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19" soffit over kitchen counter tops? Truss company screwed up

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

between me and the truss company, there was a mix up. Sparing all the details, the gable truss that was supposed to be about 16" off the wall had to be set at 19". I wanted it to match up with my upper cabinets.

In any case, i'm not doing uppers anyway so it doesn't really matter, but i'm still currently left with the gable truss extending out 19" over my kitchen counters. What to do?

1. cut the gable out and make it a standard truss, make the wall behind counters go all the way to the ceiling.

Pros - probably looks more normal and definitely more open.

cons - range vent and cover will have to run all the way to ceiling peak (about 15'), have to use pendant lighting for lighting counter tops

2. leave gable where it is and have a 19" soffit over one of the counter tops.

Pros - I could probably use spot can lighting in it for when i'm working in kitchen. range vent cover would only have to run to 9'.

cons - looks kinda goofy? doesn't match other side of kitchen cabinets.

soffit in question is over the bottom counter tops. truss company confirmed its fine to cut the boards off.

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Comments (4)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
6 years ago
Do you have images you can share?
User
6 years ago
Another request for images. I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're saying.
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What a mistake! Hopefully you have posted on the Building a House forum for input. I wouldn't do either of your proposed options if this happened to me. I know these options are more work, but I'd prefer to remove the soffit and change the door opening into the kitchen, building the soffit over that opening. This creates a deeper hall. To me you keep the dramatic ceiling that you are apparently going after and it's much less of an interruption to the eye. I guessed at your ceiling height; I know it's not correct but this gives a visual. I would also do a fridge surround and cabinets on top of your baking station. Or, if you don't mind the lowered ceiling there, I'd go all the way across with a deeper soffit to match the wall to the left of the fridge. This give you more balance and storage. I would have attempted to go as high as the soffit with cabinetry, but I don't know your height there. Hopefully, this bump gets you some more input.
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User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Trusses cannot be modified without a written stamped plan from the engineer. Trusses can remade a lot easier than permission to modify can be given. The liability is too great for field modifications from an unknown skill set instead of factory conditions under supervision. Bottom chords are NOT going to be removable. That is a key structural component!

They screwed up, they remake it. Simple. You screwed up, you pay to have it rebuilt. Also simple. Remaking on site as a kludge? Invalidates the engineering.
ILoveRed
6 years ago
Our truss company made one truss too long. I don't know exactly how it happened but they took full responsibility. They rebuilt the truss correctly, our framers worked backwards, "unbuilt" the area where the long truss was installed. This took about 1 day of two men working to replace the truss. They paid for our framers labor as well. I suppose they were lucky it was caught early.

any chance you can get this fixed properly?

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