Laundry Renovations

The hardest-working room in the house

In a country town like Drouin, the laundry does far more than wash clothes. It is where muddy boots come off after a walk along the rail trail, where dogs are towelled down after rain, where sports uniforms soak overnight and where work clothes from the farm, the building site or the workshop are scrubbed. In many homes it doubles as a back entry and mudroom. Yet the laundry is often the most neglected room in the house, with a cramped tub, a few shelves and a floor that has seen better days.

A laundry renovation can change daily life more than almost any other project. It brings order, makes chores quicker and gives a hard-wearing space that can handle whatever comes through the back door.

What a good laundry needs

• A generous, deep tub for soaking and rinsing, with a tap that can fill a bucket.
• Bench space for folding and sorting, ideally above front-loading machines.
• Storage for detergents, cleaning products, baskets, buckets and pet supplies, preferably behind doors.
• Hanging space for drying delicate items and airing clothes on wet days.
• A floor that can get wet, with slip-resistant tiles and a floor waste.
• Good ventilation, especially if a dryer runs often.
• Sensible power, with outlets for machines and appliances at suitable heights.
• Durable surfaces that wipe clean easily.

Layout options

Galley laundry

Many Drouin homes have a narrow galley laundry with machines and tub on one wall. Renovating these often means stacking or placing machines under a continuous bench, adding overhead cabinets and using the opposite wall for tall storage or hanging rails if width allows.

Laundry in a cupboard

In units and some newer homes, the laundry is a cupboard in a hallway. We can fit custom joinery around the machines, include a compact tub and add doors that close the whole area away.

Laundry and mudroom

For families on acreage, a combined laundry and mudroom near the back door makes sense. Features may include a bench seat for removing boots, hooks for coats, a boot tray, a dog wash area and a deep trough. Durable tiles that hide dirt suit these rooms well.

Laundry and bathroom combined

In some older homes, the laundry and bathroom share a room. Separating them, or redesigning the shared space so it works better, can be part of a larger renovation.

Choosing surfaces

Laundry surfaces need to tolerate water, detergents, heat and hard knocks:

• Floors. Porcelain tiles with good slip resistance are durable and easy to clean. Mid-tone colours hide everyday dirt better than very light or very dark tiles.
• Splashbacks. Tiles or sheet materials behind the tub and bench protect the wall and are easy to wipe down.
• Benchtops. Laminate, compact laminate, engineered stone and timber each have pros and cons. Choose something that tolerates water near the tub.
• Cabinetry. Moisture-resistant board is essential in a laundry, with quality edging and hinges.

Plumbing and drainage

A laundry needs a reliable water supply to the tub and machines and good drainage for both. When renovating, we often reposition taps and wastes to suit a new layout. A floor waste allows the room to be washed down and offers a path for water if a machine hose fails. In homes on septic systems, we consider what goes down the drain and recommend products and fittings that suit the system.

Waterproofing the laundry

Under the Australian Standard AS 3740, laundries are treated as wet areas. Floors, the wall areas around the tub and the junctions all need appropriate waterproofing or water resistance. Where a floor waste is installed, the floor must fall to it. We apply membranes to AS 3740 and install upturns at doorways so water cannot spread into adjoining rooms.

Ventilation and drying

Laundries produce moisture from washing, drying and wet clothing. A ducted exhaust fan helps, particularly if a vented dryer is used. Heat pump and condenser dryers produce less moisture but still benefit from ventilation. Drying racks, pull-out rails and ceiling airers give space to dry delicate items, especially through Drouin’s long wet winters.

Storage ideas

Laundry storage works best when it is planned around what you actually keep. Common ideas include:

• Tall cupboards for brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners and ironing boards.
• Pull-out baskets for sorting dark, light and delicate items.
• Shelves above machines for detergent and supplies.
• A drawer for pegs, stain removers and small items.
• A locking cabinet for chemicals in homes with young children.
• A dedicated space for pet food, leads and towels.

Laundries in older Drouin homes

Laundries in older homes are often located in a former outdoor wash house, a back verandah enclosure or an addition at the rear. These spaces may have uneven floors, limited insulation and plumbing that has been altered many times. We assess the structure and services carefully before planning a renovation. Where floors are concrete with no fall, we may need to adjust levels to install a floor waste. Where floors are timber, we check for rot and movement before tiling.

Laundries in newer homes

Newer estate homes in Drouin often have compact laundries with basic fittings. Common upgrades include replacing the freestanding tub and cabinet with a built-in tub, adding a continuous benchtop, installing overhead cupboards and upgrading tiles and lighting.

The process

1. Design consultation to measure, assess the services and understand how you use the room.

2. Written scope and design, including a layout plan.

3. Selections of cabinetry, benchtops, tub, tapware and tiles.

4. Strip-out and any structural or plumbing changes.

5. Waterproofing to AS 3740, with full cure times.

6. Tiling, cabinetry installation and fit-off.

7. Handover with compliance certificates and care notes.

Combining a laundry with a bathroom renovation

Many clients renovate their laundry at the same time as a bathroom. Trades are already on site, finishes can be coordinated, and total disruption is shorter than two separate projects. We plan the sequence so you always have access to water and, where possible, to a working bathroom.

Lighting and power in the laundry

Laundries are task rooms, so lighting should be bright and even, without shadows over the tub or bench. A ceiling light combined with strip lighting under overhead cabinets lights the bench well for treating stains and folding. Power outlets should be placed for each machine, with extra outlets above the bench for an iron, a steamer or a charging station for cordless vacuums. A dedicated circuit may be needed for some dryers. Our licensed electrician plans this to suit your appliances and keeps outlets at safe distances from the tub.

Designing for the back door

Where the laundry is also the back entry, we think carefully about the flow of traffic. The door should open without hitting machines or cabinets. There should be a place to sit and remove boots, and a place to leave them that will not drip across the floor. Hooks for coats and hats, a shelf for keys and a bench for shopping bags all help. A tiled floor that runs straight to the external door, with a threshold that keeps rain out, ties it all together. These details matter most in homes on acreage around Drouin, where the back door is often the main door.

Thinking about water use

Front-loading washing machines use less water than top-loaders, which matters for homes on tank water. A tub tap with a flow regulator, and a hot water system sized to cope with washing loads, also help. We can talk through these options during the consultation.

Common questions about laundry renovations

Can you add a laundry where there is none? Sometimes. It depends on access to drainage and water supply and on the available space.

Can we stack the washer and dryer? Yes, if the machines are designed for stacking and a suitable kit is used.

Do laundries need waterproofing? Yes. Laundries are wet areas under AS 3740.

Can you include a dog wash? Often, yes. A raised shower tray or a trough with a hand shower works well.

Book a design consultation

If your laundry feels cramped, cluttered or worn, book a design consultation. We will visit your Drouin home, talk about how you use the room and prepare a written scope and quotation.

Areas we service

• Buln Buln
• Bunyip
• Darnum
• Drouin South
• Drouin West
• Drouin
• Garfield
• Jindivick
• Labertouche
• Longwarry
• Nar Nar Goon
• Neerim South
• Tynong
• Warragul