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kristi_cain95

Laundry in mud/entry way—with rod?

2 months ago

I’m doing a new home build & just had our cabinets installed. There was no place I could detect for a drying rod. That is one of the most important features of a laundry room to me.

My husband is telling me not to bother the builder about this but I’m feeling pretty panicked. Our laundry room is part of a mushroom entry way.

Is that why the rod was left off? Is that a thing with newer homes? Help!

Comments (27)

  • 2 months ago

    Supposed to say mud-room (thanks, autocorrect)

  • 2 months ago

    It's pretty hard to say why it was left put without a lot more info....the layout of the room, what cabinets were installed, whether it's a custom home, semi-custom or tract.

    That said, the laundry rooms I've had are about a 50/50 mix of with or without drying rod. I often use a folding stand alone rack, but that's harder in a mudroom laundry combo.

  • 2 months ago

    It’s a custom home. There is only one wall dedicated for laundry space but the cabinets take up all the wall space. I’d rather have fewer cabinets with a rod. Why only 50-50? Is it an aesthetic thing? Where would you keep the hangers? It just doesn’t make sense to me

  • 2 months ago

    It's too bad that as a custom home you didn't get a say in the layout of the cabinets/drying rack....wasn't that part of your planning?

    We've never built a home, all my laundry rooms were hand-me downs. Two had racks/rods, two didn't. One of the ones that didn't was a very nice large room with plenty of space for a foldout stand alone floor rack. My current is a mudroom/laundry combo and I don't want a drying rack or rod there for many reasons: lack of space, way too dirty (we live in the country), bedroom clothes closets are large, have HVAC and are just a step away, so I can hang slightly damp clothes there with no trouble.

    I think a lot of people don't hang to dry much, no heat drying in the dryer is pretty popular.

  • 2 months ago

    If its a custom house did you not sign off on the plans? Not sure if i understand. Did the plans call for something different?

  • 2 months ago

    Not everyone has a drying rod. Some people don't use them. I think in your mind it is standard and in the mind of a builder it is not. Show us your layout and maybe we can think of alternative drying options for you.

  • 2 months ago

    Just to clarify, I use the rod for hanging not air drying. I just thought “drying rod” was the technical term. I think I will say something to my builder because the space is not going to work if I don’t have a place to hang clothes coming out of the dryer so they don’t wrinkle.

  • 2 months ago

    I designed every detail in my house and I like having an air-drying section for many of my clothes. I had the cabinet builder leave enough space in the laundry room, so that I could install this accordion rack for hanging clothes.

    The laundry room is 9'5" x 12'8". We also have a second fridge in there.


  • 2 months ago

    If this is a custom home why didn’t you design a laundry room with a drying rod if that was important to you? Is there any wall space for one. Maybe a fold down one? Does the laundry room have a door? There are over the door drying racks.

  • 2 months ago

    Did you ask for a rod? Did you sign off on plans that do not have a rod? If you just signed off on cabinets, and assumed you were getting an accessory like a rod.. that was an unfortuante assumption. It's like assuming all laundry areas have a built in ironing board. Even when that was popular, it was a special add on, not an assumed part of the room. It's a bummer, but hanging rods in the laundry room are not common.

    Have you considered using a closet? Or other place that has a hang rod? I have a dressing room, so things come out of the dryer and get hung up in the dressing room where the stuff lives. Or maybe other options could be a over the door rack, or a ceiling mounted one on a pully system. If you have a corner, you might be able to do a rod there, or if the space isn't too big, maybe a retractable line like some hotels have.

    If you talk to your contractor and want something like a cabinet change, that's kind of big. It's a rework. And you will likely have to pay for that. Do not expect your contractor to eat it.

  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    Sounds like a pricey change order at this point. Like others asked, if this is a custom home why didn’t you make your wishes known/enforced?

    That aside, I too absolutely want a hanging rod in my laundry room. I want to take hubby’s shirts out of the dryer and hang them on a hanger right away. It’s a must for me.

    edited to add: It might be best for you to let the house get finished, move in, and then find a competent carpenter to remove a couple upper cabinets and put in a hanging rod for you.

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    IMO wth all the new W/D there is little need for a drying rod but there are many wall mounted ones that drop down when needed . Change orders big $$$$ for a job handled easily after . I iron since we do not wars synthetic clothes usually . Sorry but if this was huge issue for you this should have been written in your contract during the planning stage . I guess if money in no object have it fixed . I iron once a week all my sheets, my hubbys white cotton shirts I iron many things but I iron while I watch TV so a place for the ironing board was must but it gets moved to where the TV is . I still think there is a way to wall mount a drop down for what you want this for .

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    You had a cabinet plan , you signed off? You weren't paying attention?. It showed a FULL wall of cabinets in your laundry. Where is that? Show us.

    No "custom" builder reads your mind!

    Show the plans, show the laundry room with all the dimensions, the wall where the cabinets are, ,..upload as a jpeg in a comment box below.

  • 2 months ago

    A clothes rod in a laundry area is essential if you are used to having one. Put in the change order and get what you want.

  • 2 months ago

    The easy solution if you have all upper cabinets and to not add too much to the overall custom home price is to remove one of the cabinets and replace it with a rod. I am sure the cabinet if already ordered can be used someplace else.

  • 2 months ago

    I’ve never had a large laundry room with hanging bar, but current narrow laundry room has a retractable hanging bar on wall that folds out of the way. Previous owner installed but you can find on internet. It’s great for small space and holds quite a bit.

  • 2 months ago

    The Brits have something called a "bachelor's friend" (because men can't iron and dryers weren't a thing). It was a drop-down rack raised and lowered with pulleys. If the ceilings are high enough, the clothes can dry above your head.


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  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    Maybe reiterate it is not for hang drying, but just temporary when removing certain clothes from the dryer until you put them away. In bold, all caps as no one after your comment saw it.

  • 2 months ago

    Hooks in the ceiling, hang-wires and a pipe. Can be located in the space anywhere you wish.

  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    How long do you normally hang items as this could work for short time periods. Just place clothing in front of cabinets that are less used, but it depends on where entryway is and room’s configuration.


  • 2 months ago

    Also to clarify it is possible my husband signed off on the plans without consulting me but I was not consulted nor did I sign off. I appreciate all the ideas.

  • 2 months ago

    Since you don't want it to dry clothes on, perhaps a valet rod, retractable or not, in a style and finish that coordinates with your mudroom hardware would work for temporarily hanging clothes before taking to closets.

  • 2 months ago

    What la_la girl shows above is what is in my laundry room. I have two of them across from each other and they work just great for the hangers before and after the clothes come out of the dryer.

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    If you would show the plan, we'd not be guessing: )

  • last month

    I have something similar in my laundry room as la_la girl has shown. Works great and isn't expensive. When you are done using it, it folds up and takes up no space in the room. The best thing is you can put it anywhere in the room that will work for you.

  • last month

    I saw this on FB last week.