Powder Room in a bad spot, what to do?

[zannej]

Here is another question: Are you the person who primarily does the laundry? If not, would the person responsible for laundry be unhappy with downsizing the laundry room?

When you say stacked washer and dryer, you mean like full size units stacked on top of one another? Or one of those smaller combo units?

Honestly, I think having to walk through someone's laundry room to get to a toilet is more awkward than seeing the powder room door from the dining room.

Do you have any photos of the hallway and powder room? I know you gave measurements and sketches, but it would help to really get a visual image of the layout and such.

Swapping the laundry room and powder room and making it a full bath would probably add value to the home for resale, but I think you also need to think about what is the most practical thing for your family's purposes. Do you really need a full bathroom vs having more space in the laundry room? Also, on resale of the home, some buyers might actually prefer to have a larger laundry room if there is already a powder room on the main floor-- especially if you get around to adding a full bath in the basement.

If I were in your situation, I would focus on doing the full bath in the basement, maybe get the stackable washer and dryer to make more room in the existing laundry room and see about keeping the layout the way it is and just put in the furniture to block view of the door from the dining room. Or move the dining room table so guests couldn't see the door.

But, it sounds like you've given this a lot of thought and that you want to make the changes.

On a weird side note, have you ever tried to use Google Sketchup? There are free versions you can use to create your house layout and such and then experiment with moving/tearing out walls-- fixture placement, etc. I've been using it to plan out my reno (I'm planning to swap the original bathroom to the house & the laundry room due to space/function issues-- current bathroom layout violates building code).

Edit: I just read Neal's response and was wondering if you could just swap where the toilet and sink are and if that would make the visual less offensive? or, as he suggested, make the door swing out if there is space.

 

[nealtw]

If part of the problem is the visual of see the crapper when the door is open. Change the door so it opens out.

 

[DenisTheThief]

If part of the problem is the visual of see the crapper when the door is open. Change the door so it opens out.

That would help a little. But I think still a turn-off for visitors and potential buyers down the road.

 

[DenisTheThief]

Here is another question: Are you the person who primarily does the laundry? If not, would the person responsible for laundry be unhappy with downsizing the laundry room?

When you say stacked washer and dryer, you mean like full size units stacked on top of one another? Or one of those smaller combo units?

Honestly, I think having to walk through someone's laundry room to get to a toilet is more awkward than seeing the powder room door from the dining room.

Do you have any photos of the hallway and powder room? I know you gave measurements and sketches, but it would help to really get a visual image of the layout and such.

Swapping the laundry room and powder room and making it a full bath would probably add value to the home for resale, but I think you also need to think about what is the most practical thing for your family's purposes. Do you really need a full bathroom vs having more space in the laundry room? Also, on resale of the home, some buyers might actually prefer to have a larger laundry room if there is already a powder room on the main floor-- especially if you get around to adding a full bath in the basement.

If I were in your situation, I would focus on doing the full bath in the basement, maybe get the stackable washer and dryer to make more room in the existing laundry room and see about keeping the layout the way it is and just put in the furniture to block view of the door from the dining room. Or move the dining room table so guests couldn't see the door.

But, it sounds like you've given this a lot of thought and that you want to make the changes.

On a weird side note, have you ever tried to use Google Sketchup? There are free versions you can use to create your house layout and such and then experiment with moving/tearing out walls-- fixture placement, etc. I've been using it to plan out my reno (I'm planning to swap the original bathroom to the house & the laundry room due to space/function issues-- current bathroom layout violates building code).

Edit: I just read Neal's response and was wondering if you could just swap where the toilet and sink are and if that would make the visual less offensive? or, as he suggested, make the door swing out if there is space.

A smaller laundry room is not ideal, but we'd be OK with it. Either a combo unit or small stackable. I think it's an improvement. One idea is to do the switch but extend the laundry room a little, (i.e. where the powder room is now). The current appliances would fit, so we wouldn't have to buy new ones and the full-bathroom would still be big enough...

Yes, I agree a full bathroom in the basement would be good. But our place is not that large. Probably not large enough to fit a bedroom in. So perhaps just as well to have a full bathroom on the main floor. A larger family down the road may think: well, there's not 2 full bathrooms upstairs, but going to the main floor is closer than going to the basement.

Part of the idea of the full bathroom on the main floor is to kill 2 birds with one stone: have a 2nd shower and get rid of this powder room problem. Also if we do make a full bathroom on the main floor, we could make a power room in the basement down the road.

OK, good idea, I took some photos...

 

[DenisTheThief]

Here's the hallway, small, not much to work with. Stairs on the left, kitchen/dining room to the right. 1st left is the evil Powder Room.

 

[nealtw]

That would help a little. But I think still a turn-off for visitors and potential buyers down the road.

Sometimes, it is what it is.

Let's say it costs 7K to do the change. if you are looking at increasing value for end use sale.
It also ha caused inconvenience while work was being done so even if you live there while it is done it is fair that you calculate in the cost of living out.
Hotel, food and and.
Let's say that value is 3K.
So roughly investment is 10k. So you invest 10K, what should be expected return, 12 to 15K.
If when you bought would you or could you have paid 15K more.

My point is if you are flipping you do an awful amount of math, if you are fixing your home to be your home all you can expect at the end is a quicker sale than the same house for the same price.

When you have someone calculate the value of a home for sale, they look at the hood, the age, the number of beds and baths and sq. ft. so yours will be the same value as that other house.

 

[DenisTheThief]

Here is the laundry room, not very spacious in terms of going through it to the powder room. Then again doable and if we keep it tidy, I think it's an improvement.

 

[DenisTheThief]

Here's the view from the Dining Table. Ooo yuck, what a turn-off.

 

[nealtw]

I am all for changing things up, but as a cheapskate, always look for the cheapest as I am a little lazy want to find the easiest.
One of you first post you have a sketch, can you put measurement to that length and width of both rooms?

I think some one said something about moving laundry down stairs? Have you given that thought or is it out for sure. Could you live with out laundry sink?

 

[slownsteady]

Since moving a piece of furniture is at no cost and not doing any damage, try that first. If you like it, boom, you're done. And if you don't, you just move it back and try something else.
As much as I like the idea of changing the swing of the door, it does create a small hazard of nailing someone who may be passing the door at the moment it opens. And one would have to close the door first, before stepping around it.

 

[nealtw]

Since moving a piece of furniture is at no cost and not doing any damage, try that first. If you like it, boom, you're done. And if you don't, you just move it back and try something else.
As much as I like the idea of changing the swing of the door, it does create a small hazard of nailing someone who may be passing the door at the moment it opens. And one would have to close the door first, before stepping around it.

The other quick and easy is to just move the door closer to the laundry.

 

[bud16415]

The other quick and easy is to just move the door closer to the laundry.

:agree:
It is hard to see the layout of the powder room in your photos. Is the sink to the left of the toilet when walking in the room? If so moving that door and changing the swing the other direction (still an inswing) would go a long way to cleaning up the view and not breaking the bank.

 

[zannej]

:agree:
It is hard to see the layout of the powder room in your photos. Is the sink to the left of the toilet when walking in the room? If so moving that door and changing the swing the other direction (still an inswing) would go a long way to cleaning up the view and not breaking the bank.

I was thinking the same thing! If it won't hit anything, changing the door to swing inward the opposite direction might hide the toilet.

I also think you should try moving a piece of furniture in between for a short while and see how it works. It might prove to be annoying to get around it though, since the space is so small.

I absolutely despise the combo unit washer/dryers. Had to use one when I was living in a hotel while waiting for housing for several months when my family was overseas. I kept bumping my head on the dryer when I was reaching in to the top-load washer part.

The stacked ones aren't so bad from what I've seen (although I prefer non-stacked ones on pedestals bc I have a bad back). If you stack your washer and dryer on top of one another (or get something like the Electrolux IQ touch or one of the LG or Samsung models) you could put them where the dryer currently is (that's the one on the right?) That way the pathway to the door would be more direct and it would be less cramped when accessing it. You could then add different types of storage on the sides. You could even store things under the utility sink if there is enough room. houzz and pinterest of full of ideas on laundry room space-saving. I like the retractable drying rack that mounts on the wall. A friend of mine had that-- no picture since I can't fit many pics in one post.

There are some that apparently have a pull-out folding shelf and if the top stacked one is hard to reach, there is a carrying bin that can be flipped over and used as a stool (Safe T Stool from HD).

If you merge the laundry room and bathroom, maybe you could just put doors or something in front of the washer and dryer (if you wanted to go that route).

Save​

 

[DenisTheThief]

:agree:
It is hard to see the layout of the powder room in your photos. Is the sink to the left of the toilet when walking in the room? If so moving that door and changing the swing the other direction (still an inswing) would go a long way to cleaning up the view and not breaking the bank.

Thanks for the idea. Changing the swing, I like the cost. But I think visitors would still feel uncomfortable and it is still a turn-off for potential buyers. Same with moving the door, there's only a foot to work with.

Here's the latest... I went to Home Hardware to ask them. They thought having a full on the main floor is good since we have only one upstairs so it's closer than going to the basement. And we don't have enough space to put a bedroom down there anyway.

One idea I had is to do the switch but take a notch from the larger room for the laundry room, so it wouldn't be so small. I measured and it looks doable. And we could fit our current appliances in there. Here is the a visual. And also they sell these Utile Maax Shower Kits. They look nice. Not as nice as ceramic, but could save a lot: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/70a1fd930631057b_2685-w500-h400-b0-p0--transitional-bathroom.jpg

 

[bud16415]

Looks like a plan that will work.

I helped my nephew design his house and he was wondering what to do about a location for his laundry room. I suggested he forget about building a separate room to house the washer and dryer combine the too spaces into one much larger area and have the laundry along one wall of the large bathroom. We laid it out that way with some kitchen type cabinets above the two machines so there isn’t a lot of clutter and some hamper places. I think it works out nice and he and his wife love the less cramped feel in both rooms. It also solves the problem of a messy laundry room as you keep it picked up as it is a room you wont be hiding things in.

Hallways are wasted space and if you moved the wall so the one room would enclose it all you would have a room 100 x 116 to work with

Just an idea.

 

[DenisTheThief]

...

Hallways are wasted space and if you moved the wall so the one room would enclose it all you would have a room 100 x 116 to work with

Just an idea.

I never thought of that...

 

[zannej]

Looks like a good plan, Denis.
If you are going to have enough room to have the washer and dryer side by side, you might want to build a pedestal under them (or have one built). I saw quite a few plans for them.
This is a rough one that has a pull-out shelf to set the laundry baskets on when taking stuff out or putting stuff in the machines.
http://www.ana-white.com/2016/11/DIY_furniture/washer-dryer-pedestal

I saw another version in picture only that had two slides...

or someone went super fancy:

When relocating the dryer, did you think about the path for the dryer's vent?
It seems like it vents out the side of the house for now, but if you move the appliances, you will need to find a new path for the vent that will go outside of the house. It should be somewhere that you will be able to access to clean out any lint that might get stuck in it.

When shopping for stuff, you might want to try a Habitat for Humanity ReStore if there is one in your area because they usually have lower prices or try something like Surplus Warehouse (again, if they have one near you). The one near me sells Maax shower units.

 

[mabloodhound]

I like your contractors suggestion except I'd probably use one of those pre-fab shower surrounds.
I also see hallways as a wasted space but if you remove those walls and put the door out at the end of the old hall, then you're back into the same visibility problem.
You're last floor plan looks like the best solution and you might even consider having just the one door into the bathroom and removing that wall entirely between the bath and laundry. That way there is no extra door in the hall and might give you a bit more feeling of roominess in the bathroom and a larger shower. Any shelving could go above the washer/dryer.

 

[DenisTheThief]

Well... we're almost done. It was a difficult choice. But we decided to convert the laundry room into a full bathroom. Thanks for everyone's feedback but of course we couldn't take everyone's advice. No right or wrong answers here.

The cost was about $7,000. But we've gone from 1.5 bathrooms to 2. When selling the house hopefully we'll get that money spent back. And we decided to put the washer/drier in the basement. Which was good since we didn't have to buy new appliances. The old powder-room will probably be a small storage room.

And 2 ideas given on this thread, to connect the fan with the light switch and putting something under the door, we still may do. The toilet is not so close to the dining area now but it isn't that far either. (may need to do some sound tests)

 

[oldognewtrick]

Thanks for giving us an update Dennis!