Kitchen Soffit Question

pitterpat

Have this kitchen soffit (my house) that I have hated since I have lived in this house (almost 19 yrs). Three kitchen cabinets are hung from the cabinets and the other 6 cabinets are attached to the wall and hung underneath the soffit. So I want to take it out to add more cabinets above the original cabinets. So I was just going to start tearing out but somebody told me there might be stuff up in there so I should be careful. So I took one cabinet out that was hung underneath the soffit and cut a hole in the bottom of the soffit. Sure enough there is stuff up in that soffit, electrical wiring, plumbing vent pipe and that's all I can see now (will post pictures shen I find the digital camera).

I'm wondering about some ideas to still be able to tear out the soffit . Like could I make a false wall to "shim" out the cabinets like the depth of two 2 by 4's attached together to bring the cabinets out? What's the usual depth of cabinets and can you buy extra deep cabinets ( to replac one on the end) so it looks OK?

Thanks, Pat

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Pat Harris
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pitterpat

Pictures...don't look at all the junk on the countertop

Attached Thumbnails

     

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Pat Harris
A HandyWOMAN Service, LLC
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pitterpat

Pictures inside the soffit, this is the soffit on the back wall.
These pictures show what's inside the soffit if you look to the left and right.

Attached Thumbnails

     

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Pat Harris
A HandyWOMAN Service, LLC
"Why call a handyman when you can call A HandyWOMAN?

K custom home

Pat, There is no way anyone can tell you what is possible without seeing everything in person. Your best bet is to call a qualified contractor out for advice. You might want to be honest about your situation and let them know you just want some direction and are willing to pay for the time.

Mike Finley

Pat, everything is doable, it just depends on how much time and money you have to throw at it. Your cleanest and best approach is rerouting everything that is in there. But count on spending some money and tearing open a good section of drywall around it all.

747

Interesting michael I think that was built originally to hide the stuff inside of it. Thats a logically possibility isn't it.

pitterpat

Yep, probably.

But what I can't figure out is why there is insulation between the joists in this ceiling. This kitchen is under a bedroom partially and partially under an attic?

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Pat Harris
A HandyWOMAN Service, LLC
"Why call a handyman when you can call A HandyWOMAN?

Mike Finley

Sofits in kitchens seem to be originally built as part of the design of the kitchen first and then get used as cause ways for expiditing plumbing and electrical runs simply because they are available. Remember sofits in kitchens are usually new construction when the house was built, much different then when you finish a basement and have to deal with what is already there.

Chicago

It's not unusual to insulate the kitchen area do to the heat generated while cooking and then there is the larger benefit of sound dampening the fan noise and general kitchen conversation. People can be having a high-ho time down in the kitchen while Aunt Martha who had a few too many can be resting in the bedroom with a little less noise in her head than she already has.
I insulate in a lot of places that don't really call for it for this very reason.

PipeGuy

When I redid my kitchen the "designer" continually discouraged me from removing the sofits citing concerns about the cost of relocating hidden improvements. The first thing I did was open then up sufficiently to see what was in there. Then I asked a carpenter friend to tell me what would need to be moved and what could stay. As it turned out, by leaving the sofit over the sink and boxing in one top shelf the need to relocate plumbing/electrical was eliminated. Had I listened to the kitchen expert I'd be hating the sofit to this day.

Tonkadad

I see a lot of rewiring. If you can’t get to where the wires originate from to re-run them behind the wall, any new splices/junctions need to be accessible. Something to keep in mind.

kenvest

i've done something similar to this but instead of taking the soffit all the way out, i reduced it in size and built a shelf underneath it. we then hung the cabinets off the bottom of the shelf. The soffit was about 4" deep after installing the shelf instead of the 12 to 14 inches it was before. it still left plenty of room to chase the plumbing and electrical. its a compromise........

pitterpat

I'll call my electricain. tks

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Pat Harris
A HandyWOMAN Service, LLC
"Why call a handyman when you can call A HandyWOMAN?

SUPER STEVE

That Soffit Was Made Because You Live On A Slab And There Was No Way To Carry The Air To The Lower Floor. So They Built A Soffit To Carry Your Ducts For The Down Stairs. If They Had Built A Wood Floor On The Bottom Story The Ducts Would Have Been In The Floor!(cheap Bastards!) No Way To Get Rid Of That Exept To Move It.(right!)no What I Mean Is yeah, Right!!

PipeGuy

You can deduce all that from this?

pitterpat

WRONG!!! I don't live on a slab...you don't know what you are talking about. I'm glad that only YOU call yourself SUPER STEVE, because I don't!! Stay out of this thread...lost your crediability!!

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Pat Harris
A HandyWOMAN Service, LLC
"Why call a handyman when you can call A HandyWOMAN?

AAPaint

Doh!

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AA Quality Painting & Pressure Washing LLC
Jacksonville Painters
Jacksonville, FL.

20Two

You could just hang some commemorative Elvis plates on that soffit

I took down the soffit when I redid my kitchen - the only thing inside was some a/c ductwork, which I was able to move back to the wall and vent from there.