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What are people’s thoughts on European laundries?
I have a property that I plan to renovate and at present it is a 4BR home with 2 living rooms and only 1 bathroom. Because the laundry is a decent size and there is a storage cupboard there is the opportunity to create a european laundry in a cupboard space and convet the rest of the space to another bathroom with toilet, shower and basin.
What do people think – if I add the second bathroom it will cost about $10k extra in the renovation but then I will have a complete family home to offer for sale – 4BR, 2 living, 2BA.
That sounds like a brilliant idea! It would add value with an additional bathroom. We did somthing similar by building a closet arrangement in a large bathroom and installing a front end loader and condensor drying. This allowed us to use the larger than usual laundry as another, albiet smallish, bedroom. The hard part was instaling the plumbing and electricity. We only had to run in the cold water pipe because the washer heated the hot water in the process. It was a very expensive little closet and I wish we had considered trying to sound proof things a bit more. However, the whole thing worked out very well!
I have used this type of laundry in all my renovations, I have built a unit in the kichen and or the hallway or garage, which is a large cupboard which has a skinny mini laundry tub with a small two shelf box above. A top load washing machine with a front vented front load driyer above. All you need to remember is you need some sort of floor waste.
Regards Chris Preston.
Send me an email and I will send you a pic of one of these units complete.
[email protected]Chris
[email protected]Just one comment; try to find a way to provide bench and storage space as well as the appliances. You’re describing a family home: chances are they’ll need at least one laundry basket and 2 dirty clothes hampers – awkward things to store.
Otherwise, great idea.
Ghoti
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Without music, life would be a mistake.
I went to ikea recently and saw a “european laundary” It had room for a frontloader washer, I think a dryer , a pull out basket , some benchspace, some cubbords and they even sell half size ironing boards you can put in the laundary. Even if don’t buy one from there its great for idea’s on how to do it
Rob
Yes, we put in a European laundry when we renovated our house afew years ago with bi-fold doors to hide everything away. It is right next to my kitchen so that all the plumbing is in a straight line. It is really innovative and saves so much space yet is functional also. If you can afford the 2nd bathroom I think this will increase the value greatly and will get greater use than a large laundry.
Lots of the newer apartments have this style of laundry so you may want to visit afew display to give youself ideas. Good luck with the reno.
Anita[suave3]
Having spent many years living in Europe, I think the “European laundry” is a great idea. I’ve also seen them used in a number of new Qld apartments and project homes. I think most people would prefer an additional bathroom rather than a large laundry. If you were renovating an apartment or very small house then I’d endorse making the laundry as compact as you wish. However, as your project is a 4-bed house, then I would suggest that you consider the following:
– Put as close as possible to the kitchen
– Provide a universal dryer outlet (i.e. exhaust pipe to outside wall)
– Ensure that the lid of a top loading washing machine can be opened fully and not obstructed by a cabinet or dryer
– Provide bench space, storage shelves, under-bench space for baskets
– Include at least a small tub with a mixer tapGood luck!
Just use standard Taps (and other plumbing items) not the european taps (which are non standard, and do not fit our appliances!!!!).
hellman
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