It's A Wash

After all, most of us spend plenty of time around washing machines. The Soap and Detergent Association says that a typical household washes more than 6,000 articles of clothing each year. So it’s not really a surprise that more homeowners are opting to renovate or add laundry rooms.

And the rooms are often used for multiple purposes, including storage and even pet getaways.

Once relegated to the lowly garage or stuffed in a closet, today’s washers and dryers often sit in sweet-smelling, air-conditioned comfort, surrounded by amenities that rival those found throughout the house.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that spiffing up the room will make this tedious task any more appealing. But it’s sure worth a try.

In fact, Northeast Florida remodelers such as Chuck Horn of Horn Builders are adding or renovating laundry rooms as part of nearly every project, fielding requests for high-end materials that mirror nearby kitchens or bathrooms and designing space-saving features for smaller areas.

“People want the laundry room to be a comfortable extension of the rest of the home, and they often spare no expense to do this,” says Horn. “It’s amazing the time and attention these rooms are getting these days.”

A study conducted by the Remodelers Council of the National Association of Home Builders bears Horn out. The association found that homeowners want high-end laundry rooms that blend with adjacent rooms.

And the granite or quartz countertops, designer floors, custom cabinetry and crown molding they list as must-have features have now become standard.

Shane Sexton, project manager for Finial Builders, recently supervised a whole-house remodel that included a laundry room addition. The homeowner used slate floors, granite countertops and other materials that mirrored a nearby foyer and power room.

Other laundry room requests from clients of designer Kristi Wyndham include hanging rods mounted over the sink for drip- hanging; pull-out wastebaskets for lint, trash and recycling; under-counter rollout canvas bags for laundry sorting and dry cleaning; and even space for extra machines.

“Especially at the beach, having two washers has become popular,” says Wyndham. “And if you use front-loaders, two washers and two dryers can be stacked together in place of a pair of top-loads.”

Speaking of pairs, another trend is adding a second laundry room upstairs, even taking small closets and converting them using stackable, space-saving units, says Horn.

“When you have all the kids’ rooms upstairs, where the majority of the wash will be coming from, the appeal of an upstairs laundry is self-evident,” Horn adds.

And of course, homeowners want lots of cabinet space, even in the smallest laundry rooms, to hold all the clutter that comes with the territory, including detergents, linens and cleaning supplies.

Storage needs, however, aren’t always relegated to laundry accoutrements. Today’s laundry rooms play host not only to dirty clothes but often to shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, soccer balls, pet cages and more.

For one of her canine-loving clients, Wyndham recently designed a laundry room complete with a cubby for a dog kennel and space for food and water dishes. An additional mop sink and hand-held shower head also doubled as a dog shampoo station.

Of course, as more focus is placed on aesthetics and laundry rooms themselves move front and center, appliance manufacturers are rising to the occasion by creating machines worthy of their surroundings.

Washers and dryers are available in, of course, black and white, but also in midnight blue, titanium, platinum, tuscan, chesnut and this year’s newest and hottest color, red.

The appliances are also sleeker, rounder and prettier. But on the practical side, they’re also more ergonomic and designed to reduce back strain and conserve energy.

“Better washers and dryers are easier on clothes, use less water and use less soap,” says Stanley Kantor, president of First Coast Supply. “Many of them have stainless-steel drums that don’t wear out. So while the top-of-the-line models may cost several thousand dollars, they’re very well-made.”

For the last few years, front-loading washers and dryers have been the hottest sellers, adds Kantor, with stackable combination units a close second.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a front-loading washer can save an average of $120 each year in utility costs, which can add up to a savings of more than $1,500 over a washing machine’s average 13-year lifespan.

Whirlpool just debuted its latest front-loader, the Duet Sport. At two inches shorter and two inches shallower than traditional machines, the washer uses half the water of a traditional top-loader while the dryer can save up to 77 percent in electricity. Some Duet models also have a steam clean setting.

Other bells and whistles abound. For example, Frigidaire’s latest front-loading models have 29 wash cycle and 21 dryer cycle combinations, moisture-sensing capabilities, a drying rack and a clean lint filter indicator.

So with abundant options in d?or, design and details, how do you decide what you need?

First, say experts, make a list of what you want to include in your laundry room. Do you need cubbies for children, feeding and sleeping space for pets or just room to comfortably wash and dry clothes? Do you need surface areas to fold, a space for an ironing board or a place for hanging items?

Also consider placement. Would a laundry room near your garage or kitchen be most convenient? Or do you want it near the bedrooms where the clothes will eventually end up?

When selecting materials, pick those that are durable, functional and practical. Popular solid-surface countertops, such as quartz or granite, are good choices because they’re scratch- and stain-resistant.

Danny Nichols of Traditions in Tile and Stone recommends using porcelain and ceramic tile for floors or walls. He also advises selecting a larger size tile, which can decrease areas of grout.

A number of Nichols’ clients are also adding tile wainscoting halfway up the walls behind the washer and dryer to make the surface moisture-resistant and easier to maintain.

But no matter what your needs, there’s no doubt that with 6,000 items of clothing piling up, you need to get started.? After all, they’re not going to wash themselves.

Doing Your Homework
The first step to hiring a professional remodeler is to build a list of candidates—and flipping through the Yellow Pages isn’t the ideal method. The best place to start is the Directory of Professional Remodelers (accessible online www.nahb.org). These contractors uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in the industry.

In addition, seek referrals from trade associations, such as the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), as well as friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Independent trade contractors, building materials suppliers, architects, engineers, home inspectors, local lenders and insurance professionals can also provide leads.

Once you’ve developed a list, check with the local or state office of consumer protection and the local Better Business Bureau. Ask if anyone has complained about the companies you’re considering. If so, were those complaints resolved satisfactorily?

Also check with the state’s licensing agency and state and local building inspectors to see if they’ve received any complaints and to verify that your candidates have the appropriate licenses and registrations.

For more information, log onto the National Association of Home Builders’ Web site at www.nahb.org/remodel to read an online brochure.

You can also call NEFBA at (904) 725-4355 for a list of Remodelers Council members.

Cost vs. Return
Each year Remodeling Magazine compiles a Cost vs. Value Report, the industry’s only detailed account of investment returns for remodeling projects. The report establishes cost-to-construct benchmarks for common remodeling projects then estimates how much of that investment will be recouped at resale in the current market. These are South Atlantic regional averages so they may vary from prices in Florida.

MAJOR KITCHEN REMODEL
Average cost: $52,659? ?
Average resale value: $41,766?
Expected return: 79.3 percent

MINOR KITCHEN REMODEL
Average cost: $20,221? ?
Average resale value: $16,727?
Expected return: 82.7 percent

FAMILY ROOM ADDITION
Average cost: $70,867? ?
Average resale value: $51,004?
Expected return: 72 percent

BATHROOM ADDITION
Average cost: $33,236? ?
Average resale value: $22,670?
Expected return: 68.2 percent

BATHROOM REMODEL
Average cost: $14,445? ?
Average resale value: $11,388?
Expected return: 78.8 percent

MASTER SUITE ADDITION
Average cost: $88,680? ?
Average resale value: $64,549?
Expected return: 72.8 percent

TWO-STORY ADDITION
Average cost: $127,072? ?
Average resale value: $99,464?
Expected return: 78.3 percent

HOME OFFICE REMODEL
Average cost: $25,438? ?
Average resale value: $15,209?
Expected return: 59.8 percent

DECK ADDITION - WOOD
Average cost: $9,266? ?
Average resale value: $7,936
Expected return: 85.6 percent