How Do I Build A Laundry Room In My House?

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    It is possible to create a space that is both practical and attractive for doing laundry. Please keep in mind this is where you will be washing your clothes, linens, and other necessities. The efficiency of your washing process will depend on the layout you choose for the laundry room. So, a laundry room layout requires more consideration than one might initially assume. Your laundry room must prioritise functionality above all else, with plenty of area to work, bend, and shift about as necessary and all the necessary equipment to perform the job.

    What Do You Need?

    One of the tiniest rooms of a house is often overlooked while designing your new ideal home. We give careful thought to the kitchen lighting needs, but we spend a lot of time worrying about the bedroom sizes. I've planned for the open concept living rooms to be roomy and to have easy access to the backyard, and I've paid special attention to ensure that the bathroom can accommodate all of the kids at once. In that case, you should investigate laundry room organisation and storage options. Many homes in the United States and the United Kingdom have a sink and washer/dryer installed in the kitchen and bathroom. The lack of available space is typically the inspiration behind this design choice. Perhaps it's because that's where the water and sewer lines enter the building, which makes sense.

    how do i build a laundry room in my house (2)There are still houses in Australia that have laundry rooms that are separate from the rest of the house, and they are typically located near the master suite. But, with our Aspire, Fresh, and Calypso plans, you'll find that the laundry room is conveniently located near the kitchen. When you have the laundry in an easily accessible location, you can focus on other tasks around the house. Also, with Australian houses being smaller, the laundry is increasingly being placed in a cabinet or at the rear of the garage as in either Breeze or Seca plans. The washing machine is a household's unsung hero. Having a private exit to the clothesline outdoors is a must for any functional laundry room. It is imperative that it serves its purpose and operates efficiently due to its size. Here are some suggestions for making your laundry room more efficient and accommodating for your family's needs.

    Location

    Your laundry room layout should be based on the specifics of the area. Make sure the washing room is located far from the bedrooms and common areas when designing a large house. The loud drum spins of your wash should ideally be located far away from the rooms intended for relaxing and entertaining. Consider putting it close to the garage, or near the kitchen or butler's pantry. European laundries, in which the washer and dryer are concealed in a cabinet, are popular in smaller homes because of their space saving features. The space-saving design doesn't come at the expense of usability. Luckily, Australian homes are among the largest worldwide, so most have enough square footage to include a dedicated laundry area.

    FAQs About Building A Laundry Room In House

    The first step in planning a laundry is understanding what needs to go into it. The ‘standard’ laundry built into new houses these days need to accommodate:

    • a washer
    • a dryer, if you need one
    • adequate plumbing for your washer
    • power outlets / GPOs
    • a laundry trough (or sink or basin, if that’s what you call it)
    • enough storage space for linen and cleaning products
    • possibly a bench, and
    • possibly a broom cupboard.

    Where possible, when you’re building or renovating your laundry, it’s best to try and keep your appliances and plumbing all together on one wall - both to help save space and to keep all the plumbing together. Likewise, when you’re planning your storage, you’ll need to consider how ‘safe’ that storage is. Laundry chemicals can be quite dangerous, and if you’ve got small kids, it’s best to make sure you’ve got somewhere inaccessible to store them. The exact dimensions you’ll need to allow for appliances and sinks/troughs will depend on how hard up you are for space, but as a rough guide, you’ll need to plan for about 800mm width for your washer, or 1600mm if it’s going to be side-by-side with a dryer. Most washers and dryers will fit comfortably into this amount of space, but if you’re likely to need a larger one, you should design accordingly.

    If you take your laundry far too seriously and have enough space, you may also want to incorporate a built-in ironing board or a table for a big laundry press or roller iron. In some houses, the hot water tank will also be housed in the laundry area - usually tucked out of sight in a cupboard.

    European Laundries (Or ‘laundry Cupboards’)

    There’s no hard and fast rule about how laundry areas should be laid out – or even hard and fast rules about the need for dedicated laundry rooms. It’s very common in the UK to see laundries incorporated into kitchens to save space. While that’s rare in Australia, laundries here are often combined with bathrooms, making sense in plumbing terms. Our houses are usually quite a bit bigger in Australia, so most of the time, there’ll be a dedicated laundry room – typically with the features listed above but very rarely with much else.

    In recent years, ‘European laundries’ have taken off here in a big way – particularly in new flats and apartments. A ‘European laundry’ is a laundry cupboard or cabinet rather than a dedicated laundry room. European laundries incorporate everything you’d normally find in a laundry (e.g. space for washer, dryer, basin and storage) tucked into a cupboard.

    The biggest advantage with this kind of setup is that it ‘borrows’ space from the room it’s connected to, rather than sacrificing precious floor space exclusively to do laundry. In addition, laundry cupboards usually incorporate either bi-fold doors or a sliding ‘pocket door’, which disappears into the wall cavity to save space further. Likewise, clothes dryers are often mounted above washing machines in these areas. Not for everyone, but a good idea if you’re short on space, and (potentially) a fantastic way to renovate two rooms into one more open area.

    Laundries are often located near the house’s back door – often with the laundry trough situated right next to the door for convenient access. There are a couple of reasons for this, the most obvious being that it just makes it easier to take your washing out to the washing line. Laundries near the back door also act as a defacto’ mud room’, where dirty shoes and clothes can be dealt with before they’re dragged around the rest of the house. Of course, your laundry doesn’t necessarily have to be located near the back door. Depending on the size and layout of your house, it might make more sense to locate your laundry in a more convenient spot.

    To keep plumbing to a minimum and for the sake of energy efficiency, laundries are usually also located somewhere near your hot water system, and for the same reason, possibly close to your kitchen and perhaps also a bathroom - both of which also require a fair bit of plumbing. In addition, laundries are often situated in the cooler part of the house (e.g. the southeast corner), leaving the cosy, warmer areas free for rooms where you’re likely to spend a lot of time, like living rooms and bedrooms. Finally, keeping the laundry room away from living areas - particularly bedrooms - will also help to reduce the likelihood that noise from your washing machine will be a problem.

    Technical Considerations

    There are also technical things that will need to be taken into account for the design of your laundry. For example, because laundry is considered a ‘wet area’, the wall and floor construction will need to adhere to the rules in the Waterproofing of domestic wet areas. This standard also requires that a water-resistant surface material (e.g. tiles) be built at least 150mm above the surface of the laundry trough.

    If you have a dryer, it should be vented directly, preferably to the outside of your home. Where possible, an exhaust fan in the laundry may also help to prevent moisture/humidity from building up and reduce the chance that you’ll end up with mould on your walls.

    As one of the most used appliances in the home, the washing machine is a trusty workhorse that we sometimes take for granted. It’s typically used several times a week, for some families several times a day. It comes with assorted paraphernalia, and obviously, there is also dirty laundry to house and clean, wet laundry to dry.

    With a dedicated laundry room, all this gear has a ‘home’ and remains tidy and organised, and best of all, out of sight. Whether you are thinking of adding a whole new room to the home or changing the layout of your house to accommodate a laundry room, you will most likely need to get architectural drawings done up and apply for planning consent with the local authorities.

    When it comes to the fit-out of your laundry room, there is a host of clever storage devices available to make the most of every corner of the room, as well as a range of furnishes and fixtures to suit every budget.

    A basic budget of around AU$5,000 to AU$10,000 will allow you to remodel the interior of your house to create space for a small laundry room. Ideally, this area could be situated next to a bathroom or the kitchen so that plumbing points are close. Another fast and easy way of including a laundry room is to create space in the garage if the garage is large enough. Then, walls can quickly be added to build a separate room that houses a washing machine and drier and keeps all your laundry related items out of the way.

    If your house or flat is small and space is very limited, you could consider converting a wardrobe or closet to suit the purpose, or even dividing off some space from a large bathroom, for example. A smaller space would work well with a combination washing machine and drier in one. Washer/dryer combos are generally front-loading so that you can utilise the space above. Also, the combination machines have ventless driers to be installed anywhere. To save money and avoid spending a large amount all at once, reuse good appliances while ensuring that you create enough space for future appliances.

    Laundry rooms are very handy for storing chemical cleaning products that could be harmful to children. You can lock all of these dangerous products away in a laundry cabin. When you have a dedicated laundry room, everything you need from the detergents to the pins to the iron is stashed in one single place.

    Measurements and Plan

    The layout and size of the laundry room should be considered before choosing appliances and storage options when designing a new home. You should now have a better idea of what is feasible. Furthermore, your layout should include some wiggle room for inevitable minor adjustments (mostly for appliances).

    If you plan for how you actually do things, you can even cut down on the time spent folding clothes. However, there is no shortage of tried-and-true layout strategies that may lighten the load and make the task itself fun. It's been found that elevating or stacking appliances can lessen the need to bend or stoop when using them, which can be beneficial for some people's backs and joints. In larger dwellings, a washer and dryer will have their own dedicated space next to a workbench with a trough above.

    Appliances

    Which is better: a front-loading or top-loading washer? Front loaders are often slower and have smaller capacities than top loaders. A front loader, on the other side, is quieter than a side loader and can spin clothes faster, making it a better option for drying. Also, front loaders save money, electricity, and water over time. The top-loading model is not a viable choice if you want to place your drier on top of your washer due to space constraints.

    Storage

    When it comes to laundrettes, storage space is often overlooked but crucial. Make the most of your laundry room by integrating overhead cabinets with drawers, shelves, drawers, and countertop space. Linens and other items that require extra space can be stored in drawers, cabinets, and shelves. Cleansing equipment like a broom, vacuum, and other tools can be stored in high cabinets. Recently introduced pullout baskets eliminate the need for guests to bring their dirty clothes over by providing a discrete hiding spot for it.

    Laundry room layouts are not black and white. Whether you're in the "pre-handover," "post-handover," or "renovation" stages of a home, it all boils down to the home interior. Put in a plant, a limestone soap dish, some posters, or maybe some signboards to give it that special touch. When designing your laundry room, don't forget to think about where everything will go, how big it will be, what appliances you'll need, and where you'll place everything. It's where you keep clean clothes, so make it your own and make doing laundry there more pleasant.

    Sinks

    The days of putting a huge sink in a laundry room are over. They were commonly used to presoak clothes before being washed, but modern washing machines have made that task unnecessary. The family dog may be the only user of the laundry sink, but that is by no means a bad thing.

    Both vessel sinks and kitchen sinks can be found in most homes. A freestanding laundry tub with an integrated storage unit of varying depths. The drop-in sink, which is identical to a kitchen sink and is installed into preexisting cabinets, is also on the rise in popularity. Yet, have you considered doing away with the sink altogether as a means of saving room and facilitating the storage of laundry supplies? You can rest assured that this will free up much-needed room in even the smallest of washing machines.

    Built-In Cupboards

    how do i build a laundry room in my house (1)

    It's just as crucial to have sufficient storage space in the laundry room as it is in the kitchen. The layout of these cabinets should be planned after careful consideration of the items that will be stored there. Should we keep the vacuum, sweeping tools, mop, and ironing board in this space? If that's the case, you'll need to make sure your shelving and cabinets are built to support unusual sizes and forms. Laundry can be sorted and folded without leaving the room thanks to the bench area atop the cabinets.

    Adding shelves to the ceiling of your laundry room is a terrific way to make better use of vertical space. You can gain some extra space for storage without sacrificing usable floor area. The distance between your shelves should be sufficient so that you may stack your laundry detergents and other cleaning supplies. Avoid at all costs the disaster that would result from storing these bottles in any other position but upright.

    Hanging Space

    How often do you wash your hands? Will you also be ironing clothes there? If that's the case, you'll need a spot to dry your garments on a clothesline. Having somewhere to hang ironed garments is also a nice feature to have.

    Put some thought into setting up a clothesline that can be folded up or stored away when not in use. You can save a lot of room in your laundry room by utilising this clever storage solution. There are a number of space-saving clothing lines on the market that get the job done without sacrificing efficiency or neatness. Instead of using the vertical space above the cabinets to store items, you might consider having a rod built there. You should give more thought to making the room functional for doing laundry.

    Conclusion

    Clothes, linens, and other household items are washed in the laundry room, making it an essential element of the home. Above all else, the space must be useful, with plenty of room to work, bend, and shift, as well as all the tools and supplies need to complete the task at hand. Some Australian homes have dedicated laundry rooms, although in the United States and the United Kingdom it is common to find a washing machine and dryer in the kitchen or bathroom. Having a separate exit to the outdoor clothesline and thoughtful laundry room organisation and storage options can make the laundry room a more pleasant and functional space. Laundry rooms should be situated out of the way of living quarters and bedrooms, according to best practises for the area.

    Because of their compact design, European laundries are a popular choice in houses with limited square footage. Australia has some of the largest average home sizes in the world, thus most people have room for a separate laundry room. In order to properly select appliances and storage solutions, it is important to first obtain the necessary measurements and formulate a strategy. You can spend less time folding clothing if you account for how you actually work. Some people's backs and joints may benefit from reducing the need to stoop or bend when utilising appliances if those items are elevated or stacked.

    A laundry room's storage space is limited, so it's important to make the most of what you have by combining different types of cabinets, drawers, shelves, and even countertops. With the help of the pullout baskets, your guests won't have to bring their dirty laundry over. Most houses have at least one drop-in sink, one freestanding laundry tub, one vessel sink, and one kitchen sink. Plan out the layout of your laundry room down to the size of the cabinets and the placement of the washer and dryer. Like the kitchen, the laundry room requires plenty of cabinetry and drawers.

    The objects that will be kept in these cabinets should inform the design of their inside. Laundry can be sorted and folded without leaving the room thanks to the bench area atop the cabinets. The laundry room might benefit from having more storage space by having shelves installed in the ceiling. Foldable or stowable clotheslines should be installed, as well as a place to hang wet towels and ironed garments. Think about installing a rod above the cabinets rather than using the vertical space there to keep things.

    Content Summary

    • How you arrange your washer and dryer in the laundry room will determine how quickly and easily your laundry gets done.
    • Consider the characteristics of the space while designing the arrangement of your laundry room.
    • Calculations and Strategy
    • When planning a new house, it's important to think about the laundry room's layout and size before deciding on appliances and storage solutions.
    • The need of adequate storage space in laundrettes is frequently underestimated.
    • Organize your laundry room so that you may get the most out of the area by combining the use of overhead cabinets with those of shelves, drawers, and countertops.
    • Having a massive sink in the laundry room is so 2010.
    • But have you thought of getting rid of the sink altogether to free up space and make it easier to keep washing supplies on hand?
    • Laundry room storage space is equally as important as kitchen storage space.
    • One great technique to maximise storage in a small laundry room is to install shelves on the ceiling.
    • That means you'll need access to a convenient location where you can string up your laundry to dry.
    • You might have a rod installed in the area above the cabinets instead of using the vertical space for storage.
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