It isn't the end of the world at all. You have nothing to lose to ask about it and if they can't/won't then c'est la vie. Come to think of it, if they weren't willing to do it, I imagine it could be done by a contractor.
10.8 feet is getting to be pretty standard. Where I currently live, the width is 10 feet. Room for a sofa, coffee table, and entertainment unit but certainly plenty of room for walk through. Extra patience and care took into my purchasing a coffee table. At the end of the day, it's all about maximizing space and how you go about doing it.