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Reply to: I just put in a quick call to my favorite appliance supplier, to be sure of my facts, as I knew this answer, but wanted to confirm the reasons why before posting..... The clearance required for a range hood over a GAS cooktop is usually 30 to 36". Those microwave range hoods are ideal over an electric or an induction cooktop, as you can get away with an 18-20" clearance. (a microwave installed so the bottom of it sits 30" above the cooktop is only good if you happen to be 6'6" or taller!) As well, with those microwave combo units, they are not very deep, generally almost the same depth as your upper cabinets, and for a gas cooktop, the range hoods that vent them are generally 20"-24" deep. I never ever do a microwave combo unit over a gas cooktop for these reasons. In addition, it is also not recommended to do a downdraft vent (the one that pops out of the counter) with a gas cooktop. If you are switching to gas, budget for a new range hood designed for proper ventilation and clearance, and a new microwave, elsewhere in the kitchen. Just because a photo shows the combination, does not mean it was done to code.

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Reply to: Speaking of water infiltration, if your fabricator doesn't use enough clips or strap your undermount sink in place with silicone, it will not only leak enough to rust your rod, it will dribble nasty unsanitary water inside your cabinet; enough to rust your hinges: This is the above-pictured job. If you think that's nasty, you should see the brown undermount sink flange. I'd post a picture, but I'm afraid the mods would cite me for violating the rules against obscenity here. Grrrosss.

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Reply to: Robar...that exactly what every installer in my area uses to quickly determine the equipment people need. This is completely wrong and you end up with the wrong equipment about 80% of the time. This is the lazy way of doing it to make a quick sale. Take a look at this free online Manual J calculator to get an idea of all the factors that go into calculating loads: http://loadcalc.net I'm not affiliated with the site...I just found it and learned to use it. It took me a few days, but it really helps you understand what's the appropriate BTUs for your house for cooling and heating.

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