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If you do expand the laundry room, what are you gaining besides a feeling of "more space" in what you have described as a pass through room. Are you going to add a table for sewing or crafts? Move the freezer in from the garage? If not, I would leave it as is. No matter what it costs, it's going to be a lot of money for a room you're in 15 seconds at a time, except when you're actually doing laundry, when it's maybe five minutes max.
Jack, that's what I think, however, it's oversized, so I wonder if I can reduce the garage to a standard two car garage, if that would be acceptable. it's basically a two car garage but extra deep. I would take the extra depth to expand the laundry.
Do you have contractors you trust in your area? (can you check Angie's list or get recommendations from neighbors?) If you can find 2 - 3 of them, have them in to bid the job. If they tell you that wall is a support wall, you'll need a different solution, but chances are that it isn't.
Also, if you (or a friend is at all handy) and it's not a support wall, take out the wall and replace it with one made of drywall where you want it. Depending on the size, the materials might be around $500 + money to rent a pickup truck to take the debris from the old wall to the dump. Labor is what really kicks up the costs.
Don't tackle that if you aren't handy because sloppy work will impact your home's resale value.
I had a similar problem, I think. I knocked out the wall (wood & pegboard), and a friend and I laid a 7' x 5' cinder block wall and then I used bamboo shades between the top of the garage and the wall. That was inexpensive and didn't require hiring professionals. I was worried about one of the guys causing damage to the drywall and wanted something stronger.
Added: I understand about hating a room! But if budget is a major problem, maybe paint it white (or paint a new coat of white) and call it good? A coat of white paint helps any small space.
I'd be concerned that if you steal space from your garage to expand your laundry room you may be reducing the garage from a two-car to a one-car garage, which would probably make the house less marketable when you want to sell.
^^^this ould be my main concern. How about moving the water heater out to the garage?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moby Hick
Beer is more important than laundry. Leave your poor husband his space.
Is this a resale question? If not, get an estimate and determine if it is worth it to you.
If you are asking for resale which is worth more a bigger laundry room or a garage you can get a full size SUV into, I'd guess the garage, though that would vary by location.
SandyCat, if that wall you are wanting to tear down is load-bearing (which it may be, if it's a wall between your house and the garage), you are talking a LOT of money, inspections, etc. At least that would be the case where I live -- check with your local government.
You don't want to find out after the fact that the wall you just tore down was load-bearing.
I'd be concerned that if you steal space from your garage to expand your laundry room you may be reducing the garage from a two-car to a one-car garage, which would probably make the house less marketable when you want to sell.
I agree. I would rather have a small laundry room and a two car garage then a bigger laundry room and less garage.
I had the same set up in my former house. You walked from the kitchen into the "utility/mud room" (washer, dryer, water heater, furnace, and air conditioner)...and from there into the garage. I had a small table in the utility room to fold clothes and a small spot to store boots.
My garage was a two-car garage, but I only had one car in it, and the rest of the space was filled with things I was storing. When I moved out, I went through all that stuff and couldn't believe the junk I was holding on to. (One person's trash is another person's treasure.) Sounds like you are ready to clean out your garage and have a big garage sale. I sold larger articles on Craig's List and the rest through my two day garage sale. I made about $1,500 getting rid of things. With that money, you could bring in an interior designer who might have some good suggestions for you. Good luck!
We have the same kind of laundry room and also an over sized 2-car (which we park 2 cars in). For us to expand the laundry room, the wall we'd have to move would be the one with the plumbing. Seems pretty expensive. Instead we are considering moving the laundry to the basement and making the laundry room a mud room.
SandyCat, if that wall you are wanting to tear down is load-bearing (which it may be, if it's a wall between your house and the garage), you are talking a LOT of money, inspections, etc. At least that would be the case where I live -- check with your local government.
You don't want to find out after the fact that the wall you just tore down was load-bearing.
My thoughts exactly. With the amount of money you are looking at, use it to go on a nice vacation or two instead.
Most of you are right. We probably will just leave it as is. Not sure i can wrap my brain around that sort of construction. The wall, I suspect is NOT load bearing because its a short wall with only a door to our garage. Maybe I will start thinking about wood floors instead! LoL...
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-03-2014 at 12:00 PM..
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