The cost of a laundry renovation

The laundry is one of the most important rooms in your house, and a new, fresh and bright feel can give it a tremendous lift. If you’re thinking about redoing this key area, you may be wondering – how much does a laundry renovation cost? 

There’s nothing like the feel of an organised laundry with everything in its place, cupboards that maximise available space and benchtops for sorting and folding laundry. Perhaps you’ve recently walked into a friend’s new, beautiful laundry room and thought ‘I love this for me’. If that’s the case, then it might be time to give your own laundry a bit of a revamp.

How much does a laundry renovation cost?

According to trade website hipages, most laundries in Australia will cost between $5,000 and $25,000 to renovate – this is a large variance, but the price difference will come down to a number of factors, including the size of the room and the quality and price of materials used. Note that this estimated  figure does not include appliances like washing machines.

One rule of thumb when considering laundry cost is to match the quality of materials used in your laundry with your kitchen or bathroom, or pare it back slightly. Marble benchtops and splashback will cost a lot more than laminate, but one common school of thought is that there is no point in going all out in your laundry if the rest of your home is more modest.

If you need new appliances, whether a front loader washing machine, top loader washing machine or clothes dryer, it’s often worth considering their performance and reliability, quietness, design, value for money and additional functionality before purchasing.

How do I design a laundry room layout?

Working with the size and shape of your room, you’ll be able to come up with a design best suited to your home. For instance, an L-shaped laundry with the washing machine and dryer off to one side can you give you extra bench and cupboard space. Clothes rails are a lifesaver when it’s raining outside and you need to hang a few items up to dry indoors. Consider keeping dirty clothes baskets in the laundry too, to keep bedrooms and bathrooms clear of messy piles and save yourself from having to collect clothes to be washed from every room in the house.

Design ideas for your laundry room

1. 1. Collect images of laundries you like and choose a colour scheme you keep coming back to
   2. Allow bench space for washing baskets and sorting and folding clothes
   3. Add hanging rails to allow clothes to dry inside
   4. Consider mounting your washing machine and dryer vertically to save space
   5. Consider adding doors to hide away your laundry, especially in small apartments

How can I keep my laundry organised?

A well-organised laundry largely comes down to storage and having everything in its place. Before you decide on your final design, think about what you use your laundry for and the space you need to perform those tasks. If you’ve always wanted a dedicated space for your sewing machine or mending box, consider including a small desk and chair to one side.

The laundry can also be an ideal place to add a “mud room” area for dirty shoes, bags, hats and coats, if you don’t already have one  – a mud room can even be a good place to wash dirty dogs after a beach day or trip to the dog park, before bringing them back into your clean house. If your laundry is downstairs and away from the main kitchen, you might even consider turning it into a combined laundry and second kitchen, with room for a small fridge and a cupboard for a few everyday items such as glasses and water jugs, to save you trips up and down the stairs.

It is also worth considering what you want to store away in your laundry. If you’re planning on keeping items like the ironing board and vacuum cleaner in here, you’ll need larger cupboard spaces to accommodate these. If you’ve got the space, double sinks are handy for when one sink is occupied with clothes soaking or party drinks chilling, and you need the other to wash your hands, empty a bucket, rinse a paint brush, or even chill more party drinks.

You may also want to buy buckets and/or tubs that easily fit into your sink and under your tap, so you can fill them with water and lift them out easily.

How can I finance a laundry renovation?

It’s wise to consider how you might finance the work before you start.

Compare Home Loans

Options could include:

• Paying out of your own pocket – using your savings or a mortgage offset account or redraw facility, if you have one on your home loan;
• Applying for a new loan – you may be able to use a personal loan or a construction loan, depending on your personal circumstances;
• Paying directly from your savings, if you would prefer to pay cash rather than take on any debt for the renovation job.

Cover image source: New Africa/Shutterstock.com