Why You Should Consider Changing The Location Of Your Walk-Through Laundry Room
It's super convenient to have a washer and dryer combo right in your home, so it makes sense to keep thinking about convenience when deciding where the laundry room should be. The laundry room itself is meant to be functional, but its location within the house should also serve a purpose. Commonly, walk-through laundry rooms are located off of the garage, and anyone trying to reach the rest of the home must walk through it.
Not only is this a drag that establishes an extra step before entering the house, but it also means that everyone needs to trek through the laundry room unnecessarily. This is a surefire way to track dirt on your laundry room floor and overwhelm the space, making it appear extra cramped. If your laundry is a walk-through located off the garage, you may want to rethink and relocate it to a more suitable spot. And if your washer or dryer doesn't have its own designated space, it's time to establish a place where they can be optimized in the home.
Where should your laundry space be?
There are lots of possibilities for where the laundry room should go, especially if you live in a multi-level home. But in reality, there isn't one ideal spot for your laundry, so you should have it in a place that works best for your lifestyle. Perhaps that means having the laundry room on the second floor, where it will be on the same level as bedrooms, making the return of clothes to their rightful drawers a quick task. Or, it may be useful to have a mudroom/laundry combo near the front door so wet clothes and coats can go right in the dryer when you enter the home during winter months and rainy days.
Many designers designate the laundry space to be in a separate room off the kitchen because it sees the most amount of traffic. But what about if you want your laundry room tucked away so it won't be an eyesore? In this case, maybe the basement is the right place as it keeps laundry out of sight. Think about whether there is a small space in your home that you're not sure how to utilize. Remember that a laundry room does not need to be huge to be functional, and it's more than possible to make the most out of a small laundry room.
How much does it cost to change your laundry room's location?
Budget is a key thing to consider before moving or adding a laundry room in your home. According to HomeAdvisor, a laundry room renovation in 2025 ranges between $6,000 and $17,000, with $11,000 being the average. The costs are typically determined by factors like appliance installation requirements, labor, and the final finishes. Water and drain lines might need to be adjusted, and it might not be easy to run dryer vent tubes through the new space. These are necessities that can't be overlooked, as they guarantee that your washer and dryer will be working properly. You'll also need to be aware of any building permits that may be necessary if you are changing the layout. Beyond that, the rest of the cost will likely be cosmetic.
If you're looking to add a new laundry room in your home, Angi finds that the cost in 2025 can range from $8,000 up to $30,000, depending on how premium the selected features are. The average price is roughly $15,000. This includes the fee for permits and installers, but this figure will likely go up based on how large the room will be. Thankfully, adding a new laundry room can boost your home's value and have a return on investment (ROI) of between 60% and 70% of the total project cost.