Utility room fitting · Hampshire
Utility room fitting in Alton
Utility room fitting for Alton homes: utility rooms fitted with units, a sink, washer and dryer connections and a worktop over the appliances. Every job starts with a free survey visit and a written quote.
When does utility room fitting make sense in Alton?
When a new kitchen is being planned in Hampshire, moving the laundry to a utility often makes room for deep drawers or a dishwasher in the kitchen itself.
Dog owners and keen walkers around Alton often ask for a utility with a deep sink, a coat cupboard and somewhere to leave muddy boots and wet jackets. Alton sits about 25 miles north-east of Southampton, and our Hampshire coverage takes in everything in between.
What is included in the work?
Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:
- A vent to outside for a vented dryer, or a drain hose for condenser models
- Free survey visit to check water, waste, power and outside wall positions
- Extract fan fitted to clear moisture from washing and drying
- Stacking kit fitted where the washer and dryer sit one above the other
- Washing machine supply, waste and isolation valve, tested for leaks
- Base, wall and tall units fitted, levelled and fixed to the wall
How much does utility room fitting cost in Alton?
The figures below are guide prices for Alton, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the South East. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Utility units and worktop fitted (fit only)Three to six units, laminate worktop, panels | £1,400–£3,400 |
| Utility room supplied and fittedUnits, worktop, sink, washer and dryer connections | £3,400–£8,000 |
| New utility plumbing for a sink and washing machineSupplies, waste and valves where none exist | £460–£1,200 |
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. Prices include VAT at 20%.
House types around Alton and what they mean for a kitchen
Across Hampshire you will often find Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war estate houses and thatched and brick cottages, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Terraces in Southampton and Portsmouth often have a narrow back kitchen, while post-war estate houses tend to have a compact rectangular room suited to an L-shape.
Dense terraced streets can be very tight for parking, and New Forest lanes and village roads may limit the size of delivery vehicle. Water across Hampshire is mostly hard, largely from chalk sources, so limescale on taps and boiling water taps is common and a filter can help.
Building regulations, electrics and gas in Alton
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.
Homes within the New Forest or South Downs national parks, listed cottages and conservation areas may need consent for a new extractor vent or alterations to historic features.
Getting the most from your utility room fitting
- Ask for an isolation valve on the washing machine supply that can be reached without pulling the machine out from under the worktop.
- Leave room behind the washing machine for the hoses; pushing it hard against the wall can kink them and stop the water draining properly.
- If the utility will be in the garage of your Alton home, make sure the space stays above freezing in winter for the pipes and machines.
- 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.
Questions about utility room fitting in Alton
How much does utility room fitting cost in Alton?
For fitting three to six utility units and a worktop you have bought, budget around £1,400 to £3,400 including VAT in Alton. That reflects typical costs in the South East; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover all of Alton?
Yes. We work across Alton, including the GU34 postcode district, and nearby towns such as Bordon and Farnham. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.
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.
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.
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.
Nearby places we cover
We also carry out utility room fitting in these towns near Alton:
- Utility room fitting in Bordon
- Utility room fitting in Farnham
- Utility room fitting in Basingstoke
- Utility room fitting in Petersfield
- Utility room fitting in Fleet
- Utility room fitting in Aldershot
- Utility room fitting across Hampshire