A utility room is a versatile area that can serve many functions. It typically includes a washer and dryer, and it may also have additional appliances, pet supplies and storage space.
Since a utility room is a practical and functional space, it’s something that’s popular with a wide range of people, particularly families with children and/or pets. If you build a utility room and later decide to sell your house, it may appeal to potential buyers.
How Can a Utility Room Help Your Family?
If you currently have a washer and dryer in the kitchen, you may experience problems with organization. Finding space to store laundry baskets, detergent, fabric softener and other supplies in a room that already houses food, pots and pans can be a logistical challenge. Congestion can also be an issue if one individual is doing laundry while another is cooking. Having a separate utility room can solve these problems.
A utility room can be a place to keep other large appliances easily accessible but out of sight. A furnace, a water heater and an extra refrigerator or freezer can be included in a utility room.
You can store a broom, dustpan, mop, bucket and other cleaning supplies, as well as coats and other articles of clothing that aren’t used on a daily basis, in a utility room closet. If the room has a sink, you can use it to clean muddy boots and keep the mess out of the rest of the house.
Putting food and water bowls, a litter box and a pet bed in a utility room can prevent a mess in another area such as the kitchen. It can also help you avoid having unpleasant odors and lots of pet hair in a part of the house where you and your family prepare and eat food and spend a lot of time.
Discuss Design Options With Local Contractors
If your home has an existing laundry room, you may be able to reorganize it to better use the space, or you may decide to take some space from another room to create a larger utility room. If you don’t already have a dedicated laundry room, you may have to change your home’s floor plan or build an addition. If you want to build a utility room where you don’t currently have plumbing, that will add to the overall scope and cost of the project. A contractor can discuss these and other issues.
Get in touch with a handful of local contractors, request estimates, make sure each contractor is licensed and insured, and contact references to inquire about their experiences. Take all this information into consideration when selecting a contractor.
