I cannot comment on the cost but if you move it, I strongly recommend NOT moving it to the location in the picture b/c it will be in the way of the Primary Prep Zone (b/w the sink and range) so if anyone wants to use it, they will be in the way of others prepping, cooking, and/or, possibly, cleaning up.

Instead, I recommend you move it to the cabinets under the window on the far right wall.

(1) It will be out of the way of the primary work zones (Prep, Cooking, Cleanup)

(2) It will be near the refrigerator/freezer where most MW'd food comes from

(3) It's not too far from the Prep & Cooking Zones if you need to use it (e.g., melt butter)

(4) It's a little far from the water source, but I think it would be fine. Ideally, you would have had a prep sink in the island to make the island more useful for prepping -- that sink would then be close to the MW if it's in the far right section of your Kitchen. [The two KEY things that make a Prep Zone useful/functional are a direct water source and at least 36" of straight, unobstructed counterspace, with 42" or more even better.]

How about a countertop oven somewhere on the right-hand counter? The Panasonic NN-SN67HS and LG MSWN1590L mid-size and large ovens, respectively, are well-rated by CR and cost $155-$169.

Sadly we already purchased the microwave about 6 months ago and its nonreturnable.

You can sell the microwave you’ve already purchased. You don’t have to be stuck with it. In terms of the quoted cost, though, given the electrical work required and costs of labor now, it doesn’t strike me as over the top in my experience with recent renovation.

That seems like a crazy expense. We took out an unused 2nd dishwasher and had an microwave drawer installed and a new drawer made to go under it and I think we spent less than $1000 for the drawer and installation.

Some of this might be because of the slab -- do they need to break into the slab to run a dedicated line to the MW (and then re-do the slab)? If so, that may be why. Perhaps there's something along the wall(s) that make it a bit less expensive.

What is the scope of the work?

It does seem insanely high as I had a microwave drawer installed under my wall oven and I am not sure of the cost as it was essentially subsumed into the cost of the cabinet installation and electrical work but would have been closer to $200 based on estimates I got for installation for appliances.

That said, I did have to pay a lot of money to upgrade my panel because current Code required that each "large" appliance had to be on its own heavy circuit and between the new Code requirement and my upgrading to a wall oven and cooktop instead of a stove and the microwave drawer AND a dedicated hood where previously I had some kind of ineffectual fan there were a lot of additional appliances as previously I had a stove, refrigerator and dishwasher only.

As with anything ask why the cost is so high. When I remodeled I would ask these types of questions in a non-accusatory manner and would receive an explanation. Either he should be able to justify the cost in a non-defensive manner or he doesn't want to do the work and is quoting you a high figure so that you won't ask for it.

I LOVE my microwave drawer FWIW

Dedicated line from circuit panel to the island requiring cutting into a concrete slab and patching it. Yup that will be expensive especially with the cost of copper right now.

"Sadly we already purchased the microwave about 6 months ago and its nonreturnable."

There are lots of microwave drawers for sale on ebay.

Sell it and get an attractive countertop microwave. You have more than enough countertop space to accommodate one. Breville makes a nice one that is also an air fryer.

IMO no countertop options are attractive, and they use up precious counter space. Why don’t you ask him why it costs this much? Mine is in my island and it was installed while it was under construction and before the island stone was templated. I certainly didn’t pay a premium like that, so I am wondering what the reasoning is. We all love our drawer microwave as well, but we don’t use it every day.

When we remodeled our previous kitchen we had a similar issue and needed to run a dedicated line from the panel over the garage, then down under through the slab and into the crawlspace, then all the way across the house. The electrician, my GC and his assistant worked non-stop for about 10 hours to get it done. I don't know the cost for that part of the project, but labor alone for the whole kitchen project was $50K and that was back in 2018 in LA.

I certainly didn’t pay a premium like that, so I am wondering what the reasoning is.

The reason is because it requires a dedicated circuit, the house is built on a slab and the panel is located on the opposite side of the house as the kitchen. I had a client that wanted to add a steam shower and the run for the dedicated line (through a finished home) was so long, it would have added thousands to the cost of the project. Sometimes what seems like an easy installation is way more complicated and expensive than you think.

Ok just consulted with an independent electrician and he said there should already be a pipe carrying electricity to the island and therefore should be easy to get the new circuit there as well. DOH! Not sure WTF my contractor is thinking....

you need to ask him to break down that cost for you. 6K is ridiculous. the actual install shouldn't take more than 30 mins?

Is he saying he needs to run electrical in a slab? if your island already has electricity, then he just needs to run an outlet for it.

maybe your electrician can run the outlet for you.

I wanted to do the micro in my island when I redid my kitchen, but the depth just wasn't there. (I didn't want the drawer model, I wanted the regular built in micro. GE Profile) So, I was able to get the depth under the wall oven, and there was already an outlet there. I had the drawers and surrounding area modified, and installed the micro, with the trim kit, around it. microwave was only $650 or, plus 180 for the trim kit.

you can see the before and after. I lost those two drawers.

But, I had two bigger drawers made into my island (and are much nicer than what I had)

This used to be two open shelves. they made the drawers to fit and it's perfect!

Beautiful! Love your counters too!!!

Hu. thanks. better pic.

What kind of micro is this and what do the specs say about the hook up?

start w/that.

An obvious question that hasn't been addressed: OP, just how much do you use your microwave? That is, how important is it to you? If you don't use it all that often, consider one of these options:

- Place a small countertop version in your pantry.

- Place a small countertop version in one of those tall cabinets I see in your plan.

- Place a small countertop version in one of those two corner upper cabinets.

- Carve out a small open shelf in one of your upper cabinets for a small countertop version (maybe behind a door).

Me, personally, I routinely go a week at a time without touching my microwave. If you told me all the microwaves had disappeared I'd shrug and be okay with it. I'd never give up drawer storage to have a microwave.

Verbo, That's not always correct. Some microwaves don't pull as much juice as say a wall oven.

Youre saying they need their own circuit w/their own breaker? Just like your oven?

I don't think this is always the case.

When I said she could run it off the island outlet, that's because that one sn't connected to any of the appliances circuits. (dedicated circuits)

We don't know what kind of micro she has or what the requirement is.

I'm running mine off a standard outlet and it's fine. (But it's under 1200 watts. at that level it doesn't need a dedicated circuit. That's why I asked what the requirements are on her model. If her model is a 1500 watts or more, then yes, a dedicated circuit would be best.

I believe a hard-wired microwave requires its own circuit (assuming a permit is pulled and work is inspected). A plug-in, countertop one does not.

Where are you located? In the $570 for an electrician to add a dedicated outlet/circuit for a microwave drawer in an island.

Verbo, That's not always correct. Some microwaves don't pull as much juice as say a wall oven.

Youre saying they need their own circuit w/their own breaker? Just like your oven?

I don't think this is always the case.

Actually most of the built in drawer microwaves do need a separate circuit. I learned about that when we added solar to our house in that the three appliances that would not work if we lost electricity and went to strictly solar (in a storm for example) would be my oven, my induction cooktop and my drawer microwave.

cp,, I agree about the drawer models if they are over 1500 watts.

my point to disagreeing w/verbo is not all microwaves need dedicated circuits.

So maybe if cost is an issue for the op, she could sell her drawer model and purchase a built in model, thereby saving thousands.

I merely wanted her to know that to give her an option.