We recently renovated our laundry room from a drab wire-shelved room to a fully built-out functional space. We had our eyes on this project since we first moved into our home, but it consistently got kicked down the road. In the end, though, we learned how affordable it could be to renovate your laundry room (and how big of a difference it makes).
Keep reading as we detail exactly how much our laundry room renovation cost, what it included, and what we’d change if we did it again.
Table of Contents
What we Renovated in our Laundry Room?
Before we talk about how much our laundry room renovation costs, it’s important to talk about what we included in this project. Here’s the complete list of everything we did as a part of our laundry room reno:
- Tile – Removed and replaced our old ugly brown tile with updated grey herringbone subway tile (more on that below).
- Cabinets – Removed the old Rubbermaid wire shelving and replaced it with lower and upper cabinets. In total, we installed 2 lower cabinets and 4 upper cabinets.
- Countertop – Along with lower cabinets, we added a wood countertop that extended over our washer and dryer.
- Washing Machine & Dryer – While renovating the laundry room, we also decided it was a good time to replace our 11-year-old washer and dryer (before we realized that prices had increased 20% over the last two years).
Our Actual Laundry Room Renovation Cost
Now that we’ve covered what we included in our renovation, we’ll talk about the materials we bought, the contractors we hired, and how much we spent on each piece.
For a full step-by-step guide to our installation, check out our Laundry Room Renovation Guide.
Tile
We decided to replace our existing brown tile (pictured above) with a herringbone gray subway tile. We knew this would be more expensive, but we also wanted a fun statement tile since our laundry room is the first space you see upstairs in our home.
To save money, we subcontracted this job ourselves, meaning we purchased the materials and hired a tile installer separately. After viewing several samples, we bought this 4×19 Matte Porcelain Texstone Gray Subway Tile.
In total, we ordered 80 square feet of tile, which cost $596.35.
Next, we sourced three quotes for local tile installers. All three installers came to our house to view the space, validate the measurements and confirm what we were looking for.
Our tile installation cost $1,750 and was completed in 1 day. While we love the herringbone tile, it did cost us more for installation. A standard install likely would have been closer to $1,000.
Washing Machine & Dryer
Since the units needed to be removed for the tile installation, we realized this was a great time to replace our 11+-year-old washer and dryer.
While not originally part of our renovation budget for this project, we knew that our units were getting to the end of their life, and this was the right time for a replacement.
After debating a front-loader vs. a top-loader unit, and countless hours of research, we decided on the LG TurboWash 360 Smart Wi-Fi High-Effeciency Washer and Dryer.
In total, our new washer and dryer cost $1,996.02, including installation and haul away of the old units.
While this was more than we expected to spend (especially since the average washer and dryer costs $1500), we loved the high-tech features of these units.
Cabinets
After the tile was completed (and the new washer and dryer arrived), we were ready for cabinets. During the planning process, we reached out to a local cabinet contractor we’ve worked with for a quote on the laundry room. We used this same contractor for our recent home bar build and kitchen update, so we already knew the high quality of his work.
During our consult with the contractor, we discussed options for cabinetry and decided on the following:
- 2 standard lower cabinets
- 2 full-height upper cabinets above the washer and dryer
- 2 12″ shorter cabinets with a hanging rod above the lower cabinets for hanging clothes
Shortly after installation, we also decided to add boxes and trim that extended the cabinets to the ceiling for a more finished look.
In total, the laundry room cabinets and installation cost ~$3,700 ($3,000 for the cabinets and $700 for the additional boxes).
Countertop
We also ended up using our cabinet contractor for the laundry room countertop. Our contractor suggested a stained wood countertop during our consult, and we loved the idea. We knew the wood countertop would add warmth to the space and tie in well with our white oak hardwood floors. Plus, wood countertops are much cheaper than traditional stone countertops!
Originally we had planned for the countertop to only extend across the lower cabinets since we thought we would have top-loading washing machines. However, after we made the last-minute switch to front-loaders, we asked our contractor if we could extend the countertop above the units.
Since the washer and dryer are taller than the lower cabinets, our contractor added a waterfall edge between different height countertops. We love how this looks, but the additional countertop above our washing units did add cost.
In total, our countertop cost $700, including installation. For comparison, the quartz countertops we were looking at all cost more than $1,100.
Total Laundry Room Renovation Cost
In total, our laundry room renovation cost $8,742.37, as seen in the itemized list below:
- Cabinets (Materials + Labor): $3,000
- Box to extend cabinets to ceiling: $700
- Countertop (Materials + Labor): $700
- Tile (Materials): $596.35
- Tile Installation: $1,750
- New Washer + Dryer: $1,996.02
- Total Laundry Room Cost: $8,742.37
How We Could Have Saved More
Overall we love how this space turned out, but we did make a few last-minute additions and splurges that added to our budget. If we wanted to save more money during our laundry room renovation, we would have made these adjustments:
Use larger tiles
The smaller your tile, the more individual tiles you need, which means more labor for installation. Our 4″x19″ tiles meant there was a lot of cutting and laying tile for our installer, which was included in his cost.
Instead, if you want to save, try a larger 12″x12″ tile. Because of their larger size, these tiles require less effort, grout, and cutting and will be less expensive to install.
Install tiles in a normal pattern
Related to your tile size, avoiding complicated patterns like our herringbone installation will also save you money. While we love the look of the herringbone tile, it was a splurge and cost almost double what a standard install would have.
If you instead opt for a standard square tile (like the 12″x12″ size recommended above) in a basic pattern, you can significantly reduce the installation cost (or even do it yourself).
Keep the old washer and dryer
As the old saying goes, “Any money not spent is money saved.”. While buying a new washer and dryer can add to the “fresh” look of a laundry room, it isn’t required.
For us, the timing was right, and we expected only to get another year or two from our washing machines. However, if you’re laundry units are in good shape, or you’re looking to save, avoiding this major purchase can help keep your budget down.
Don’t extend cabinets to the ceiling
At the 11th hour, we decided to splurge on boxes to extend our cabinets to the ceiling. We initially discussed having the cabinets go to the ceiling, but this was very expensive, and the boxes were a great compromise.
However, this also added $700 to our project and was mainly to make the space look nicer. Instead, if you focus on standard cabinets, you can keep your laundry room renovation cost down.
Our Take – Was it Worth It?
Absolutely, renovating our laundry room was worth it. Not only does our updated laundry room look amazing, but it’s also much more functional.
Our old laundry room had no storage outside of wire shelves. This meant items like toilet paper and paper towels were stacked all over the place. Now, our laundry room cabinets offer great storage and a clean look!
Bottom Line
In total, we spent $8,742.37 to renovate our laundry room, including tile, cabinets, countertops, and new washer and dryer units. While not the cheapest project, this renovation has transformed our laundry room and made it more functional in almost every aspect.
