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Original poster

Laundry room Upstairs?

37 replies

movingtokent · 31/12/2014 07:28

We are about to start a major renovation and have space upstairs to put in a small laundry room with a washing machine and tumble dryer, shelves and a airer. Anyone tell me what I need to consider when putting this in. Dh not convinced as everyone has these downstairs but I am sick of carrying clothes up and down the stairs and also the utility room is full of muddy boots and vegetables. Thanks

OP posts:

mildlymiffed · 31/12/2014 07:31

I think it's a great idea and would love to have an upstairs laundry. Of course- consider where the water supply with come in for the washing machine. Are you going to have a vented or a condensing tumble dryer. Is there enough space for an airer or a Sheila's maid. Are you going to store anything else in there- ie towels or sheets? Will it have a window?

KatieKaye · 31/12/2014 07:34

Great idea But, remember that if hang clothes outside, then you will be lugging wet, heavy stuff downstairs in the better months - which I'd be fine with!

I'd want the room to have a window for natural ventilation and I'd keep the laundry basket in there.
I'd also site it away from any party walls, and that way you could run loads in the evening.
Can you also keep the ironing board and iron in there too?
I'd keep cleaning stuff for upstairs in there too. If you can afford 2 hoovers, I'd keep one permanently upstairs.

Now wishing desperately I had space upstairs for a laundry room!

feesh · 31/12/2014 07:44

We had one in our last villa and it was brilliant. It was just a cupboard with a sliding door containing the washing machine and tumble drier (with external vent for the dryer) and some cupboards for the storage of laundry liquid etc and my god it made such a difference to the ease of washing. Do it! More british homes should adopt this!

Original poster

movingtokent · 31/12/2014 07:47

It will be next to a shower room so ok for plumbing. Tumble dryer would have to be condenser as it is a space with no window. Yes space for ironing board and cleaning stuff. It is a room in the eaves as we have a large sloping roof which goes from one side of the house to the other and are not allowed to raise it so otherwise will just be storage. Do I need to put the washing machine on something to help with the vibrations?

OP posts:

mateysmum · 31/12/2014 07:53

Upstairs laundry rooms are a great idea especially if there is space to dry the clothes there as well (I don't mean in the tumble dryer), but if you are going to dry clothes on an airer, make sure you have sufficient ventilation. maybe an extractor fan if there is no window or you'll end up with damp problems.

BauerTime · 31/12/2014 08:09

Would a dehumidifier tackle the ventilation problem if there is no window?

We are putting a laundry room in our new house that will have no window and had thought this would suffice?

Gozogozo · 31/12/2014 08:57

Having tried to do this, I can tell you what my builder thought - I know no better.
Anti vibration mats are available, as are some 'universal' anti vibration w/m feet.
Some new w/m have a leak detector built in.
It's a great idea so long as your floor is strong enough; as UK upper floors are usually suspended wood, this isn't always possible. European houses often have concrete floors, he said.
Assumptions are that you can get plumbing and electrics up to code.

MaliceInWinterWonderland78 · 31/12/2014 09:09

I'm not in favour. I think it sounds good in practice, but we once ordered a miele washing machine which had to go back because it wasn't suitable for the first floor of our townhouse (that we lived in at the time). In the end they sent a bosch machine; however, it was difficult to watch tv whilst the spin cycle was on (the tv room was on the same level as the kitchen). There is no way you'd sleep through that- and it was supposedly a quiet machine.

Hellokittycat · 31/12/2014 09:11

We have this. It's brilliant. We've got a wooden suspended floor bit in the area under the washing machine (sounds complicated but was cheap and easy for our builder to do) plus foam sound proofing attached to the inside of the door ( it's next to ds bedroom) and I can run washing in the evenings no problem.
There's a vent to outdoors and it's next to our bathroom so fine for plumbing.
So much easier!

Original poster

movingtokent · 31/12/2014 10:51

Hellokittycat- can you explain what your builder did - we have a wooden suspended floor currently. Thanks

OP posts:

Bartlebee · 31/12/2014 11:00

I think it's a great idea. We have family in the Netherlands and it seems to be the norm to do over there.

No more going up and down the stairs with laundry - excellent.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 31/12/2014 11:03

We have this.

When we moved into our do-er upper, the previous owners had kept the washing machine in the big 1st floor bathroom We had nowhere else to plumb ours until we renovated some months later (this is obviously not recommended and we did get an electrician to rewire the plug to an outdoor one to reduce risks). While it was there I realised how handy it is to have a washing machine next to the bathroom and bedrooms so we incorporated a separate utility cupboard into the layout. It has an outside vent and fan and a firedoor.

We have a suspended wooden floor which is reinforced because of our massive stone bath. No problems so far.

Yes, you do have to take washing to dry outside (during winter we have an airer upstairs) but that's no different to lugging dirty laundry downstairs and back up again. It now makes me feel a bit icky - the idea of taking your dirty knickers and nappies out in the place you prepare food. We also have a small kitchen so it was good to free up space in there.

iknowimcoming · 31/12/2014 11:13

We are having an upstairs laundry room in our new house (if we ever get planning permission!) it won't have a window but will have an extractor and venting for the td, we recently had to move stuff about on the plans and as a result the airing cupboard is now merged into it so it's got a little bigger and I will be able to iron and have my sewing machine etc in there. Tragically excited about it and best of all the feckin cat won't be able to sleep on my clean washing!

Pastperfect · 31/12/2014 11:15

I've had an upstairs laundry room (flat years ago) but now I have a downstairs one it is much much better.

Yes clothes have to go up and downstairs but there is something so nice about coming home from hols/camping/picnic/beach/sports and being able to dump everything in the laundry room without the mess spreading through the rest of the house.

Deciding factor for me would be where will you iron? Ironing is done in laundry room here so no need to move it but if you don't have space and tend to iron downstairs then that is big consideration.

TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 31/12/2014 11:22

My washer & dryer are in a cupboard in the bathroom (& have been for over 30 years!) along with the boiler - the condensate pipe discharges into the w/m drain pipe.

It's a big bathroom & they're well away from the bath & basin.

The bathroom is a rear extension with 3 outside walls, & the washer is in one of the outer corners so the wooden floor is as solid there as it is anywhere, but it does slope towards the centre of the room; the washer stands on a thick piece of plywood which spreads the load across the joists & keeps the machine level & stable.

We did once have a flood which took down the kitchen ceiling below, but that was 15 years ago when they had hot fill as well as cold & the washer perished. If you're at all concerned you can turn the water off whenever it's not in use.

I love having it upstairs & whipping stuff out of the dryer to sort & fold on the nice clean large flat double bed next door Even in summer when it's been on the line I finish everything off in the dryer (I don't iron )

ChunkyPickle · 31/12/2014 11:25

Yes. I want to do the same, carve out a chunk of our bathroom to put the washer and dryer in when we redo the bathroom.

I hate lugging washing upstairs and downstairs, rather than keeping it near the bedrooms and bathrooms which is where everyone changes clothes.

Somethingtodo · 31/12/2014 11:55

Think you should leave your old washing machine downstairs in existing utility for those infrequent post holiday, camping, mucky running/cycling sports kit and if you did want to do towels/sheets to dry outside in summer....buy your self another new washing machine for upstairs...

But I would really try and make the upstairs laundry as big as possible and sacrifice some space from somewhere else. Will it need to accommodate all your dirty laundry baskets, indoor shiela maid for drying, a folding table, clean stuff in baskets waiting to be sorted & ironed and then space to iron?....can you put a velux or sunpipes in the sloping roof...we spend so much of out lives in these f**king rooms I think that they should be at least a tolerable space to work and not a damp, cramped hovel....and ideally should have a rest area with champagne fridge, out door terrace and jacuzzi...

Somethingtodo · 31/12/2014 12:00

But you could iron on landing or bedroom if space is restricted - and keep dirty laundry in baskets in bedroom, bathrooms or on landing until it is to be washed.

Pastperfect · 31/12/2014 12:08

Yes to champagne fridge

Pannacotta · 31/12/2014 16:53

Something's suggestion is inspired and what I would do if I had space (it two machines one on each level).
DO some research into quiet machines and anti vibration mats/feet.
Also check the weight of your new machine, some are very heavy and perhaps not ideal for using upstairs.

MillyMollyMama · 31/12/2014 17:24

My downstairs laundry room does have a terrace and a wine fridge! No jacuzzi but the swimming pool is close by. It also has hanging rails for clothes, a large towel style radiator, lots of shelving for ironed clothes and storage. I definitely don't do the ironing on the landing! I would only have an upstairs laundry if you really cannot use the space for something else. If you reduce the size of a bathroom, give up an en suite, or use a bedroom, that may not be the best use of space.

Somethingtodo · 31/12/2014 18:07

Jesus Milly -- if you have all that - why the fuck are you ironing anything at all ?? Surely you have a "lady who does"?

Original poster

movingtokent · 31/12/2014 18:10

Love the idea of a champagne fridge that would make the washing a joy. I do have quite a bit of space there so am going to get my graph paper out again and see what I can fit in from your suggestions

OP posts:

Easterchuck · 31/12/2014 19:24

I can see the benefit at this time of year but maybe in the summer you'll want to hang out? Lugging laundry baskets full of heavy wet towels and bedding would be hard work.

TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 31/12/2014 19:45

I hang out as much as poss in the summer ('summer' - I live in Lancs, it's not always possible & then stuff gets draped upstairs anyway) & yes, the towel baskets are a bit heavy going down but that's only a couple of times a week max.

Everything else is easily manageable & then I can fly back up the stairs with them to the dryer

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