# Forum Home Renovation Laundry  Laundry Design

## speck

Hi All,
I am currently gutting my laundry and plan to replace with a flatpack job...I am trying to decide whether to go with a top loader or front loader. I wanted to have the benchtop run through above a front loading machine cavity, but others have suggested this is not a good idea for resale as it limits the buyer to a front loader also. It also means I would need to relocate the existing taps which Im not too keen on but I just wonder if people have any opinions on best practices. 
Much Appreciated. 
speck

----------


## Uncle Bob

Personally, if I was going with a front loader I would be looking at mounting at bench height as my back doesn't like bending as much as it used too.

----------


## juan

> Hi All,
> I am currently gutting my laundry and plan to replace with a flatpack job...I am trying to decide whether to go with a top loader or front loader. I wanted to have the benchtop run through above a front loading machine cavity, but others have suggested this is not a good idea for resale as it limits the buyer to a front loader also. It also means I would need to relocate the existing taps which Im not too keen on but I just wonder if people have any opinions on best practices. 
> Much Appreciated. 
> speck

  Discuss with Wife - She is the one who will likely use it the most.
I have just gone through the same decision making process with our new laundry.  I wanted FL and bench top space but wife hates FLs and would only have a TL.
Result was I decided to keep the peace and have a design to facilitate a TL washer and consequently reduced bench top which was not an issue for us as is a large laundry with heaps of benchtops. I have a sink in the cabinets next to the TL space and have all the plumbing and power point in that cabinet to allow easy conversion to a FL by anyone in future.
Whilst there is much argument that FLs are better than TLs, there are also many folk like my wife who are not even prepared to give them a go. 
My thoughts are that it probably is no big deal in respect of resale value of home if the laundry is such that if you go with a TL then anyone could just replace the benchtop
and make some  cabinet change if they decide on a FL. Maybe not that cheap to do but not a deal breaker in the scheme of things when buying a property.

----------


## Teabag

Sorry to hijack the thread. Juan where did you source the flatpack from? Laundry is next on my to do list. Tks

----------


## juan

> Sorry to hijack the thread. Juan where did you source the flatpack from? Laundry is next on my to do list. Tks

  Sorry if I gave that impression Teabag - not a flat pack laundry.  Complete Kitchens are responsible for custom building cabinets in both my kitchen and laundry - not finished yet (handles to fit, etc). Plumber coming later this week. 
Really very happy with my whole experience with this company - very professional.

----------


## sundancewfs

Just a thought on Laundry design. If you are going to have a dryer, consider venting it to the outside. No condensation buildup in the laundry then. I stood our cabinets off the wall by about 130mm and ran a 100mm stove pipe behind them and through the wall to the outside. It works like a charm.  :2thumbsup:

----------


## Moondog55

> Just a thought on Laundry design. If you are going to have a dryer, consider venting it to the outside. No condensation buildup in the laundry then. I stood our cabinets off the wall by about 130mm and ran a 100mm stove pipe behind them and through the wall to the outside. It works like a charm.

   :Iagree:  :Iagree:

----------


## juan

Another option is a *condenser dryer*. These units are a little pricey but a friend has had a Bosch one for years and swears by it. No need to vent it outside.
We intend to put one in our laundry.

----------


## Wavenut

Don't the front loaders take ages to wash clothes on the normal cycle? A friend of mine just purchased a whizz bang unit which washes and drys in one -------- problem is it takes 7 hours!!!!!

----------


## Joshwaaaa

I ended up with both and bugger all bench top space, but it was the misses choice.  We have a front end loader and the spare space next to it is going to house our chest freezer, which I normally keep out in the spare room but the misses so no longer. So if the next buyer wants a top loader it just means they are going to have either a hole or install more cupboards. I would have prefered the bench to span the entire length of the room 
Just bunnings flatpax crap, still more wall cupboards went up after this

----------


## Cecile

> front end loader

  Front end loader in the laundry is a new concept.   :Tongue:  
Moondog and I both had the temerity to laugh, and both immediately thought the same thing.

----------


## Joshwaaaa

> Front end loader in the laundry is a new concept.   
> Moondog and I both had the temerity to laugh, and both immediately thought the same thing.

  hahaha whoops,  laundry isn't really my place as you may well be able to tell

----------


## jatt

Yep the driers that trap water seem to do ok, well at least I know the Bosch ones do. It wont remove all of the humidity from laundry, but is certainally a big improvement from ones that dont trap water.  
 Have used and fixed a couple of them now.  Both still going strong.

----------


## HarperLee

Condenser dryers are brilliant and I would recommend Miele above Bosch - even though I've recently put in a Bosch in my rental apartment and was happy with this - no humidity / condensation at all. Miele are just better, they are the best. They cost the most - but you get the best quality. For instance, my Miele washer is around 30 years and still going strong (touch wood / touch water!). They are literally built from tank metal. I had to replace my dryer about 10 years ago, but this was my fault. Used it frequently with a very heavy woooden bifold door closed so there was no ventilation for the motor / fan. I personally believe that condenser dryers should be legislated for units / apartments - they are that good. I don't know what the cheaper options are like. Would recommend checking out Choice to see their reports on them (usually they claim 1. Miele and 2. Bosch). Hope this assists.

----------

