A lot will depend on which way the joists run in the room and exactly what the source of the squeaks and humps are due to. You might be able to get by with using a flush cut saw, but if the cabinets are resting on the subfloor on a joist that will need to be sistered or otherwise beefed up and not sitting the right way, they will have to come out. Yes, you will need to replace the entire subfloor, and that will need to be done from above. I think it's time you cut a hole in the floor and did some exploring as to your joist's unsupported length, depth, and height. Cut a hole where the hump is, and see what you see. A lot of times, that's where a cross beam supports long span joists in the center and they aren't really robust enough so that lets them sag on both sides. That's where sistering the joists may come in. You can't tell until the floor and subfloor is gone.

P.S.: We are also wondering if the linoleum may have asbestos fibers in it, on the backing, or in the glue. Below are some photos if anyone can identify the era this linoleum was installed by the pattern. If we do decide to remove the linoleum, I would think we would need it removed by an asbestos abatement company. This seems dangerous, and expensive...so perhaps a floating floor is a safer and more cost-effective option for us? Also, could the crumbling areas (see 2nd photo, lower right area) be releasing asbestos fibers into our kitchen? The main area that is crumbling is the black border that is near the kitchen sink. This black border linoleum has a white fleck type of pattern to it, although it is so crumbly that it is hard to see the pattern in the photo. One last thought: we are very sensitive to chemical smells and vapors, and have heard some laminate flooring, especially the bamboo, releases chemical-type odors or vapors, possibly formaldehyde? Is a floating, traditional hardwood floor the best option for us? Is there such a thing? Thanks again.

If you're still interested, it was bamaspice's awesome kitchen. I'll post the link to the FKB and she explains how she did it. FWIW, I'm attempting this with my old cabs that we removed, trying to make a portable craft station with a couple of old base cabs on casters. Mine weren't super smooth once I peeled the laminate off though. I'm wondering if they can be skim coated or something to smooth the texture. But because they are just going to be in my basement I didn't worry about it and just primed with Kilz and spray painted black. I've only done one door and one drawer so far, haven't figured out what to do about the sides and back of the cabs yet. Good luck! Robin Here is a link that might be useful: bamaspice's amazing kitchen transformation!

Ok. Let me try this again. I have color-coded the drawing to help explain what I am asking. What I am trying to accomplish is to have the benefit of extra space without totally removing the load-bearing wall. With the island I would like to put in, I won't have a wide enough walkway if I line the load-bearing wall with cabinets. However, I was thinking that I might be able to keep the support from the load-bearing wall, place a pantry, closets or cabinets around the supports for that wall, and create a non-load bearing wall behind it. Sort of bumping the wall back without losing the structural integrity it provides and without the cost of removing it, especially because I would need to put up another wall between the dining room and kitchen, even if it is not as long. Otherwise, there is nowhere to put the fridge. This means I would lose some space in the dining room, but we don't use it more than 1-2/times per year. I am attaching some photos of my very ugly current kitchen to give you a better idea of the current layout. At this point, I am wondering if this idea has any merit before I move into other floor plans for the space. I really, really want the big island but am not sure if it is feasible. 1. View from dining room into kitchen: view from front hallway near stairway 3.kitchen from family room 4. view of load-bearing wall from kitchen toward the dining room 5. another view of load-bearing wall 6. from garage entrance into kitchen 8.from bay window area toward load-bearing wall If there are other views you would like to see, please let me know.