In recent years, homeowners and builders have been paying more attention to one of the busiest rooms in the house, the laundry room. Some contractors have renamed this frequently used room to “laundry living spaces” because of their multipurpose functions, such as additional storage closets, sinks, and fancy colourful washers and dryers. However, no matter what you may call this room, convenience is the most important thing for determining where it is located in the house.
The Past
To look at the history of the laundry room, it has been downgraded, upgraded, and ignored. It has been moved everywhere in the home from garages to basements, kitchens to closets and even to the second storey of the home. In some homes, it's a beautiful spacious room in the center of a house. Oddly, over the decades from its inception, no one seems to agree on where it really belongs or best suited in the house. However, where it ends up in your house may very well impact whether you consider it to be one of the best rooms or not.
The Present
In the past, laundry rooms were stuck in a garage or basement because the washer and dryer were loud machines. However, through advanced technology design over the decades, washers and dryers have gotten quieter and more visually appealing. When this changeover occurred, homeowners began to rethink where else the machines could be located for more convenience.
Some people opted to have the laundry room on the main floor but tucked away in a closet. Others chose to move the laundry room upstairs near the bedrooms in a two storey home. A survey by local builders showed that many new-home buyers, particularly the younger set, prefer an upper-level laundry room rather than the main floor because of the ease of eliminating carting dirty laundry up and down stairs. The latest location that is growing in popularity is to have a laundry room added to the master bedroom’s walk-in closet.
Relocating your Laundry Room
Before you think about relocating your laundry room, there are several considerations to ponder because it can be very costly, so it takes some thought and planning.
Your first step is to contact a structural engineer, particularly if you’re thinking about moving the laundry room upstairs. It must be determined if the floor joists are sturdy enough and can support the extra weight and vibrations. If you are in an older home, framing might need to be beefed up with additional sistering or blocking. In addition, a clear path must be established for the new plumbing, venting, and electrical and/or gas line. Space planning issues are best dealt with by an architect. They can go over the floor plan and also incorporate any necessary mechanical changes to the design.
The next step is to hire a professional plumbing company, like A. McKenna plumbing. We can help you get your drain holes in place in case of leaks from water in the laundry room. A. McKenna can add new supply lines and help you with every step of the way with your new laundry room project. You will also need an electrician to install a 240-volt line if the dryer is electric. If it’s gas-fueled, you will require a new gas line plus a 120-volt circuit. And don’t forget about the venting aspect of your project. Your dryer must have a vent to go outside in addition to overall ventilation due to the added humidity level of the room.
Lastly, after you’ve worked out all of the kinks and details for the laundry room relocation, you may want to choose a stylish washer and dryer because more homeowners are viewing their appliances like pieces of furniture. You can find new models in different styles, colours, sizes and capacities.
Finish your new laundry room in a paint tone that is cheery and bright, like yellow, blue or green. With a few tweaks, you can transform your laundry room into both a more pleasant place to go and a room that looks like a million bucks!
We understand that relocating your laundry room is not an easy task, and that's why we're here to help. Contact us and our team of professional plumbers will guide you through the process.