source everything, put everything together..be my own freaking designer..and lighting designer..:) (I'm the opposite..banned can lights from all spaces but utilitarian-kitchen, bath, corridor..but ceiling lights pendants and chandeliers are everywhere I could put them..that's how I grew up-we always had overhead lighting..and yes I have table lamps, sconces, floor lamps as well..love all lights, don't discriminate..except for poor can things..)..in short as hard as it was..it's past me. Mostly. I wouldn't have the stamina to go through things once again.. I'm happy to be at stage I'm agonizing over art placement..the rest is whatever. There's just a limit to that building/rebuilding/remodeling thing..I easily believe everybody has theirs, depending on age energy circumstances..I for now reached mine. I'm tired as hell-still. It's easier to be tired as hell in a house that is already what you envisioned it to be, more or less. But again. Putting my personal experience aside-there's wisdom in what you saying. One learns to know himself I suppose, and know his MO, and what will work for him. That's why I listed our previous place in the worst time possible..because I know my husband and his MO. We'd still be carrying that other house, caring for it trying to show it to sell or to rent it and handle the landlord thing..no. Just no. That would give us a bit more money. But it would do us in. Had to wrap this thing with handling two houses up. And my husband doesn't like wrapping things up. So I insisted. So we probably got 10-15 K less than if in spring market. But we kept at least some of our remaining sanity. (Of course judging by the sheer volume of this post it's hard to definitely tell lol)))