Does your Diamond Cabinet wood hood look similar to this one?

Thank you for the photo, Michigan Upper Hand. No, this is our chosen hood:

Our Diamond supplier told us not to buy the recommended fit in which is a Broan. The Zephyr will fit the space. Requires cutting the metal liner just a bit & creating a support. These exhaust fans are built to be put into many different shaped hoods & I can only assume a good carpenter can handle it.

Was hoping someone out there has done it & could offer some tips!!

You can pay the very expensive labor rate for a cabinet installer to take a half day to modify all of this to work together, or you can pay the manufacturers for the 10 minute pre engineered solution that has been designed to work from the beginning. The manufacture's solution ends up being cheaper and easier. And practically idiot proof.

Thank you, Sophie. We were discouraged to purchase the company selection. I can only state that the sales rep probably was trying to sell his brand & trying to save me money albeit on a cheap product. I have found that the Zephyrs and other high cfm exhausts need an air intake if you use greater than 400 cfm within the home in a specified amount of space. Most companies won't tell you that but an engineer or architect knows it's needed. Honestly, once I asked about the Broan that fits this hood, I was not pleased with the look, the performance, or the reviews of the product.

Yes, idiot proof for sure! But, I wanted a better product and a quality install. Thanks for your response, Sophie.

I was quoted $65.00 an hour to install. Plus, once it's done & works well I will glady advise if someone is seeking the same result.

You aren't dealing with an expert cabinet installer if you are only getting charged $65 per hour. Most do not work ''by the hour''. They work by the job. And they usually figure the job in half day increments. Here, an actual cabinet installer that knows what they are doing, (not a handyman) and is licensed an insured, will bill out around $1100 a day, and a half day, $600. We are in a cheap labor market too. The usual kitchen cabinet install is 2-4 days. More if more moldings, or farm sinks, or funky hood enclosures are involved. Those are all significant upgrades in a kitchen beyond just the materials cost.

Thank you. I appreciate your advice. I am not using a handyman but a licensed carpenter. Will be meeting them on site to see how they view the job & then will see if they seem reputable. We are located in Philadelphia.

GIANT RED FLAGS. $65 per hour in a high labor market like Philly means you are getting low skills and no license or insurance. Verify all of that personally. Call their insurance company off of the copy of the certificate that they should offer you voluntarily at the first meeting. Go online or call the business registrar in your town to see if that copy of their business license that they furnished you up front is still in effect. If they haven't furnished you any of that, then you have to ask why not.

Has all of the electrical been taken care of for te lighting and power to run the insert? Is the outlet in the right place? Dedicated circuit?

Yes, I do have their license number. They have given me references with contact info. They have numerous good reviews. The outlet is in the correct place. Electrical is all done. Yes, it is a dedicated circuit. Brand new electrical panel with room for more. Appreciate your advice highly. Haven't signed a contract. Asked for a revised estimate & another walk through specifically with the carpenter(s). But, your expertise means a lot and I wouldn't sacrifice a lower price for bad workmanship. I should be looking for a cabinet installer? Who specifically would you recommend I seek out? I've requested quotes from larger general contractors, however, they just want to send me a handyman. Most frustrating as I was in the high end design field for 10 years and know what good workmanship and quality are. I have had terrible experiences personally with work done by a handyman. So, I felt going with a skilled carpenter would suffice since the electrical is ready to go. By the way, the kitchen was installed by a company that closed their business before they finished. I didn't pay for work that was not done. Plus, they left all their equipment here & never came to get it back. So yes, I have been burned in this renovation business and I want to be sure it doesn't happen again. :)

There are bound to be other dealers of Diamond/Kemper/Schrock cabinets in a city that size. Contact one of them and see if they have a trusted cabinet installer list. Or in house installers. Any good cabinet company should have both. I would be suspicious of such a low priced carpenter. Cabinets are a different animal.

Thank you, Green Designs.

The picture I posted of the Diamond wood hood vent had both the general licensed contractor and a licensed HVAC contractor on site to do the install and hook up the venting. The "vent kit" for this hood style was ordered when the entire kitchen cabinet order was placed. You may need a HVAC contractor also.

Good to know. The original flexible accordion venting that was put in is not the right product, I have been advised. Needs to be solid metal venting for proper airflow & grease tends to get stuck in the folds.