Adding a Washer/dryer and a double sink
Started by fatrabbit
over 10 years ago
Posts: 83
Member since: Jan 2008
Discussion about
We want to move the washer/dryer in our duplex from the powder room on the first floor to the masterbath on the second floor. That master bath has a 72" double sink vanity. We were thinking of changing the vanity to a 48" double sink vanity and then stacking the washer/dryer next to it like a closet. Any idea if this would require a lot of plumbing work? Would we need to add an additional drain? The condo management says it's fine as long as the plumbing is done correctly. All advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Where does the dryer exhaust go? (Or is it a ductless/condensing model?) And be sure to factor in the cost of redoing the electrical feeds and patching/painting the walls afterwards. The plumbing (cold/hot supply and a new drain for the washer, and adjusting the faucets/sinks piping at the vanity, should be relatively straightforward.
Washers get an indirect drain (e.g. the washer hose feeds into an open-topped larger drain pipe) so that any overflows or pressure buildups are released to the room rather than into the machine or the rest of the piping.
And you're using skinny washer/dryer models? The standard size is 27" but you have exactly 24" allocated. Many models require a small margin of space on the sides for proper operation. And the two sinks within 48" is going to be fairly cozy.
Thanks, Joe. We will be using a ventless dryer. After doing a little more looking, I thought we might use a 48" trough sink with two faucets that uses only a single drain and then use the other drain that formerly was used by one of the now gone vanity sinks for the washer/dryer. Would that make the plumbing job easier? How would the indirect drain work in that case? I apologize for my ignorance.
Might work, but it depends on the heights and the pipe diameters required. If either of those doesn't match up, you'd have to open the wall and it gets more complicated.
At this point get some professional advice to work out the specifics. Narrow it down to 2-3 models of washer/dryer and start talking to contractors based on those specs. (Don't just give them one; they may build you into a corner where you always have to buy a Bosch or whatever, whereas if you have a slight variation you will get a renovation that is more adaptable in the future.)
Also be sure to consult an electrician before you get too far into it; the appliances may require dedicated circuits or something like that (either as per the manufacturer or as per a building code requirement), which could make it harder than just 'borrowing' one of the outlets already in the bathroom.