Kitchen Remodel – Blue Bell, PA
This 200-square-foot kitchen in Blue Bell was 30 years old and showed it — worn cabinets, old appliances, a soffit over the upper cabinets that compressed the ceiling line, and dated wallpaper on the walls. The remodel addressed each of those things: the soffit came out, white cabinets went in, new appliances were installed with upgraded wiring for each, and the patio doors were replaced with new sliding doors that bring in more natural light and improve outdoor access. An under-counter fridge was integrated into the new layout.
What This Project Included
- Removal of existing cabinetry and soffit
- Removal of dated wallpaper
- New white kitchen cabinets throughout
- New countertop
- Replacement of patio doors with new sliding doors
- New appliances, including a microwave, refrigerator, and under-counter fridge
- Electrical wiring upgrades for each new appliance
- Recessed lighting installation
- Ceiling fan installation
- Under-counter fridge integrated into cabinetry layout
The Soffit: Why It Came Out
Soffits in older kitchens — the enclosed box that fills the space between the top of the upper cabinets and the ceiling — were a standard construction detail from the mid-20th century through the 1980s. They were built to conceal ductwork, plumbing, or wiring that ran above the cabinets, or simply to create a finished-looking transition between the cabinet tops and the ceiling at a time when building that space out was considered cleaner than leaving it open.
Removing a soffit in a kitchen remodel is one of the higher-impact moves available. It restores the full ceiling height in the room, creates the opportunity to install taller cabinets that reach the ceiling (eliminating the dust-collecting gap above upper cabinets that shorter boxes leave), and opens up the vertical space that makes a kitchen feel larger. Whether the soffit conceals anything that has to be rerouted — ductwork, pipe chases — determines how involved the removal is. In this Blue Bell kitchen, the soffit came down as part of the full cabinet replacement scope.
Patio Doors to Sliding Doors: Light and Access
The original patio doors were replaced with new sliding doors. This change does two things: it updates the visual connection between the kitchen and the outdoor space, and it improves the amount of natural light entering the room. Older patio door units — especially from the 1980s and 1990s — have narrower glass areas and heavier frames than current sliding door products. A new sliding door with a larger glass panel and a thinner frame brings in measurably more daylight and makes the backyard visually present from inside the kitchen in a way the old doors did not.
In a 200-square-foot kitchen, natural light from a full sliding door unit is a significant contributor to how open and functional the space feels during daylight hours. This is not a cosmetic change — it is a light-and-air improvement that affects daily use.
Under-Counter Fridge: Integrating a Second Cooling Zone
An under-counter fridge integrated into the cabinetry layout creates a second cooling zone at counter height — useful for beverages, frequently accessed items, or specialty storage that does not belong in the main refrigerator. Integrating it into the cabinetry means it occupies a dedicated cabinet bay rather than sitting freestanding on the counter or floor, which keeps the visual line of the lower cabinets continuous.
Installing an under-counter fridge in a new kitchen requires planning the cabinet layout to include a bay of the correct width and depth, ensuring an outlet is present at the right location inside the cabinet, and accounting for the fridge’s ventilation clearance requirements. When done at the time of the kitchen remodel, these requirements are addressed in the design phase rather than retrofitted afterward.
Wiring Upgrades for Three Appliances
New appliances — microwave, refrigerator, and under-counter fridge — each required dedicated or upgraded electrical circuits. Modern kitchen appliances draw more power than older units, and refrigerators in particular are required by code to have a dedicated circuit. A 30-year-old kitchen’s wiring was designed for the appliance loads of 30 years ago; updating the wiring to support current appliances is part of a responsible kitchen remodel, not optional work to save money.
Three Weeks from Start to Finished Kitchen
A 200-square-foot kitchen remodel with soffit removal, full cabinet replacement, new appliances, sliding door replacement, and electrical upgrades completed in three weeks is an efficient schedule. Three weeks account for: demo and rough-in (soffit removal, wiring, door framing) in week one; cabinet installation and countertop templating in week two; appliance installation, finish work, and punch list in week three. Any one phase running long pushes the others.
Homeowners doing kitchen remodels live without a functional kitchen for the duration of the project. Three weeks is a meaningful difference from six or eight weeks — it limits the disruption and gets the family back to using their kitchen faster.
Kitchen Remodeling in Blue Bell and Montgomery County
Blue Bell is a community in Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, with a mix of residential development from the 1960s through the 1980s. Kitchens in homes from that era often have the combination of features that defined this project: soffits, patio doors from the original construction, and cabinetry that has reached the end of its useful life. A full remodel that addresses all of those simultaneously — rather than replacing cabinets and leaving everything else — produces a result that reads as a new kitchen rather than an updated old one.
Belmax Remodeling works throughout Blue Bell and the broader Montgomery County area. For more on our kitchen work, see our kitchen remodeling service page. Homeowners in Blue Bell can also visit our Blue Bell kitchen remodeling page for more completed local projects.
Considering a Similar Project?
Kitchen remodels in the 200-square-foot range with soffit removal, full cabinet replacement, appliance upgrades with electrical work, and door replacement typically fall in the $18,000–$25,000 range in Montgomery County. This Blue Bell project came in at $21,000, completed in three weeks in October 2024. To discuss what your kitchen would involve, request a free estimate.