Design and layout
Utility room fitting
Utility room fitting is setting up a separate space for laundry and household jobs: base and tall units, a worktop over the washing machine and dryer, a sink, the water, waste and power they need, and ventilation to deal with moisture. It can be a dedicated room, a lobby off the kitchen, part of an existing garage, or an under-stairs space large enough for appliances.
When do you need utility room fitting?
A utility room takes the noise, the wet washing and the muddy boots out of the kitchen. People often add one while a new kitchen is being planned, because moving the washing machine and dryer out makes room for a unit width or two of drawers or a dishwasher. Others simply want somewhere to hang coats, keep the vacuum cleaner and store cleaning products away from children, all behind a door that closes.
We start with a free survey visit to see where the water, waste, power and nearest outside wall are, because those decide where the appliances and sink can go. You get an itemised written quote. We then fit the units and worktop, connect the washer, dryer and sink, add an extract fan and any vent the dryer needs, and check every connection for leaks before handover. A garage space needs to be dry and usable already; converting a garage is a separate building job.
What is included?
- Free survey visit to check water, waste, power and outside wall positions
- Base, wall and tall units fitted, levelled and fixed to the wall
- Worktop over the washing machine and dryer, supported clear of the appliances
- Washing machine supply, waste and isolation valve, tested for leaks
- A vent to outside for a vented dryer, or a drain hose for condenser models
- Stacking kit fitted where the washer and dryer sit one above the other
- Utility sink and tap plumbed in, with new supplies and waste where none exist
- Extract fan fitted to clear moisture from washing and drying
How much does utility room fitting cost?
These are national guide prices including VAT at 20%. Prices are higher in London and the South East and lower in much of the North, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area below for a local range.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Utility units and worktop fitted (fit only)Three to six units, laminate worktop, panels | £1,200–£3,000 |
| Utility room supplied and fittedUnits, worktop, sink, washer and dryer connections | £3,000–£7,000 |
| New utility plumbing for a sink and washing machineSupplies, waste and valves where none exist | £400–£1,000 |
Fit-only and supply-and-fit ranges cover units, worktop and standard sink and appliance connections, with new plumbing where none exists as a separate line; extract fans, dryer vents and new circuits are quoted on top. Your price is confirmed after a free survey visit.
How long does it take?
Typical timescale: 1 to 3 days on site. The programme for your kitchen is set out in the quote, and depends on the size of the room, what is moving, lead times for units and worktops and, after plastering, drying time.
Do you need permission or building regulations approval?
The rules differ across the UK. Choose your nation:
Fitting a utility room needs no planning permission in England, though a new dryer vent through the outside wall of a flat may need planning permission and the freeholder's consent. Adding sockets to an existing circuit is not notifiable, but a new circuit is, under Part P. Approved Document F sets an extract rate of about 30 litres per second for a utility room, so a new fan should be sized to meet it, and if an open-flued boiler shares the room, a Gas Safe registered engineer should carry out a spillage test once a fan is fitted.
In Wales, a utility room needs no planning permission; a listed building may need listed building consent, and a new vent through the outside wall of a flat may need planning permission. New circuits are notifiable under Part P, and so is extending a circuit within a kitchen, which covers a utility area that is part of the kitchen itself. The Welsh Approved Document F sets an extract rate for utility rooms, so a new fan should be sized to meet it, and a Gas Safe registered engineer should spillage-test any open-flued boiler in the room after a fan goes in.
In Scotland, fitting utility units, plumbing in appliances and adding an extractor fan do not normally need a building warrant, but the electrics must meet the building standards and BS 7671, so ask for an Electrical Installation Certificate. A new connection to an underground drain, for example from a utility in a garage, needs a warrant first. Where an open-flued boiler is in the room, a Gas Safe registered engineer should check its flue with a spillage test after a fan is fitted.
In Northern Ireland, fitting a utility room in an existing space needs no planning permission or building control application. There is no notification scheme for domestic electrical work, but sockets and any new circuit should be installed and tested to BS 7671 and certified. New drainage connections go to council building control, Technical Booklet K covers ventilation, and a Gas Safe registered engineer should spillage-test any open-flued boiler after an extract fan is fitted.
What should you think about before starting?
- Check which dryer you have: a vented dryer needs a duct to an outside wall, while condenser and heat pump dryers need emptying or a drain.
- Stacking the dryer on the washing machine saves width, but it needs a stacking kit that suits both machines and enough height for the pair.
- A worktop over appliances needs support at each side and a gap above the machines, so they can be slid out for servicing.
- If there is no water or waste in the space, new plumbing has to reach it, which is simplest close to an existing kitchen or bathroom.
- A utility in a garage needs to be dry, lit and kept above freezing already; converting the garage itself is a separate building job.
- Under-stairs spaces can take a washer and dryer, but check the headroom, the ventilation and room to pull machines out before committing.
How does the project run?
- Guide price. Use the online guide-price tool or call us for a realistic range for your area
- Free survey visit. We measure the room, check walls, floors and service positions, and look at the plan or delivery
- Itemised written quote. Broken down by stage and trade, with any worktop templating, engineer or approval costs listed
- Fitting in the right order. Strip-out, first fix, units, worktops, second fix and finishing, with the trades booked in sequence
- Final check and handover. A walk-round together, certificates for electrics and gas, and the manufacturers' documents
Questions about utility room fitting
Does a utility room need an extractor fan?
Yes, in most cases. Washing and drying put a lot of moisture into a small space, so extract ventilation is strongly advised: Approved Document F sets a rate of about 30 litres per second for utility rooms in England and Wales, and the building standards in Scotland and Technical Booklet K in Northern Ireland cover ventilation too. An extract fan ducted outside is the usual answer, with a window helping but not replacing it. A vented dryer needs its own duct as well.
Does a condenser or heat pump dryer need an outside vent?
No. Condenser and heat pump dryers do not need an outside vent, so they can go where a vented dryer cannot. They collect water in a container that has to be emptied, or they can be connected to the waste so they drain automatically, which is easy when the dryer sits beside the washing machine. They still give off some warmth, so the space needs air around it. A vented dryer needs a duct to an outside wall.
How much does it cost to fit a utility room?
Fitting three to six units and a laminate worktop that you have bought typically costs £1,200 to £3,000 including VAT. A utility room supplied and fitted, with units, worktop, sink and washer and dryer connections, is usually £3,000 to £7,000. New plumbing for a sink and washing machine where none exists adds about £400 to £1,000. Prices are confirmed after a survey visit.
Can a worktop go over a washing machine and dryer?
Yes, and it is one of the most common utility layouts. The worktop is supported by units, end panels or a rail at each side rather than resting on the machines, with a small gap above them for vibration and so they can be slid out for servicing. Standard front-loading machines usually fit under a standard-height worktop, but we check the appliance heights against the plan first.
Can a utility room go in a garage or under the stairs?
Often, yes, as long as the space already exists and is usable. In a garage it needs to be dry and protected from frost, with power and a route for water and waste. Under the stairs, check the headroom, the ventilation and whether a door can open fully. We fit units and connect appliances in existing spaces; converting a garage into a habitable room is a separate building project.
What if there is no plumbing where I want the utility?
New supplies and a waste can usually be run to the space. Hot and cold are taken from the nearest suitable pipework, isolation valves are fitted, and the waste is connected to an existing stack or waste pipe with a proper fall. Where the only route is a new connection to an underground drain, building control approval, or a building warrant in Scotland, is needed. New utility plumbing typically costs £400 to £1,000.
Related kitchen services
Where do we carry out utility room fitting?
We take on utility room fitting across England, Wales, mainland Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area for local guide prices and the rules that apply there.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- the East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- the Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- the West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire