What can I do with my tumble drier?

[moshmoshi]

I need some advice/ideas about where to put my tumble drier. We've recently got a dishwasher and the drier needs a home.

I wanted to put the washing machine and tumble drier in the downstairs cloakroom but this looks like it will cost about £500 by the time we've bought a new sink and door etc. to make a kitchen cupboard out of the space the washing machine is in. The space left in the downstairs cloakroom would be tiny. We could just about afford this but not sure it will be a wise decision. We use the drier once or twice a week.

Our other options are:

Keep tumble drier in kitchen diner, it will fit in the corner but we'll need to get rid of the piano which is not used a lot but I like having.

Put drier in our bedroom, it would need to be in the same space as a bedside table probably.

Put drier in garage. There's no electricity so we'd need to buy some sort of petrol generator to run it. My DH would also use this for car/diy stuff.

Get rid of drier and use laundrette if needed.

We will probably be in this house for at least the next 5-10 years, my DM and DMiL think it would be worth spending the money to get it all sorted in downstairs bathroom but we're not sure. DH and I find it hard to make decisions like this. Can anyone help or suggest any other ideas?

I would probably put it in the downstairs cloak (unless you would have to lose the loo), it would be worth it. Otherwise, mine was in the garage for three years and was really handy there actually, we hung a ceiling drying rack over it too and it was a neat little space. I would have power run out there though, it's not a difficult or expensive job and sounds like it would be useful for you and your husband. We had an armoured cable running from the house to the garage to supply power. As we're doing building work at the moment, our dryer is in a bedroom and it is a pain in the ass.

Thanks, I don't think we could get power to our garage, it's across the car park about 30m from the back of our house. the whole car parking area would have to be dug up!

Could you get an armoured cable.to run electricity to the garage?

petrol generator is the worst idea.

It is possible to stack a drier on top of a washing machine. this is more common in utility rooms. the drier does not have to be in the same room as the washer, and does not need to be plumbed in, so is more flexible.

I know someone who has their dryer outside undercover and it seems to work well. Have you a shed?

Oh god, don't put it in the garage then. Spend the £500 and get it done properly in the cloak room. You really don't want to be running wet washing across a parking lot to the drier then running back to bring it all in. Laundry takes a lot of time over the years - convenience is crucial IMO.

Maybe a shed with power then? That's where my friends have theirs, just to the back of their house.

Will look into shed costs, garden very tiny though. Fits everyone think bedroom bad idea then? DH reluctant to spend £500.

Does not fits!

the £500 seems to cover additional things, and not just the cost of moving the drier.

It would be approx £500- £250- £300 for plumber to remove old sink, move radiator and wire in washing machine and drier, £100 for new narrow sink and £100 for door and plinth etc. needed to make a new kitchen cupboard where the washing machine currently is. I need to get a couple more plumbers quotes but I would be surprised to get anyone much cheaper.

DH's pov is £500 for all that or £0 for drier going in bedroom, it's a condenser drier so doesn't need venting.

Drier in bedroom instead of a bedside table will feel horrible.

Could you rejig the kitchen a bit and stack the washer and drier?

My first thought was to stack them, using something like this:
www.espares.co.uk/product/es187394/universal-washer-and-dryer-stacking-kit

If u are going to be there for 5-10 years then IMO its worth spending £500 to get the drier into a convenient location, ie not your bedroom.
As others have said, does it make life easier if you stack the drier?
Perhaps get prices from kitchen fitters too as many would be able to sort this out and they may charge less than a plumber.

Do you have an understairs cupboard? Mine is in there.....

I vote for moving it nearly into the bathroom once and for all.

Where are you op? We have just had our utility done and I have a small sink we removed and don't need now that you can have?

Thanks all for helpful ideas, I was planning to stack the drier in cloakroom if we decide to get that done. There's no way we can rejig kitchen to get it in there, kitchen is a tiny section of our medium size kitchen diner. Good idea about kitchen fitter I will try and find one to quote. Understairs cupboard too small-stupid new builds!

SunnyupNorth we are on south coast, your sink would be fab but don't think we're anywhere near judging by your use name!

I've got one of the stackers that MrsCakesPremonition mentions and it's great. Very sturdy and no problems when the washer is spinning. Mine's got a tray that pulls out so you can rest your washing basket on it.

Couldn't you just keep the washer in the sink then put dryer in the cloakroom?

Would that arrangement mean less plumbing work?

are you in a position where you can do without? (i.e. outside drying space and home enough that you can bring the washing in when it rains) or build covered drying space outside?

otherwise spend the money on the least worst option, the cloakroom.

I think I will ask the plumber how much just to move the sink and radiator and just move the drier in the cloakroom, that might well be a more affordable idea, thanks .

Yes sorry Moshi we are near Manchester!

Sorry, I meant keep the washer in the kitchen, not the sink! I think you understood, thank goodness.

Another vote for a stacker. Even if you have to lose the kitchen cupboard it's worth it for the convenience. Second place I've lived with this arrangement and it works really well.