Adding a bathroom - Put the washer/ dryer outside or compromise size of bedroom?

Question

Hey guys,

I am in discussion with an architect and debating between two proposed floor plans for adding a bathroom to my house. One floorplan involves compromising the size of one of the two bedrooms, and the other involves putting the washer and dryer outside (building a small structure around it) to save the size of the bedroom.

If anyone is interested, I attached the floor plans below. In both screenshots, the current floorplan can be seen for reference.

My goal: The main goal here is to increase the value of the home and appeal to potential renters in the future. I want to be able to get the highest amount from a renter, so it's not really about how I want it to look or what's convenient for me, but what is generally thought to be the most strategic in this context.

Thanks!

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

I have 2 thoughts on this...1) Don't put the WD outside 2) Do not have the bathroom entered through the kitchen! Huge flaw.

I would have the BR entry from the hall. And stick the WD in the kitchen somehow.

Just my opinion of course...... it's hard to see without being there. Can you take out the wall(s) in the kitchen or BR #1 and reconfigure things? Put the cabinets on the opposite wall? Steal the closet space?

Joel Forsythe · Answer

Hey Kevin,

Having remodeled and built in LA for a long time, yes you can find laundry set up damn near any place. Wise or unwise, the climate is not prohibitive except fully rain exposed. Finding the solution in tightly scaled dwellings is challenging, but it is what it is, urban density and smaller homes are what they are, creatively adapt.

Exteriors- is there attached carport or garage that can handle space for the units? Can it be cleaned up around that area? Is there a covered patio next to the house? Both need to have placement on the exterior walls of the home for any hope to keep plumbing costs manageable. It’s not worth it if you can’t imagine doing the laundry in crappy weather wherever it goes.Interiors- countless remodels in cramped space where we set the stacked in a hallway dead end, or steal from closeting. But we face access from the hallway, it’s simply ergonomic- laundry comes from bedrooms, goes back to bedrooms. IMHO squeezing them into small bathrooms is worse. Kitchen design; can be blended in with cabinet designs for stackable, depth similar to full size fridge bulk; or side by side floor under counter, you gain large counter space with backing cabinet uppers.

Happy trails!

Jared W Smith · Answer

Your plans are missing information to assess, like where's the main entry and living room? Is that the area with the dotted lines? OR is what you've shown the whole place? Where does the hallway go then?

I design and complete compact and super efficient plans on a regular basis. Based on the plans it looks like you're tying to limit the amount of renovation work but creating a pretty poor design overall. I may be missing some information that you aren't conveying in these drawings. If you're trying to increase value, neither of these options are ideal or efficient.

I see two possible options but would need to better understand the whole house/unit first.

What is your Architect saying? What are their ideas? If he/she is halfway decent, then he'd have alternative options to make this work out better.

-Jared W. Smith, RA - Principal Architect at Architect Owl PLLC (Licensed in NY & CT)

Stanley Mickett · Answer

The issue with appliances outside is that they can freeze in winter. Or you will need to have the outbuilding heated unless the property is in a location that absolutely never freezes in winter. And think about plumbing lines freezing in winter. You will have to estimate the cost of construction of the outbuilding including the cost of a concrete slab, the cost of a plumber and electrician. The cost could reach $10 to $15k. This is coming from an experienced professional contractor and carpenter.

Shawn Parsh · Answer

Kevin,

One of the houses I'm rehabbing now we built a laundry closet and put in a stackable washer dryer. I would try to find a place where you could put them in the house with a 3 or 4 foot bifold door for access. Good luck.

Jared W Smith · Answer

@Kevin King

Thanks for the clarification. So the problem is typically a half bath/powder room is adjacent to the living/dining room for access by guest. However by putting it in the back behind the kitchen, it's closer for guest who are in the living/dining room to just go to the main full bath. Therefore that half bath will rarely be used. Yes, its an extra bath for the occupants but not really realistic the way most people would want to use it.

My recommendation would be to just make a full bath as an ensuite for bedroom #1. It's already at the back of the house. Then I feel it would be more bang for your buck. Also, yes rotate the stackable washer/dryer to the hallway not through kitchen. (OR another option is to add half bath in the upper right corner but this would be costly since all the plumbing is not nearby for running lines. However then this would be a true powder room.)

-Jared W. Smith, RA - Principal Architect at Architect Owl PLLC (Licensed in NY & CT)

Karen Sue · Answer

I live in South Florida and there are many homes that have the washer and dryer outside the main building. Maybe a short walkway with a roof so the people can go to and from even if its raining.

Kevin King · Answer

Hey Jared,

The dotted lines are the dining room and living room, and the main entry is on the opposite end of the home, relative to the bathroom in question, which is next to the back door.

We're trying to fit a bathroom here because it's the one part of the house that has some extra space that isn't being utilized, and yes, limiting renovation. Why is the design poor? What would be a better option?

The other option that I was thinking about, not listed in the drawings, would be to turn the W/D 180 degrees, and have it accessed from the end of the hallway. Or move the w/d to another part of the house and have the end of the hallway an entry to the bathroom.

Thanks.

Kevin King · Answer

Hey Stanley,

I appreciate the response. I should have mentioned that I am in Los Angeles, and we never have to deal with that really. I grew up with washer and dryers outside and it's pretty common here. I was just planning on laying cement next to the water heater, which is also located outside, and housing it there.

Adding a bathroom - Put the washer/ dryer outside or compromise size of bedroom?

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