You can choose to spend a couple weekends painting your outdated kitchen cabinets yourself, or opt to have them professionally resurfaced.

I found it the first day we started putting things in the cabinet.

Also cabinets - is white still "It"?? 

From my experience (I could be wrong) there isn't a format but the estimate should list details like the materials to be ordered and the hours of labor needed for each repair project (for example the kitchen cabinet installation or exterior doors) along with a cost listed for each line item.

For the kitchen, it doesn't look like there is much to do there besides change the cabinets and the layout maybe with the way it currently is.

Separate considerations:a) My friend works for this painter and I have been trying to pay her on the side to do the work under the table.b) I am trying to get the kitchen painted by June 2nd because I am having the cabinets installed and the kitchen is already demoed.c) I currently have a contractor working on the bathroom and she agreed to paint the kitchen but she has been very slow.Thank you for all the advice!

If you buy the expensive kitchen cabinets , and the contractor accidently drops a $900 section .

One of my protégés did all finish work (flooring, painting, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, outlets/switches, sink drains, dishwasher, shower, bath vanity, kitchen cabinets and counters (installed but he did cut), etc.  

Sanded cabinets and repainted.

Unfortunately the placement of a water heater in close proximity to the water and vent hook ups is preventing the tenant from fitting a washer and dryer unit set up in the cabinet space provided (side by side and stacked config not possible).