Reader Laundry Room: More Storage for $900 in Tennessee
A homeowner adds cabinets, shelves and a hanging rod to make her basic laundry room more functional and beautiful
This series profiles laundry room renovations shared by homeowners on Houzz.
The cost of a laundry room renovation can run as low as a few hundred dollars for superficial upgrades and into the thousands for new plumbing, machines and walls. To get a snapshot of some laundry room renovations and their price tags, we asked Houzzers to share their stories. Today we look at a 25-square-foot laundry room remodel in Tennessee that cost just under $900.
The cost of a laundry room renovation can run as low as a few hundred dollars for superficial upgrades and into the thousands for new plumbing, machines and walls. To get a snapshot of some laundry room renovations and their price tags, we asked Houzzers to share their stories. Today we look at a 25-square-foot laundry room remodel in Tennessee that cost just under $900.
BEFORE: Prior to the renovation, Ellen Sutton’s laundry room was just an empty room with hookups for a washer and dryer. “I needed someplace to put detergent, my iron,” Sutton says. “And the rest of the house has such beautiful shelving and cabinetry that it felt out of place to put up cheap wire shelving.”
AFTER: Sutton came up with a design that would make her laundry room more functional and beautiful, and she hired contractor David Binder of DB Handyman Service to build it. To save money, Sutton purchased preassembled cabinets, including the Shaker-style doors. Binder added molding to the top of the cabinets and a skirt trim to the bottom so that they matched the style of the kitchen cabinets.
Binder also custom-built the shelves and installed the hanging rod. Sutton chose elegant pulls to give the cabinets a more expensive look.
Binder also custom-built the shelves and installed the hanging rod. Sutton chose elegant pulls to give the cabinets a more expensive look.
Lessons learned: “I didn’t think about the fact that David would have to cut the molding at an angle to make it fit correctly,” Sutton says. Instead, she bought molding the exact measurements of her cabinets. “I should have added a few extra inches for each piece he’d have to cut,” she says. As a result, they needed to order more — which took some time because it was on back order.
Sutton wasn’t in the market for a new washer and dryer, but for those who are, she recommends purchasing front-loading machines — a controversial topic among Houzzers. “Because one thing I’d have loved to do to make it even more functional is add a counter that the washer-dryer could nest under,” she says, adding that it would be a great spot for folding laundry and doing other tasks.
Style muse: Sutton describes her new laundry room as clean, bright, modern and functional. She chose light colors, clean lines and tall cabinets to help the room feel bigger by drawing the eye up toward the high ceilings. Her other goal was to echo the style of the kitchen. “I wanted to make sure this room felt like a part of the rest of the house. Like it was all done at the same time and not an ad hoc decision,” she says.
Sutton wasn’t in the market for a new washer and dryer, but for those who are, she recommends purchasing front-loading machines — a controversial topic among Houzzers. “Because one thing I’d have loved to do to make it even more functional is add a counter that the washer-dryer could nest under,” she says, adding that it would be a great spot for folding laundry and doing other tasks.
Style muse: Sutton describes her new laundry room as clean, bright, modern and functional. She chose light colors, clean lines and tall cabinets to help the room feel bigger by drawing the eye up toward the high ceilings. Her other goal was to echo the style of the kitchen. “I wanted to make sure this room felt like a part of the rest of the house. Like it was all done at the same time and not an ad hoc decision,” she says.
Walls moved: No
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: No
Professionals hired: David Binder, owner of DB Handyman Service
Special features: A bar to hang clothes on
Splurges: Molding around the top and bottom of the cabinet, custom shelves, really nice hardware
Savings: Bought preassembled cabinets instead of having them custom made.
Cost breakdown
Cabinetry: $500 for cabinets
Accessories and decor: $250 for molding, shelf materials and hardware
Labor: $150
Total: $900
Up next: Building her own shelves for $115
More Reader Laundry Rooms: A Better Way In for $4,100 | Open to the Light for $1,400 | An Updated Look for $800 | A Spa-Inspired Space for $18,000
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: No
Professionals hired: David Binder, owner of DB Handyman Service
Special features: A bar to hang clothes on
Splurges: Molding around the top and bottom of the cabinet, custom shelves, really nice hardware
Savings: Bought preassembled cabinets instead of having them custom made.
Cost breakdown
Cabinetry: $500 for cabinets
Accessories and decor: $250 for molding, shelf materials and hardware
Labor: $150
Total: $900
Up next: Building her own shelves for $115
More Reader Laundry Rooms: A Better Way In for $4,100 | Open to the Light for $1,400 | An Updated Look for $800 | A Spa-Inspired Space for $18,000
Who lives here: Ellen Sutton
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Size: 25 square feet (2.3 square meters)
Total cost: $900
Construction time: Two days