I would drill the holes you need now, but do not drill the holes until you have chosen your faucet. There are several different hole configurations and they depend on which type of faucet you buy.

If you need any more holes later, drill them then, it is easily done.

Here are your selections...........get two holes drilled. No sense remodeling a kitchen and then not installing the soap dispenser. No reason to drill more than 2

BeverlyFLADeziner: Is the soap dispenser worth installing? I actually wasn't thinking of doing so, but I'm willing to have my mind changed!

One tip you might want to think about. In the online picture of the sink they show the top edge of the sink exposed forming a small lip. Do it the other way around. Have the counter overhanging the sink so there won't be a ledge to catch and hold water or other stuff. Easier to keep clean. It doesn't have to hang over much maybe 1/4 inch all the way around the top of the sink.

OK, just saw where there's a little basket that attaches. Are you sure you want all those attachments? The sink doesn't look very big to start with and then with the cup and basket in there that's half the sink gone.

leelee: That's a good tip!

Looks like a trip to Lowe's is in order! We have a credit there, and the website shows both faucets are in stock. :)

I like having a built in soap dispenser, no need to keep dish soap on counter then, especially since my sink is on my peninsula. No need for lotion, it's for dish soap not hand soap, I would think I'd pair lotion with hand soap not dish soap (I don't use it that much anyway, though).

I use hand soap at the kitchen sink far more than dish soap. So hand soap and hand lotion are in the counter top dispenser. I know some people don't mind washing their hands with dish soap but I find it way too harsh and drying for my sensitive hands, ha.

Hey Kim, not trying to rain on your sink parade but a porcelain sink isn't as forgiving as a stainless. If you bump a glass on the porcelain it will probably break. Stainless not so much. I want you to be happy with your choices because you've considered all the facts and issues. Also, if your below the sink area allows, you could get a deeper sink. My reasoning was I can do everything in a deep sink (15 inches) that I can do in a shallow one. Like soaking big pots and pans.

Maybe ask other Houzzers which they prefer.

I agree, I would never purchase a stainless steel sink. Porcelain is tried and true. However, of all the Delta faucets, I would not have selected those two.

The faucet on the right is the one!

I like my stainless double-sided deep on both sides sink

The sink is a done deal. The fabricator already measured, took the template out of the sink box, and is fabricating the slabs as we speak. :)

It's OK, though. I'm confident in my choice. For one, I'm not especially a fan of stainless steel sinks. My daughter, who has four not-so-careful kids ages 10-16, has the cast-iron Riverby and adores it. It comes with a basin rack that sits on the bottom of the sink to protect it. She has not had any problems. It's just my husband and me most of the time, and we're pretty careful.

I also think the depth will be more than perfect for me! I've lived for 30+ years with a 9" kitchen faucet in a 7" sink. Once in a while, I wrestled with a big pan or tall pot, but most of my everyday cookware fit fine. I think a 15" faucet with a 9" sink will feel like luxury indeed! But the other consideration is that as I <ahem> age, I'm looking for ways to avoid a lot of deep bending. I think daily work in a 15" sink would be my back's undoing!

Beverly and leelee, thanks for the tips and encouragement. I haven't bought the faucet yet, so there's time to talk me out of it! Do you have a faucet recommendation? Please realize that we are not able to budget for a high-end faucet. The ones I'm looking at are about $200 at Lowe's. (The Delta site shows them retailing at around $350.) the reviews on both are excellent, as is Delta's customer service. But if you know of another faucet (Delta or another brand) that would be under $250 retail, I'm all ears! Thanks, ladies. You rock!

I love my SS sink. I guess now we know why there is a choice. :)

Hahaha, auntthelma! So true, so true.

I love the Ashton -- have used it in a number of rehabs, and am now planning on putting it in my own kitchen. As for soap dispensers, lots of people complain that they're cheaply made, a pain to refill under the counter, etc. I never install them. Prefer to pick my own soap and holder.

I don't know about the second hold -- not a big deal to drill it when they're there, but if you're not sure what you'd use it for, you might find that different uses (e.g., soap versus another faucet) have different standard sizes. I'd be leery of doing that. Other people own stone saws and could do it later for the new install.

This is probably too late, but we have a Kohler faucet, I think it's their Forte line. It was on our old sink but my wife loves it so much she didn't want a different faucet. She likes that the nozzle doesn't hang down, but rests horizontally so there's no droop. We had a nice soap dispenser on previous sink but my wife hated it. Too hard & messy to refill. But we did two extra holes on new sink. One services a filtered water chiller faucet & the other an air switch for the disposal. At first she didn't see need for the air switch but now we have it she likes it. No more wet hands on wall switch.