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Plumbing Appliances Design Dilemma

How difficult to change from stacked washer & dryer to a side by side

5 years ago

We are in the midst of building our forever home and our rough plumbing is set up for a stacked full size washer and dryer but I am thinking I'd like to go with a side by side for more counter space. I would be giving up the lower cabinet but would gain much need counter space. I was also thinking of putting a clothing rod in between the two upper cabinets or adding another upper cabinet? Please advise if this change would be possible at this stage. Thank you!

Featured Answer

mindshift

5 years ago

It depends on what powers your dryer. The washer goes on the bottom of a stack, so you wouldn't have to reroute the plumbing. You probably would have to redo the venting of the dryer, and perhaps relocate the electric and/or gas supply line. You will pay someone to remove what's there then rebuild it, meaning greater cost to you both for labor and materials.

Also, as far as I know, the washer is supposed to be on the left and the dryer on the right. If you reverse that with a front-load washer the doors are going to open back to back. You will have to lift damp clothes over the doors to the dryer. It's not a huge problem, just an annoyance.

Can you put in a clothes rod opposite the detailed area? If not, look for something like THIS . When in use it probably takes up five square feet, but it folds to 1/4 that size and should fit in a closet or corner.

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Comments (7)

sheloveslayouts
5 years ago
I think a washer and dryer side-by-side is a much better option. Definitely order things washer-dryer-refrigerator.

You might be better off installing a valet rod instead of a standard closet type rod. It's a bit of a reach hanging clothes above a washer and dryer--I do, I'm 5'8". Also, if this is your forever home, you might get appliance pedestals so you don't have to bend to reach into the washer or the dryer.
desireebruno thanked sheloveslayouts
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pricklypearcactus
5 years ago
I'm not a contractor, but whether things can be changed after rough in would probably depend on how it's plumbed and if it's sitting on slab or basement or what. Assuming you don't somehow have gas and/or water coming up from slab that would have to be dramatically changed, it should be feasible. I've re-routed plumbing and electric to move from a side by side to stacked laundry setup in a finished house without issue. Would not have been a problem to go back to side by side either.

You definitely want washer on the left or you may also have washer and dryer doors banging into each other and damaging one another. I like the side by side a bit better, mostly because it's easier to scoop laundry left to right than it is down to up. Though maybe it was better for my glutes to have stacked since I had to constantly squat then stand to transfer laundry from washer to dryer...
desireebruno thanked pricklypearcactus
weedmeister
5 years ago
I went from side by side to stacked and didn't move anything. The washer ended up to the right. The hoses all reached. The electric cord for the dryer was a stretch, but it's ok
desireebruno thanked weedmeister
baileysr
5 years ago
I’ve had both and prefer side by side. As others have noted, it’s easier to move clothes from washer to dryer on front loaders that are side by side, and even more so if you put them on pedestals. I don’t want counter space in my laundry, so it was an easy decision to go with pedestals for extra convenience and storage. The units I’ve seen have the option of reversing the doors on front loaders, so it shouldn’t matter which one goes on which side, but definitely check because you’ll want the doors to open opposite of each other so it’s easy to move clothes.
desireebruno thanked baileysr
Jake The Wonderdog
5 years ago
Go with side by side with pedestals... even if you build a base with cabinets and don't use the over-priced ones from the manufacturer. You don't want to bend over and take laundry out of the washer a few inches off the floor unless you are under serious space constraints.
desireebruno thanked Jake The Wonderdog
desireebruno
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone for your great advice! I spoke with my builder and he was able to switch the stacked to a side by side. I am also adding the pedestals as some of you suggested. I know my back will thank me in a few years.

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