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Original poster

Removing utility to enlarge 'snug'

29 replies

CheltenhamLady · 17/10/2021 14:36

The house we are looking to buy has a utility room next door to the 'study', which seems quite small to me. I would like to knock these two rooms into one and make it a TV room. We would then use the 4th bedroom as a study with multi-purpose furniture to make it usable as a bedroom too.

I could also (in theory) create a small pantry by stealing a small part of the utility back. I may decide against that though.

To do this I would need to relocate the washing machine and drier.

Instead of putting them into the kitchen, (where there is space), I am considering housing them both stacked over each other (with a slide-out shelf between them) upstairs, in a walk-in laundry area.

I can only see advantages:

It would give a more usable downstairs reception room.
It would mean the laundry facilities were close to the wardrobes/beds.
I don't like to line dry, but if I did I could still do so.

Can anyone see any disadvantages to this plan?

OP posts:
Sleepinghyena · 17/10/2021 14:44

My utility also has a clothes maiden thingy (ceiling mounted), space for a floor airer, a boiler cupboard with drying space, cupboard space for cleaning products and the mop, ironing board etc and also has a sink used for cleaning things I wouldn't want to clean in the kitchen sink and for filling the mop bucket etc.
Where will all these things go?
I would prefer a utility if I were buying another house.

Original poster
CheltenhamLady · 17/10/2021 14:49

The garage has a sink and a lot of storage space and is just outside the door to the current utility.

OP posts:
Africa2go · 17/10/2021 14:58

I would never get rid of a utility - can only see it de-valuing your house. I think its now expected of a 4 bed family house - off the kitchen. If you're planning on being there for years with no plans to see then obviously its your house and do what works for you. I'd go into it though expecting to get no return on the cost of the works you're planning, and actually to make the house less attractive to buyers / less valuable when I came to sell.

Africa2go · 17/10/2021 14:59

*sell

RitaFires · 17/10/2021 14:59

The main disadvantages I can think of with an upstairs laundry area is leaks if the washing machine ever breaks down and noise if it's running close to the bedrooms while someone is trying to sleep. Plus some people like to keep a lot more in a utility room but that's really personal and to do with what suits your lifestyle.

bellsbuss · 17/10/2021 14:59

I would rather have a smaller snug and a utility room. I wouldn't buy a house without one.

StCharlotte · 17/10/2021 15:06

@CheltenhamLady

The garage has a sink and a lot of storage space and is just outside the door to the current utility.
Why don't you use that end of your garage as a utility?
Original poster
CheltenhamLady · 17/10/2021 15:16

I didn't really consider that @StCharlotte because it is not attached to the house. I would have to go outside with loads of laundry, but I suppose it is an option.

OP posts:
8misskitty8 · 17/10/2021 17:30

Do you have a floor plan with sizes ? Could help to see what space you have to play with and were changes could be made.

vickyc90 · 17/10/2021 17:33

We converted part of the garage/dumping ground into a utility and love it as it keeps the mess out of the house. We put an electric heated towel rail radiator into it. We are currently buying a 4 bedroom detached house without a utility it doesn't bother us at all as when we do the kitchen we will do the garage again.

BrieAndChilli · 17/10/2021 17:38

Could you give us a diagram? Just wondering if it would be possible to attaché the garage to the house at all - maybe even with some part of conservatory/porch? Just means you don’t have to go ‘outside’ especially in wet weather

Original poster
CheltenhamLady · 17/10/2021 18:12

The garage is set back and at right angles to the house and is on the front iyswim?

The door from the current utility is on the side. So I would have to walk out of the door, through the side gate and onto the front drive to access the utility room if it was in the garage.

OP posts:
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 17/10/2021 18:54

A laundry area upstairs is all well and good but I love a proper utility room - they are so useful if you have pets as well as for laundry and storing dirty wellies/waterproofs. It's so nice being able to keep the litter tray or cat/dog food bowls, or small "furry" pet cages out of the kitchen/main living areas. Even if you don't plan to sell for a while, a 3/4 plus bed "family" home always benefits from a utility imo - a house would have to be pretty amazing for me to consider buying one without it personally.

Starseeking · 17/10/2021 19:00

I'd use a utility room for more than just laundry, so wouldn't be keen on having it upstairs. What you may find is that you end up with a laundry room upstairs and a smaller utility room for everything else that usually goes there in the garage, if that works.

Original poster
CheltenhamLady · 18/10/2021 09:46

@Starseeking

I'd use a utility room for more than just laundry, so wouldn't be keen on having it upstairs. What you may find is that you end up with a laundry room upstairs and a smaller utility room for everything else that usually goes there in the garage, if that works.
Yes, I think that is what we would do. It is a double garage and the apex is boarded so there is a lot of storage space up there too. We don't have pets so that is not an issue for us personally.

I just feel that as a family we would get more benefit from the extra space gained by knocking through the two rooms.

I do take onboard the flooding issue with the washing machine though but it is quite common in the US and Europe to have those appliances upstairs, often in the bathroom.

OP posts:
Starseeking · 18/10/2021 11:06

That sounds really good, I'm excited for you! Just a note that if you do go for an upstairs utility, try and avoid putting it in the bathroom @CheltenhamLady. I read on MN some time ago that there are some rules here in the UK about there being a minimum distance required between electricity points and water (i.e. shower/bath), though I'm not sure what they are. There are some very knowledgable MNers who may be able to advise further on this, or your builders should know.

StatisticallyChallenged · 18/10/2021 11:32

We had ours upstairs in our old house (in the bathroom, but all built in) which worked very well for us. However, it was a 3 bed house that was top heavy and there physically wasn't room for a utility on the ground floor.

TBH, I preferred having the laundry space upstairs, but now that we've moved somewhere with a utility we do use it for more than just laundry (mainly storage of more occasional stuff like baking tins, cake boxes, all the extra bits of the food processor, growing plants...) and I'd be reluctant to not have some sort of space like that near the kitchen. A pantry type cupboard with an upstairs laundry room would probably suit us perfectly.

hedgehoglurker · 18/10/2021 12:18

I think you need to be sure that the upstairs floor can happily withstand the weight and vibrations. I desperately want to move my laundry area (separate to the utility) upstairs too, but not sure if my 1970's floor can take it...

VenusClapTrap · 18/10/2021 12:40

Personally, now that I’ve had a utility room, I’d never want to go back to not having one, but each to their own.

Mine houses all the coats, wellies, school bags, sports kits etc etc that used to clutter up my hallway, and that is absolute gold to me. Plus all the laundry, DIY, pet stuff, bird food, cleaning paraphernalia, house plant gubbins etc that I don’t want in my kitchen.

I wouldn’t want to have to trek upstairs for all that, and I line dry so easy access to the garden is essential for me. It would definitely put me off buying your house. But if you’re not planning to move for twenty years or so then that’s not a problem! Make your house work for you.

Rainbowshit · 18/10/2021 12:47

We had our washer and dryer upstairs while having work done and it was great not having to trek stuff up and down the stairs.

Beebumble2 · 18/10/2021 12:48

Our last house had the utility room at the back of the garage. The garage was attached to the house, but we had to go out of the back door and into the small garage door. Odd arrangement by the builders. Didn’t bother us at all and we lived there 30 yrs+.
The advantages included smelly, muddy boys and dogs could have their dirty clothes ( paws) left there. The noise of the machines was not heard. Extra space to clean things, decorating stuff, gardening etc. Without coming into the house.

maofteens · 18/10/2021 12:48

It makes practical sense to put the laundry upstairs. I've just relocated my machine from downstairs loo to an enlarged cupboard on the landing upstairs. It was awkward where it was anyway, so while I am not gaining any space downstairs, I'm not losing any upstairs.
If you are the kind of person who likes to iron and pre soak or whatever else people do in utility rooms, you may miss that. I don't do that kind of thing. I have a cupboard for the vacuum cleaner and mop etc, so I don't need a utility room (nor do I have space for one in my terraced house).
Utility rooms are useful to store all sorts, not just your laundry, so even if you relocate the machines it may still be a useful space, but if you think an enlarged snug would be used more then do it. Your house is for you to live in, not just a financial investment.

BlueMongoose · 18/10/2021 21:06

I'd not get rid of a utility unless I really had to. Nor would I put a laundry room upstairs- mostly due to noise and vibrations.
It depends on the construction of the house how far/much sound would be transmitted. As we have one household dweller who works shifts, one early bird, and a night owl, there are not many hours when someone isn't in bed.

corblimeygov · 19/10/2021 08:03

Use anti vibration mats under the appliances ( Amazon sells them ) my WM is on an upper floor ( kitchen too, it's an upside down house) sounds like a good plan to me.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 19/10/2021 08:09

My utility room is accessed from outside, about 15m from the back door. It doesn't bother me at all.

And I agree with everyone who wouldn't buy a house without one. I detested having laundry in the kitchen in our first house.