It may be easy for you to choose to build a garage laundry room. Laundry in garage opens up extra space inside of your home. However, before you move your washer and dryer there are factors to consider. Will you have the right plumbing for appliances and/or a garage sink? Are there laundry cabinets for your cleaning supplies? And what are the advantages and disadvantages to having your laundry in garage space? Read on for help in deciding if you should move the laundry room to the garage.

A Garage Laundry Room

Before you start moving your washer and dryer into the garage you’ll need to find out if your space provides the following:

• Electrical outlets: You’ll need an outlet to hook the appliances. If you don’t have one, hire a professional electrician.
• Garage sink: You may want to have a garage sink to clean your hand washables.
• Laundry cabinets: You’ll want laundry cabinets for your supplies, such as detergents and stain removers.
• Laundry room ventilation: The dryer must vent to the outside of the house from within the garage laundry room.
• Plumbing: Both hot and cold water will be needed along with a drain for your washer and dryer. You may have to hire a professional plumber if you don’t already have the necessary hook-ups.

Pros and Cons of a Garage Laundry Room

Creating space for laundry in garage areas isn’t always the best option for every house. Before you create a garage laundry room, consider the following:

• Cost: You may have to create new electrical outlets and plumbing for appliances and a garage sink when building a garage laundry room. The cost to move the appliances and making it so that you can use them there may not be economical.
• Functionality: Most people find it easier to have the laundry room near the bedroom, as opposed to having a garage laundry room. After washing and drying clothes, they can easily be transported to the closets and dressers. With a garage laundry room, however, you may have a long walk up stairs, or through the home to bring loads back and forth.
• Space: The advantage to moving the laundry room out of the house and into the garage is that free space is cleared for a new home office, sewing room or storage area. However, if your garage is small, you may have to purchase new machines that stack on top of each other to create space. You may also have to purchase laundry cabinets, if you don’t already have storage area in your garage.
• Value: As far as resale value of your home, most people do prefer the laundry room to be upstairs near the bedroom. However, you could utilize this space for another added-value, such as a home office, which could also optimize your home’s value.

Deciding to build a garage laundry room is a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly. Before you move your laundry to garage space, consider your budget, needs and the current adaptability of your garage.