a Jerry Bromenshenk snip followed by > my comments
I prefer the cleats to be flush with the top of the hive, above the recessed finger-holds.   That way there's a ledge on which to tilt the hive, and if the cleat covers the width from top of hive body to top of finger hold, there's a lot of room to get a better grip - important when one get arthritis in the hands, like I now have.

>Other reasons to push the cleat to the top of the box are.... 1) reinforces the thin wood at the cut (rabbet) where the frames rest (which can and does easily break off) and 2) it provides a bit more area (fulcrum) to use as a leverage for the hive tool when you separate boxes... 

>Jerry can correct me on this one... but a lot of cleat (typically located down toward the hand hold were used because early on a lot of west coast folks use Kelley Loaders and the cleats made picking up boxes or hives easier.

>I use (build) tops and bottoms that are identical.  Got the idea a long time ago from a commercial beekeeper who was using pallets, but the bottom boards were a separate item from the pallet itself.  During the time we would one day run out of top and the next day bottoms.  I decided why not just make them the same since there essential function was to cover the ends of the same size box.  As constructed the top allows for pollen patties to be fed and allows for a top entry (which is during the summer months is a pretty essential item here in Texas).  

Gene in Central Texas...   

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