What if a room in a new build is unusable as designed?

8 years ago

My son has earnest money on an high end urban townhouse/condo. The laundry room is completely separate and is entered from a hall. The opening for the dryer vent & the electrical is immediately to the right as one enters that small room. The washer is designed to go on the left side of the dryer. The two machines should take the entire space on that right wall.

The problem is that a dryer would protrude past the door opening due to the shallow depth. An adult would have to walk sideways to enter the room with a dryer in place, even if the door were remounted to swing into the hall. This is a 4 story condo with the laundry on the 3rd floor so I don't know what the options are, if any, for moving the vent and outlets to the back wall. That placement would have been the optimal design. There's no room to move the door to the left. The brief email response to my son from the builder was that they followed the architect's design correctly so it stays. There are only two units to this condo, with a huge price decrease, as it's been unsold for over a year and a half. In view of the price decrease, my son and his wife are considering stacking the w/d in the corner, even though this would not be their preference. I'm wondering what usually happens in these types of situation and any suggestions I can pass on to my son. He would appreciate your feedback. The inspector's written report has not been received yet but his comments did not include any huge issues.

Featured Answer

Ann Scott-Arnold

8 years ago

The two machines should take the entire space on that right wall.

The problem is that a dryer would protrude past the door opening due to the shallow depth.

___

SO get a smaller washer and dryer. Shessh.....

My Splendide clothes processor only takes up 24" wide and is 26" deep

That is a combo -all in one that washes and dries in the same machine

Clothes processors come vented or unvented. They dry with a condensation system

They make separate washer and dryer in about the same dimensions.

GE makes a similarly smaller sized separate washer and dryer. If you stack them, one dryer model comes with the controls on the bottom of the dryer so they aren't 5 1/2 ft up in the air. Only GE makes one like that- all the rest of the so-called 'stackables' have the controls for the matching washer and dryer on the top of the fronts and if the dryer is stacked, that puts the controls 4" above my head (5'2")

Separate units that can sit next to each other or be stacked are better than the 'built-together' stacked.

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Comments (17)

User
8 years ago
"An adult would have to walk sideways to enter the room with a dryer in place,..."

Not ideal, but hardly "unusable as designed."
texasgal47
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Well, I agree with you that is not literally true, but it would be "difficult" to use as designed. I don't believe I can modify the title to clarify.
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Debbie Downer
8 years ago
If adult has to enter sideways, how do they get a laundry basket into the room - does it fit thru the opening?
rockybird
8 years ago
Can you do a stackable w/d?
texasgal47
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Current Resident, good question. I was thinking through that same issue and would need a mock up based on dryer depth dimensions to answer that question. A pocket door would help remove the door swing problem but the sideways entrance and exit may still make moving a laundry basket a challenge.

If the units are stacked, the dryer vent would still be exposed. Son's wife thinks she could put a drying rack in that space to hide the vent some.

Rockybird, stackable w/d was already discussed as the buyers work around at this time
millworkman
8 years ago
Accept it as is and adapt, strike a deal or walk.
ncrealestateguy
8 years ago
I vote for a stackable...
texasgal47
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Millworkman, thanks. That says it all, and you've answered my question. I'll pass your response on to my son. It looks like stackable is the way to go. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond.
texasgal47
Original Author
8 years ago
Ann, a big thank you for all this information. I've kept my original Maytags so know very little as to what's current. Apparently son and dtr-in-law are not that aware either. I'll pass all this info onto them as they would definitely prefer side-by -side. Your suggestions make sense and sound like an obvious easy fix. It's just the two of them so the smaller units should work.

GardenWeb members always seem to come through with their wealth of information.
kathyg_in_mi
8 years ago
My Mom had smaller stackables installed in an upstairs closet. They just fit, stacked, in there. The sliding doors had to come off, but the basement stairs were getting to be too much for her.
jlhug
8 years ago
If you have to enter the room sideways, is the door wide enough for a washer or dryer to fit through it?
sushipup1
8 years ago
So what do you do when a machine dies and you need to replace it?
Ann Scott-Arnold
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
teexasgal

Tell them I ADORE my combo machines - I'm on my 3rd. This Splendide is around 14 years old and still going.

Put a load in before you leave for work -come home and clothes are dry.

To bad the bloody thing won't fold them as well.

They are great for 2 people - also a front load so they aren't as hard on clothes the way full size washers are.

Been the standard in Europe for 25-30 years. Here you see them in boats or RVS or in households of lazy people (grin)

You just have to figure out where to set them so you don't overdry clothes. Each brand is a little different. Malber and Splendide are the top brands. I have an Equator (Sears is selling them) and I did like it - easy to get into to fix yourself and swap a water pump but it did only last 5 years.

If they would be good with a used Splendide (combo) at 1/2 the cost, they can call these people - the machines have come out of RVS and had little use. Should hold up for another 7-10 years. Lot of RV repair places work on these things.

http://rvappliances.visonerv.com/cgi-bin/f/rvwasherdryercombo.pl?

Real nice people - everything I have bought from them has always worked. Shipping costs are really low - like maybe $75-150.
gramarows
8 years ago
Anne says: Only GE makes one like that- all the rest of the so-called 'stackables' have the controls for the matching washer and dryer on the top of the fronts and if the dryer is stacked, that puts the controls 4" above my head (5'2")

Separate units that can sit next to each other or be stacked are better than the 'built-together' stacked.

I have a new Speed Queen stack unit;' the controls are located in the center, so I absolutely disagree that separate units would be better. (sorry for the image size)
Ann Scott-Arnold
8 years ago
grammaros

That thing is 6Ft 6 inches tall!! Try loading that dryer if you are 5'2"....... that is made for people who are at MINIMUM 5'7" or taller. Anyone else is shoving the stuff in higher than shoulder level and won't be able to see all that well inside it.

Terrifically stupid design.
K Sissy
8 years ago
The

ismroom will be used a lot more than your son and daughter in law think that it will. They have to decide if they want that townhouse enough to put up with all of the aggravation almost every day, that results from the way that they have to enter the laundry rm. If they don't find a way to fix it, it might affect their being able to sell it later, even if it doesn't bother them now. That being said, it is never a good idea to buy a condo/townhouse in a complex that has been sitting mostly unsold, no matter how good the price is.

What if a room in a new build is unusable as designed?

Ann Scott-Arnold

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What if a room in a new build is unusable as designed?

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