In the age of Pinterest and HGTV, laundry room envy is inevitable when browsing through images of bright and stylish laundry rooms. If your current laundry room is tiny or difficult to navigate, consider relocating the washer and dryer to create a basement laundry room.
A basement laundry room may be a perfect addition. The relocation offers ample square footage for storage, folding, and hanging. And the downstairs location prevents the loud dryer’s rumble from keeping you up at night. Before beginning renovations, there are a few important things to consider.
In your laundry room, a decent sized space with enough square footage for countertops, cabinets, and shelves is important for usability and sellability. Consider if the space is ideal for a side-by-side washer and dryer or a stackable washer and dryer.
Plumbing
Unless you are an experienced plumber, consult a licensed plumber for an estimate. A plumber will have the skills and know-how to reroute the plumbing for the basement laundry room. He can also gage if the space will work for the project, and figure out a tentative quote. A washing machine requires fresh water and a drain. A vent will also be installed for the dryer. Hopefully, you may already have some plumbing in your basement. But if not, the plumber will give you an estimate to help you figure out your budget.
Electrical
It is also a good idea to consult a licensed electrician as you’ll need electrical outlets, including a 220v outlet for the dryer. Ideally, the basement laundry room faces an exterior wall, so the vent will exit through the wall outside. If the laundry room is installed in an interior wall, the project may be more time consuming and costly.
Design
You may choose the DIY path for designing your basement laundry room or consult an interior designer. There are also many online floor plan creator programs and design tools like smartdraw. Maximize your space with ample storage with open shelving and cabinets, create coziness with good lighting, choose a calm paint color and even hang some wall art. Gone are the days of boring laundry rooms. Say hello to your new and improved walk-in basement laundry room!
