More and more homeowners are renovating their laundry rooms these days, with a focus on appliance and flooring upgrades. And it’s no wonder – why treat the laundry room as a shed or storage closet? A laundry room remodel will not only create an atmosphere of cleanliness but also make doing the wash less of a chore.

A laundry room remodel generally involves some or all of these changes:

• relocating the laundry facilities
• updating your washer and dryer
• replacing the flooring
• refinishing or installing new cabinets
• upgrading the laundry sink and countertop
• adding task lighting
• painting or papering the walls

On top of the cost of new appliances, a remodel like this can cost $2,000 and up, depending on factors such as the extent and quality of the changes. When you hire a remodeling contractor, keep the following suggestions in mind.

Location

A recent trend is to make the laundry room more accessible (not to mention brighter!) by moving it out of the depths of the basement and onto the main floor, preferably off the kitchen. This is very attractive to prospective buyers and can add to your home’s value. However, it requires hiring a plumber to install the proper input and drain pipes for your washing machine. TIP: Cut laundry room remodel cost by relocating next to a "wet wall," which already has basic plumbing in place. 

Improving Appliances

Many people upgrade their washers and dryers to high-end, energy-efficient machines. These will get your clothing cleaner in less time and cut costs on utility bills. In addition, newer appliances come in sleeker designs that will make your laundry room look more appealing.

Possible Upgrades & Remodel Cost

Flooring. If you’re redoing the floor, consider ceramic tile flooring or some other waterproof material. When you hand wash or hang things to dry, or even when you’re just moving wet clothing from the washing machine to the dryer, you’re likely to drip water on the floor, so be sure to choose a material that can take it. This may add a bit more to your laundry room remodel cost at first, but its durability will save you money in the long run.

Countertops. Many homeowners think it’s wise to install lots of expensive countertops in their laundry room as a folding surface. While in theory this is a good idea, in practice people tend to take the laundry elsewhere and fold it in front of the TV. If that's your habit, consider either buying a small television for your laundry room or forgoing the extra counter space. OTOH, you may find a large counter helpful for pretreating stains or pressing clothes, if you don't want to bother with an ironing board (make sure the countertop is a heatproof material like quartz!).

Cabinets. Plan cabinetry according to the size of your laundry room and family's needs. You'll definitely need a place for detergent, dryer sheets or balls, and related supplies, and perhaps a tall narrow closet for mop, broom, Swiffer sweeper, and vacuum cleaner. In addition, you may want to install enough cabinets that this area can multitask as a storage room or a mudroom. If your existing cabinetry is in basically good shape, save on your laundry room remodel cost by refinishing it. 

Hanging rod. Locate a hanging rod in the laundry room near the dryer. If you have a side-by-side washer and dryer you can place the rod above the appliances. This will minimize wrinkles in delicate garments, like blouses, by allowing you to hang them as soon as they come out of the dryer. Be sure to have a supply of good quality clothes hangers on hand.

Lighting. You’ll want adequate lighting to create a pleasant atmosphere, as well as to let you focus on tasks such as sewing on buttons. If your laundry room has only one socket, hire a licensed electrician to install another or bring in a bright lamp that you can adjust according to your requirements.

Paint. A fresh coat of paint will rev up the space without driving your laundry room remodel cost through the roof. Scrubbable semi-gloss is ideal for this workhorse of a room. While white is traditional for a sparkling clean look, try accents in your favorite color (hot pink, anyone?) to maybe, just maybe, make laundry day a bit less of a chore. 

Updated December 13, 2018.