DIY & Home Improvement

LaydeeBug

(10,291 posts) Fri Feb 5, 2016, 05:33 PM Feb 2016

So my washer and dryer are in my "not yet a kitchen" and I don't have anywhere else to put

it unless I:

1) dig out my crawlspace into a basement and put it there

or

2) Enclose (which would most likely mean tear down) my side porch and build a small laundry/mud room off the kitchen.

Before he died, Dad's solution was to build a 20 foot, 2 story extension off the back of the house (a small, two dormer cape cod). I abandoned that, so this is the next option. My attic is unfinished (most capes have two bedrooms and a bath up there...i have some storage and my hot water heater)

Anyway, I have no money and am open for suggestions, lol. Is it less expensive to dig out the basement, or enlose a side porch?

9 replies

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So my washer and dryer are in my "not yet a kitchen" and I don't have anywhere else to put (Original Post) LaydeeBug Feb 2016 OP

Or relocate it upstairs? nt LaydeeBug Feb 2016 #1

Small, 2 dormer Cape Cod houses are pretty squashed upstairs Warpy Feb 2016 #2

This is true. I really don't want to go upstairs or down if I don't have to LaydeeBug Feb 2016 #3

In the process of doing some major remodeling I discovered: The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2016 #4

do you mind if I ask what size your kitchen is? LaydeeBug Feb 2016 #5

It's about 10 x 12. The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2016 #6

Beautiful. I *love* your sink. nt LaydeeBug Mar 2016 #9

Keeping the washer and dryer in the kitchen ought to fine Kaleva Feb 2016 #7

I'm late to the party greymouse Mar 2016 #8

LaydeeBug

(10,291 posts)

1. Or relocate it upstairs? nt

Reply to LaydeeBug (Original post)

Fri Feb 5, 2016, 05:34 PM

Feb 2016

Warpy

(113,131 posts)

2. Small, 2 dormer Cape Cod houses are pretty squashed upstairs

Reply to LaydeeBug (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 5, 2016, 05:58 PM

Feb 2016

I know the beast really well. To make a laundry space, either an upstairs bathroom or one of the bedroom closets would have to be sacrificed. Putting a full dormer on the back of the house might buy enough room for a small laundry area, and this would likely be a lot less expensive than either an addition or a basement dug under the house and would help the resale value better than the latter.

In this case and without an attached garage, I'd just stack the damned things in the kitchen and call it a Euro style kitchen, since that's where most washers are there, at least in apartments.

LaydeeBug

(10,291 posts)

3. This is true. I really don't want to go upstairs or down if I don't have to

Reply to Warpy (Reply #2)

Fri Feb 5, 2016, 06:46 PM

Feb 2016

to do laundry...but there is no eat in space otherwise.

decisions, decisions

The Velveteen Ocelot

(121,119 posts)

4. In the process of doing some major remodeling I discovered:

Reply to LaydeeBug (Original post)

Fri Feb 5, 2016, 06:46 PM

Feb 2016

1) Excavating for more basement space is very expensive. So I didn't do that.

2) The existing basement is small, with a low ceiling and an awkward stairway, so I decided not to put the washer and dryer down there if I couldn't improve it.

3) I was advised not to put the washer and dryer upstairs because of the expense of all the new plumbing and wiring, plus the fact that if the washer leaked it could ruin the floor plus the ceiling and wall below it (even if you put a water catcher and drain underneath the washer).

So I stacked the washer and dryer in the remodeled kitchen, as is common in Europe. It's worked out just fine and saved me a bunch of money.

You could enclose the side porch, but when I looked into doing something like that I was told the building code required installing 4' footings, which the old porch didn't have and which also would be expensive. Depending on what your layout is and how much space you have in the kitchen, you might just want to leave them there. Stacking them doesn't take up so much room and you'll already have plumbing connections you can attach them to.