You know I don't mind a negative post as long a you are polite, and
you have been. I don't mind pointing out, however, that I have not
asked for opinions on whether or not to accept the job. What I have
asked for is advice and suggestions on the actual job.

I'm quite sure my post makes me look more inexperienced than I am. Be
assured that I am a professional and well equipped handyman. The
reason I have asked so many basic questions is not because I don't know
how to do the job. It is because I am just today starting to think
about this job and am looking for any ideas and suggestions that others
may have.

I am always learning and one thing I have learned is that there is more
than one way to skin a cat or to perform a task. Another thing I have
learned is that it is can be quite helpful to ask questions in order to
learn new things and quit possiblly to improve upon my techique and the
technique of others. If I have come off as ingorant in the process,
it is a small price to pay in pursuit of the larger goal of doing a
good job.

A lot of contractors and handypeople think they know it all or that the
way they do things is the only way. I think this is wrongheaded. OK,
just because I asked a lot of questions doesn't mean I don't know what
I"m doing. The pupose of this forum is for asking questions and you
have answered none.

While I have not installed a range hood before, I do know how to cut
holes in the wall and have performed the task for other purposes. I
have performed the basic carpentry that will be needed and I know how
to install the neccesary wiring. I have divided the task in to thees
threee basic areas in order to plan the task effectively.

I do not know what permits are needed but this is not my area of
responsiblity. I have not suggested than anyone be willing to accept a
bad job. What I have suggested is that codes and permits may not be
particularly relevant in my situation since there is no budget for
inspections or enforcement in our very rural area, making such thing
less important than what you or most people may be used to.

You say that I am not prepared to do the job right. That is true at
this exact moment but this process of asking questions and
brainstorming the project is the first step towards that preparation
and will be helpful to m in any truly well planned project. You can be
sure that I will not take the job unless I am confident I can and will
do so. If you have any ideas or suggestion, I welcome them.

I have come up with a few ideas of my own since my last post. For
example, there are hoods and there are hoods and I have come to the
conclustion after looking at a lot of range hood websites that a
commercial hood would be uneccesary in my example. The type of stove
being and the amount of btu's being used does not justify it. A high
quality residential hood would be plenty. Since this example is more
like a residential intallation than a commercial one perhaps this will
temper your opinion of my ability to complete the project.

"Commercial style" residential hoolds come in all sizes and the fans
range in speed from 400cfm to 600cfm and come with extensions and
other accessories making them suitable for any height ceiling. It may
be necessary to open up the wall enough to intall blocking to
accomodate the wall mounted hood. These are the type of detail I am
looking for and have researched without your help. So you see, I am
not a total ******. I am just someone who like to examine and
re-examine all the details in my effort to achieve a well done job. I
encourage and ideas or suggestions that are are out there but for sure
can do the job and flesh out the details without it. It is just my
attempt to be thoughtful about it and to ask some basic question that
has made me look like a dumbass. I hope this explantion will help to
dispel that notion.

Lawrence