Our Newmarket house had a laundry room that worked but was badly set up: flex foil dryer duct crammed into the ceiling, washer and dryer on the same 15-amp circuit (shared with the overhead light), and vinyl sheet flooring that had been patched twice. We did a proper renovation last fall.
What we found on demo:
The flex foil duct to the dryer was 28 feet long with three 90-degree bends — well beyond any reasonable specification. It had accumulated lint to the point where you could feel heat coming off the duct when the dryer ran. This is how dryer fires start. It was the most urgent issue.
The dryer duct re-route: Our laundry is in the basement, and the logical exit point was through the rim joist to the north side of the house — a run of about 9 feet with one 45-degree bend. The sheet metal contractor re-routed with 4-inch rigid galvanized, proper sweep elbows, and a louvred exterior cap with built-in backdraft damper. Cost: $480. Time: half a day.
Electrical: Electrician installed two dedicated circuits — 20-amp for the washer, 30-amp 240V for the dryer. Also added a GFCI outlet for utility use. ESA permit and inspection. Cost: $1,240.
Laundry tub: We added a 22x22 inch laundry tub in the corner — very useful for hand-washing and utility tasks. The drain tied into the existing floor drain. Cost: $900 parts, $480 plumber install.
Tile and finishing:
- 12x24 porcelain tile floor (50 sqft): $820
- Upper cabinets (two IKEA Sektion units with doors): $640
- Countertop over washer/dryer (laminate cut to size): $280
- Paint: $120
Total: $4,960
The dryer now finishes loads 35-40% faster than before (it can actually exhaust properly). The tub is used constantly. Should have done this 10 years ago.