Where to put the laundry room?

[CurrerBell]

We are just about to go through building regs for our extension, and I'm having last minute doubts about the layout...

I always envisaged a lovely futility room (have never had one before) when we started the plans. However, we've ended up with basically a cupboard off the hallway, which just fits the washing machine and tumble dryer side by side. Not much space in front, so to access it I'd have to stand in the doorway, blocking the corridor. It might be fine... but it's a compromise as we also want to fit in a decent sized playroom-cum-study downstairs. The only alternative really is having the white goods in the new kitchen diner.

After seeing it mentioned on a few threads, I am wondering about having an upstairs laundry room... It would mean sacrificing our small fifth bedroom (currently our study), but we would have the space for washing machine, tumble dryer, ironing board, clothes airers, extra wardrobe space... and it would save all the trips up and downstairs with dirty washing. Has anyone done this and got it to work for them?

We have no plumbing on this side of the house though, so I'm not sure how difficult it would be to sort that out? Please, help me make a decision before the plans are set in stone!

[CMOTDibbler]

I'd use upstairs, then you can really fit it out as a proper laundry room, and do everything in one place

[Happyasapiginshite]

I know nothing about plumbing so can't help you there but I once lived with a (rich) family in New York who had the upstairs laundry room and I thought it was fantastic. The only snag I could see would be if you ever dry your clothes outdoors, it might be a pain having to bring a basket of wet washing down the stairs. If you tumble dry (or use a clothes horse), I think it's a fantastic idea.

[TerrorCottaPumpkinPie]

Not got a clue how that would be. But not having to go up and downstairs with washing sounds wonderful!

Only thing I thought is whether the washing machine on a spin cycle would be noisy downstairs? And upstairs for that matter whilst sleeping (if you put washer or dryer on overnight). No doubt there's ways to overcome that?

[SaraBellumHertz]

I wouldn't have an upstairs Laundrey room at expense of a study.

Personally I think Laundrey room needs to be big enough to hang washing/use an ironing board in and have space for a sink and sufficient work surface for a basket of folded washing.

I also think it's important to have outdoor access so that it's the room your DC come in through from outside if they are wet/filthy so that clothes/muddy boots can be dispensed with on the tiled floor.

If you can't achieve most of these requirements when starting from scratch I'd add the space where it can be better used.

[Sleepwhenidie]

Ours is on the landing, so sort of upstairs, perfectly positioned for hurling dirty laundry from bedrooms and the bottom of the stairs . Upstairs makes so much more sense, I would definitely go for that.

Re noise, if I end up loading the washer before i go to bed then I usually put the delayed start on so it gets going first thing in the morning without me having to bother with it. It would be noisy running at night.

[mckenzie]

I'd definitely have a laundry room upstairs (very scandinavian I think). I tumble dry and air dry much more often than I line dry in this climate so the 'getting it downstairs to the garden' issue would be minimal. And although I'm lucky enough to have a downstairs utility room it's quite small and so doesn't totally fulfil its role and I would love love love to move it upstairs to be more spacious.

good luck with the plumbing issue though - can't help you on that at all

[DorsetKnob]

Upstairs.

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

Upstairs makes sense but you may have plumbing issues

If you keep the downstairs idea you could put shelves and fold down hanging racks. Look on pinterest. There are some really cute ideas.

I would rather that then have them in the kitchen

[Mintyy]

Downstairs. The damage from a washing machine leak is so very much less complicated and costly.

[Yorky]

We are meeting with our architect tomorrow to finalise plans for building control, having got PP last week

We are having a small upstairs laundry room - not big enough to iron in, no sink, but room to house the washer, dryer and airer, and to shut the piles of laundry away from sight

It will be in the extension next to the shower room so we can put the plumbing where we need it. I don't think I'd lose the study for it, but can understand that if you want the kitchen diner to be a social family area its easier to talk without the washer spinning in the corner

[BerylStreep]

I think sacrificing a 5th bedroom could knock a fair bit of value from your house.

I'd go for the downstairs glorified cupboard. We have our washing machine under the stairs, and went for a washer drier to save space. Could you do something like that? Or stack the washing machine / drier in a fab cupboard?

[Pannacotta]

I would go for upstairs if you can as I think its much more practical (we are converting a small upstairs loo to a laundry cupboard as we have no utility room).
You can buy things to help with the noise, eg
www.amazon.co.uk/Genuine-Electrolux-Washing-vibration-50291828007/dp/B0027DJ5C2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2M6GIT0A1CB6B&coliid=IVF0VOCEOQVSE&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

But if the plumbing is too complicated and you do keep it downstairs, could you create something like this, perhaps with folding doors ?
pinterest.com/pin/132715520238575317/

[Pannacotta]

I should add that we have given over one bedroom to clothes storage/ironing/drying racks and general storage and its great (or will be once I get round to sorting out proper wardrobes!).
I think the kind of arrangment you are looking at means that you can keep the rest of the house free of washing/drying/random clothes which makes it easier to keep on top of laundry.

[PorkyandBess]

I would love to have a laundry room upstairs, but not at expense of a useful room like a study.

I'd go with the cupboard in hallway as a compromise, as the last place I'd want washer and dryer is in the kitchen.

[ArbitraryUsername]

We've just put in a laundry/futility/ storage room in the back of our (integral) garage. There's access direct from the house and a roller garage door at the front (for muddy kids and bikes). We've got a worktop, 1.5 stainless steel sink and drainer, a double cupboard and space/plumbing for a washing machine and tumble dryer. We're going to put in a pulley for clothes drying and some lino on the floor in the futility area, plus plenty of other storage.

We'd never put a car in the anyway and it frees up lots of space in the kitchen.

[Pannacotta]

The OP said that there would be a combined study/playroom downstairs, so I dont think the upstairs laundry wouldnt mean losing a study...

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

My mum had her utility room in the garage too. Worked very well and kept the noise out!

[ArbitraryUsername]

The downside is that I hate carrying laundry up and down stairs, but there's definitely no space for a laundry room upstairs.

[BerylStreep]

Pannacotta - I want that laundry cupboard .

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

Laundry should be as close to where it is created as possible.

We are currently planning an extension and DH wanted to move the utility room as far from the bedrooms as possible so that the current utility room could become a study.

I said that would be fine as long as he agreed to do all the laundry!

[CurrerBell]

Wow, thanks for all the responses!

Re the study. It is around 6.6m square so a small single bedroom. It currently stores the PC and DH's business accounts - it is nice to have a dedicated room for this. However, we have planned a downstairs playroom which could also double as the new study?

Or, I suppose we could leave the study upstairs, and have a huge utility room downstairs instead of a playroom. It would be near to the kitchen with access to the outside for coming in with messy shoes, etc.

Sometimes I think I'd love a utility room downstairs, as a kind of second kitchen (somewhere to put the breadmaker, chest freezer, as well as messy stuff, laundry etc). But I just don't know if a playroom, ie living space, is more important. The kids are quite young so it's difficult to know what our needs will be when they are older and bringing friends home, etc.

Yorky - it is interesting to see your plans. Our house is a similar style! I will try and do a link to our plans.

[tara0202]

I think I'd have the laundry room upstairs personally. You'd still have 4 bedrooms and would have a study downstairs.

I've just moved and got a utility with loads of space (and a laundry chute that goes straight into a cupboard in the utility room from upstairs - god, I love that chute as does DD who sends all manner of things down it)

Having the space to do all the washing and ironing and have the clothes horse out is really great.

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

well if we are doing pinterest! I like these two;

pinterest.com/pin/171207223305468947/

pinterest.com/pin/42643527691151550/

I've also been considering this type of thing

www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk/home-storage/extending-clothes-dryer-wall-mounted?ret=7

[BerylStreep]

IME playrooms and studies don't tend to mix well.

[tara0202]

Just on seeing your last response, OP. I would definitely keep the play room which can grow with the kids to a den type room for when they are teenagers.