Utility room fitting · England
Utility room fitting in Devon
Utility room fitting in Devon starts with a free visit to measure up, then a written scope and quote before any work begins.
Why utility room fitting for a Devon home?
In a Devon house where the garage is already used for storage rather than the car, some people fit a run of units and the laundry along one wall.
If the kitchen in your Devon home is a narrow galley, a separate utility can take the appliances that would otherwise crowd the worktop and storage.
What does utility room fitting in Devon include?
Here is what usually goes into utility room fitting, adjusted to your Devon kitchen after we have measured it:
- 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 in Devon?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in the South West. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Costs in the South West sit close to the national guide.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Utility units and worktop fitted (fit only)Three to six units, laminate worktop, panels | £1,200–£3,100 |
| Utility room supplied and fittedUnits, worktop, sink, washer and dryer connections | £3,100–£7,200 |
| New utility plumbing for a sink and washing machineSupplies, waste and valves where none exist | £410–£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. Prices include VAT at 20%.
Kitchens in homes across Devon
Across Devon you will often find cob and thatched cottages, Victorian terraces, post-war houses and flats and seaside bungalows, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Victorian terraces in Exeter and Torbay often have a narrow back kitchen, while post-war houses and seaside bungalows usually have a square room that suits an L-shape.
Much of Devon has soft mains water, which is kind to taps and appliances, though some eastern parts are harder, so check with your supplier. Single-track lanes, steep town streets and cottages with no parking can make deliveries slow, so long worktops and tall units need a planned route into the house.
Cob and stone cottages often have walls that are out of true and need breathable finishes, which affects how units and splashbacks are fixed. Seaside bungalows more often need a full replacement with better storage, sometimes with the old dining area opened into the kitchen.
Rules for utility room fitting in Devon
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 Dartmoor or Exmoor national parks, listed thatched cottages and conservation areas may need consent before a new extractor vent goes through an outside wall.
Before you start
- A worktop over appliances needs support at each side and a gap above the machines, so they can be slid out for servicing.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Plan the sockets in your Devon utility so each appliance can be switched off at an accessible switch without moving the machine.
- Measure the washer and dryer heights, including any stacking kit, before ordering wall units or shelves to go above them.
Questions about utility room fitting in Devon
How much does utility room fitting cost in Devon?
Guide prices in Devon are about £1,200 to £3,100 including VAT for fitting three to six utility units and a worktop you have bought. The final price depends on the size of the kitchen and what is moving, and is set out in an itemised written quote.
Do you cover the whole of Devon?
Yes. We carry out utility room fitting across Devon, including Plymouth, Exeter, Paignton and Torquay. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
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.
Utility room fitting in towns across Devon
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Utility room fitting in Plymouth
- Utility room fitting in Exeter
- Utility room fitting in Paignton
- Utility room fitting in Torquay
- Utility room fitting in Newton Abbot
- Utility room fitting in Exmouth
- Utility room fitting in Barnstaple
- Utility room fitting in Bideford
- Utility room fitting in Plymstock
- Utility room fitting in Tiverton
- Utility room fitting in Tavistock
- Utility room fitting in Honiton
- Utility room fitting in Ilfracombe
- Utility room fitting in Totnes
- Utility room fitting in Okehampton