Laundry room remodel cost
A laundry room remodel costs $2,500 to $15,000, typically $6,000. Moving laundry from a basement to an upper floor is the version that costs real money and the one people are most pleased with.
National average
$6,000
per project
A laundry room remodel costs $2,500 to $15,000, typically around $6,000. Refreshing an existing laundry room with cabinets, a counter and better lighting is at the bottom. Creating one where none exists, with new plumbing, drainage and a dryer vent, is at the top.
Moving laundry from a basement to an upper floor is the version that costs real money, and it is also the change people are most pleased with.
What it costs
| Scope | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh, cabinets and paint | $1,500 to $4,000 |
| Full remodel, existing location | $4,000 to $10,000 |
| Creating a laundry room in a closet | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Moving laundry to a different floor | $8,000 to $20,000 |
| Adding a laundry room in an addition | $15,000 to $40,000 |
| Line item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cabinets, 6 to 10 linear feet | $1,000 to $4,000 |
| Countertop over front loaders | $300 to $1,500 |
| Utility sink, fitted | $400 to $1,200 |
| Running water supply and drain | $800 to $3,000 |
| Dryer vent to the outside | $200 to $800 |
| Dedicated 240V circuit for an electric dryer | $400 to $1,200 |
| Gas line for a gas dryer | $250 to $900 |
| Dedicated 20A circuit for the washer | $300 to $800 |
| Floor drain or pan with a drain | $400 to $1,500 |
| Waterproof flooring | $400 to $1,500 |
| Exhaust fan and lighting | $300 to $900 |
| Sound insulation in the walls | $300 to $1,000 |
| Folding counter and hanging rail | $200 to $900 |
| Permits | $150 to $700 |
Moving laundry upstairs
This is the project most often asked about and it has one real risk: a washing machine on a floor with living space beneath it.
What makes it safe:
A drain pan under the machine, plumbed to a drain. Not a pan sitting on the floor collecting water. A pan with an outlet that goes somewhere.
Braided steel supply hoses, not rubber, and a single-lever shut-off valve you can reach. Rubber hoses are a leading cause of household floods and they fail at the worst time, which is while nobody is home.
A leak detector with an automatic shut-off valve, $150 to $400, which closes the supply when it senses water. On an upper floor this is the best money in the room.
Waterproof flooring carried up the wall a few inches at the edges.
Floor structure checked for the weight. A front loader on a spin cycle exerts real dynamic load, and a floor that bounces will transmit it through the house.
Add sound insulation in the walls and a solid-core door while the walls are open. It costs $300 to $1,000 and is the difference between a laundry room you use in the evening and one you do not.
Stacked, side by side, or a pedestal
Stacked takes 30 inches of width and suits a closet. It puts the dryer controls high and makes the washer awkward to unload for shorter users.
Side by side takes 56 to 60 inches and gives you a counter across the top, which is the most useful surface in the room.
Pedestals raise front loaders about 15 inches, add drawer storage, and cost $250 to $600 each. They make loading much more comfortable and they raise the top of the machine above a comfortable counter height, which is worth checking against your own height before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a floor drain?
Not required everywhere, and strongly worth having on any floor above a finished space. Where a drain is impractical, a pan plumbed to a nearby drain or a leak detector with automatic shut-off is the alternative.
How long is the dryer vent allowed to be?
Typically 35 feet maximum, less 5 feet for every 90 degree bend, though check local code. Long or convoluted runs are why dryers take two cycles to dry a load, and lint buildup in a long run is a genuine fire risk. Rigid metal duct, never flexible foil.
Can a laundry room go in a garage?
Commonly yes, and in a cold climate the supply lines need protection from freezing and the machine will run slowly in winter. Check whether local code requires a gas appliance in a garage to be elevated.
Is a utility sink worth it?
More than most people expect: hand washing, soaking, filling buckets, and somewhere for the washer drain to discharge into where a standpipe is not available. If there is room, it is $400 to $1,200 well spent.
Does a laundry room add value?
An upstairs laundry near the bedrooms is a feature buyers actively look for in family houses. A tidy laundry room in a basement does not add much on its own but does remove an objection.
Read next
Bathroom exhaust fan cost$250 to $900per eachA bathroom exhaust fan costs $250 to $900 installed, typically $450. It is the cheapest thing in a bathroom and the one that decides whether the paint, the grout and the framing last.
Half bathroom addition cost$5,000 to $25,000per projectAdding a half bathroom costs $5,000 to $25,000, typically $12,000. A powder room next to existing plumbing is at the bottom; one far from any drain is at the top.
Kitchen cabinet cost$100 to $1,500per linear ftCabinets cost $100 to $1,500 per linear foot installed depending on tier, and they are 25% to 35% of a kitchen budget. Refacing or painting costs a fraction of replacing.
How to pay for a remodel$20,000 to $40,000per projectA $27,500 kitchen is the largest discretionary purchase most households make outside a car, and it has no financing attached. The spread between the cheapest and dearest option is over $15,000.
Kitchen remodel timeline$20,000 to $40,000per projectA midrange kitchen takes six to ten weeks on site and three to six months end to end. The build is the short part; the waiting is cabinets, which run six to twelve weeks from order.