Laundry Renovations

Laundries get designed last and used daily, which is usually backwards. The constraints are different from any other wet area because the room has to accommodate two appliances that vibrate, drain large volumes quickly, and generate significant heat and moisture.

Drainage is the first thing to get right. A washing machine discharges a full tub in well under a minute, which is far more than a standard floor waste is designed to swallow. Undersized or poorly fallen drainage is the most common reason a laundry floods. If you are moving the machine, the waste and the trap need to be sized and positioned for that surge, not just connected to the nearest available point.

Dryer ventilation is the second. A vented dryer puts several litres of water into the air per load. Discharging that into a closed laundry — or into the roof cavity — causes condensation, peeling paint and mould. Either duct it directly outside or specify a heat-pump or condenser unit that does not need ducting.

The biggest practical gain in most laundry renovations is a continuous benchtop run over front-loading appliances, which turns two machines into a folding surface. That requires front-loaders and enough height clearance, so it needs deciding before cabinetry is ordered. Above it, full-height cupboards hold detergents and cleaning equipment that would otherwise live on the floor. A deep single tub is more useful than a shallow double for soaking and hand-washing, and takes less bench length.