If you're on a budget converting the conservatory into a dining space might help. This way you can have a utility room and maybe even a pantry. Your kitchen is already quite small - trying to add a shower and utiliy would be challenging to say the least.

Hi Sasi, I understand your dilemma here, it is difficult to configure the layout without knowing the options for wall removal. I would suggest contacting your local council and asking to speak with the planning department as a first call, they will be able to refer you to a surveyor who could inform you on whether the kitchen/dining wall is load bearing.

I have a feeling it may be since there are only 2 main walls supporting the ground floor, that being one of them! However best to check with the experts first. Once you get clarity on this and if it is possible, you could remove the wall and have an open plan kitchen/diner, utilising the conservatory for dining as Kay has suggested.

You could then consider a utility and shower room space coming from under the stairs into the end of the kitchen. Of course knocking walls down definitely adds quite a lot cost wise, but if you were prepared for that there could be some cost effective ways of laying out the space once it's gone.

Hope that makes sense, let me know what the outcome is if you find out about the wall removal and if I can help any further!

I’m in Reading, in a similar position (similar house too actually) and Michael Aubrey partnership (structural engineers) came out and assessed did our drawings, etc, they also manage the building refs side of things included in their fee and can provide a list of contractors to do the work if needed. I called them in March and they came out the following week, drawings a week after that. We are now trying/waiting to get a builder in as they are all super busy right now! I recommend them as you need proper assessment and drawings done, and building refs approval when taking walls out, for safety reasons, and also as you may need to show these when selling your house.

“Bldg regs” - autocorrect nightmare

@daisyfrau Thank you, could you please let me know how much it cost to get the assessment done (rough approx is fine). I need to add a new kitchen before moving in and would like this wall gone prior.

I don’t think you can realistically add a utility and shower room - there simply isn’t the space there. We are looking to extend across the back (ie add an L shaped extension where your conservatory all the way across and behind the garage) in the future, to incorporate utility (behind garage) and make a new bigger kitchen-family room. The space where the kitchen is now would have downstairs loo (we don’t have one) in pretty much the same spot as yours and either be incorporated into the new kitchen or the new utility room.

The best tip I can give is to walk around your neighbourhood and see who has extended then go onto the planning website and look up their planning permission documents. You will find all the before and after floorplans there as well as which architect they used. Then you can focus on plans you like and ask the relevant neighbours what their experience with those professionals was and if they would recommend them...