Patty, We reconfigured our cabinets and added some. My understanding is that you install the uppers first for ease in access. You don't want to be climbing on the lowers to screw in the uppers especially if you have granite or another stone on the counter tops. They talked about this just recently on HGTV's "spice up my kithcen".

I watched my installers yesterday setting up for, well, installation. Starting from the uppers (upper corners as it leads the other cabinets and you don't end up short on space). It would be really hard to lift the uppers and level them if base cabinets were underneath. They had a clever little tool, it looked like a mop (a rod with a flat surface on one side but functioned like a lever), so they lifted the corner cabinet, put the lever underneath, cabinet stayed in place and they had free hands to level it, figure out spacing, or whatever else they did. It looked pretty easy.

My DH and his friend semi-installed the bases as a "dry run" (did not bolt them together but made sure everything fit and was level), then the counter people came to measure etc, then DH and friend took out the bases and installed uppers first.

They did it this way to minimize the delay for counters and fit everything into their schedules since both DH and friend have other full time jobs. They had to level the base cabs twice as a result.

My DH installed the wall cabs first and all the advice giving here is correct.

All the above advice makes sense, and is what I had always heard. We (my dad and I) just finished installing my cabinets this weekend, and it was quite the experience! Old hat for him, not so much for me. Ours was a challenge because it is an old house with walls that are not flat. This website has some great info for such projects, and has a lot of traffic and people with great advice: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/index.php

If you haven't started yet,here are some ideas. I have installed many kitchens and the best answer is "it depends." The most important thing when installing cabinets is that they are absolutely level. Most kitchen floors are not level. If you have a tall cab (oven, pantry, or ref side panel), the base cabs must go in first so that they are level and the height of the upper cabs is established. Even without a tall cab my preference in 90% of kitchens is to install base cabs first. This gives you the level top of cabinet height. Yes, it's a little harder to hang the wall cabs later, but a small stepstool makes up the difference (also cover the base cabs with a heavy dropcloth). If you don't have any tall cabs, you can adjust the upper cabs up or down slightly (from the 18" recommended height from top of COUNTERTOP) if you are doing a tile backsplash for esthetics.

Maybe everyone knows this, but in case you don't...The easiest way to install upper cabinets is to screw a 2x4 to the wall at the level you want their bottoms to sit. Then you just rest the bottoms of the cabinets on that 2x4 (which is already level, of course) while you screw them to the wall. Then remove the 2x4 and either patch the screw holes or install your backsplash.

We've installed cabinets in 3 kitchens so far, and it's not a difficult project unless your room is completely out of square. I would personally do the tops first. Good luck!

It can be done either way, but I prefer to do the upper first. However, you do want to establish your counter line first which means doing all your measurements from the bottom up. Establish the high spot on the floor where the cabinets will be placed (if the floor is not completely level). Use that as a starting point for all vertical measurements.

thank you all for the advice..my husband had some surgery 10 days ago and hopefully this week-end we will start demolition..I can't wait ..everything is waiting at the warehouses to be delivered,they are just waiting for our call

I just did it myself last summer (for the first time). I would definitely do the wall cabs first. If you have an inside corner, you probably want to start there too. I did what raenjapan said and used ledger boards. I didn't use 2x4's for them, but finish quality spruce 1x2's available from Lowes. Much straighter.

The most important thing is to THINK ! If you have a complex design, you need to be three steps ahead to figure out how to fit pieces together. particularly where there will be a tall cabinet, you need align the adjoining wall and base cabinet very well. Mark where the studs are. Have strong help for lifting cabinets into place. (He just had surgery?) If your walls aren't perfectly flat, consider assembling adjoining cabinets together before placing them. Dry fit cabinets. I have a normal sized cordless drill that would have been a real pain to use in confined spaces. I got a Bosch angle driver. At first I thought is was expensive, but after I was done, I thought it was the best $150 I ever spent. I used GRK cabinet screws which use a Torx bit. The bit never jumped like when you use a Phillips.

There really are a LOT of details to keep track of for a first timer. I attached a URL for one article, but I couldn't find the one from This Old HOuse that helped me. If you have cable, the DIY network has a show call Kitchen Renovations which will give you a look at how cabinets are installed in different situations.

Plan on it taking 3 times as long as you think it should.

Here is a link that might be useful: Installation article

My kitchen installer mentioned that the presence or absence of an appliance garage determined which he would put up first. He installs the uppers first, then the lowers, but said if there is an appliance garage in the plan, he will change it and install the lower cabinet first, then then appliance garage and then sit the upper cabinet on the appliance garage to get the proper fit for the garage between the uppers and lowers. For the best look you don't want any space at all between the two or you will notice it. Even 1/16 inch off you would see and just 1/8" would be very noticeable. If you plan to do an appliance garage and it is in a corner, maybe you could install the bottom corner cabiinet, then the garage, then upper corner cabinet and then go on to the rest. Then you can install the remaining uppers before the lowers and not have work "over" the lower cabinets when installing the rest of the upper cabinets. I would think it would be much easier to do the uppers first whenever possible. With no garage, I think he did all of my upper cabinets before the lowers.

I don't have an appliance garage, I just mention it because it was one of those things I just never would have thought of.

Sue