Laundry Room - Main Floor or Basement

11 years ago

My wife and I are redesigning a house and we are looking for advice on where the laundry room should be located. The house will have a finished basement, new main floor, and second floor. Our architect currently has the laundry room on the main floor and he says "no laundry room should ever be in the basement". Our thoughts however are that as it is designed now, it is too small and to enlarge it would seriously compromise the rest of the layout. This is the same with the second floor, adding the laundry room upstairs would compromise the second floor layout. That being said, we're left with the basement. What if having the laundry room in the basement, meant a more substantial room with drying areas and areas to hang clothes vs. a small one on the main floor and just to save having from walking up an extra set of stairs? We are a young family with 2 toddlers, so we can visualize piles of clothes and needing the space. Thoughts please. Thank you.

Featured Answer

PRO

Pyramid Design Group Architects

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

A laundry Room on the bedroom floor is a big plus if possible--Laundry rooms don't need to be as large as many I have seen lately.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

handmethathammer
11 years ago
I like a laundry room on the main level. It is where I am most of the time and easy to move loads when the machines are done. It also gives access to the backyard if you have a clothesline.

My parents moved their first floor laundry to the basement. The idea was it was less damaging if a washer floods the room. Probably quieter, too.

Although now my mom is 85 and can't safely navigate the basement stairs. Her laundry days are over.
Related Professionals
Gaithersburg Design-Build Firms · Sioux City Design-Build Firms · Barnstable Design-Build Firms · Elmira Design-Build Firms · Coeur d'Alene Design-Build Firms · Sebring General Contractors · Alexandria General Contractors · Branson General Contractors · Lafayette General Contractors · Willmar General Contractors · Beatrice General Contractors · Nashua General Contractors · Kenosha General Contractors · Wheeling Flooring Contractors · Bozeman Flooring Contractors
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
11 years ago
Love my main floor laundry never had one until this house.
yvonnecmartin
11 years ago
I love my first floor laundry room. I do have room to store 3 baskets and when one is full I do a load--whites, lights, and darks. Toddler's clothes are small. Think about when they are teenagers and into sports.

Now, if your basement is walk-out or has lovely windows and a comfy family room, then the basement would be OK. The problem is when the basement is used mainly for laundry as this means lots of trips up and down stairs just to move laundry from one appliance to another.
lanative65
11 years ago
Our laundry room is on the main floor and has a pocket door that connects directly to our master closet. Laundry has become so much easier having the closet so close. The layout goes: master bedroom, master bath, master closet to full size laundry room. Works well for us.
User
11 years ago
I like a laundry room as close to the bedrooms as possible. We currently live in a bungalow, which we had built, and it is on the main floor right next to the master bedroom. Our previous home, which we also had built, was a two story and the laundry room was on the second floor. Both of these rooms were built with a floor drain and a sealed lip around the perimeter of the room. I agree with the previous poster that many laundry rooms are allocated more space than necessary.
PRO
ASVInteriors
11 years ago
In an ideal world, laundries are best placed next to the bedrooms and bathrooms. However, the quest for bigger living and sleeping and bathing space means that still most laundries find their way down to the basement. It is pragmatism rather lack of desire.

If you do have to go to the basement, please ensure you have a laundry chute installed - (and a dumb waiter, to take the clothes up!)
vbnet
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I have a 2nd floor laundry near the bedrooms, love it and never looked back (it used to be on the main level). However, to have the additional folding and drying space, more room to move around in the house, I could see the tradeoff. Many buyers however would not see it that way.

As far as toddlers, they aren't toddlers forever. We made the change when the boys were 6 & 4 and I loved it for washing bedding in the middle of the night etc. When they were young and had the flu and everything had to be hauled downstairs......
wnec1
11 years ago
Room in kitchen next to the family room. Husband moves the laundry while watching a game.