Washer & dryer in garden shed?

Dick Turnip

Looking to refurb the kitchen in my house over the summer. It's a relatively small kitchen 3.34m (10'11") x 3.55m (11'8")

Currently there's only a washing machine in the kitchen and no dishwasher.

Going to replace the kitchen units, and would like a dishwasher in the new setup. So we were considering options to save space and thinking about maybe putting the washer and possibly a dryer in a garden shed in the back yard. Has anyone here done this before or seen it anywhere?

Is it possible or would it be a major fire hazard? Or possibly would the machines go to crap after a year in a cold shed?

HeidiHeidi

When I bought my house my washing machine was plumbed into a shed in the back garden/yard. I've since relocated to my bathroom upstairs (with the plug led out through the wall to the landing).

So it's definitely possible.

Dick Turnip

Thanks for the quick reply! Don't have space in the bathroom to do that.

Was it purely the convenience of having the washing machine inside (and upstairs) that made you switch it inside?

Was it working ok in the shed up to that?

Trigger Happy

Yeah, we have a block built shed and have our washer and dryer in there. All it needs is a water supply, drainage and a suitable power supply. Much nicer having them out there to keep the noise down etc. We tend to use the washer on a timer to avail of night time electricity rates.

So its definitely possible. I did not plum or wire it myself - got a contractor to do that for me a long time ago.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123204828#Comment_123204828

Convenience led me to bring it inside - it was working perfectly for the year or so before I had to knock the return of the house and rebuild it, so I made the change then. I found it a PITA going out into the rain/cold/wind to do the washing. But my mother has the same arrangement in a block shed, it's literally two steps from her back door to the door of the shed - I had a bit more of a walk to get to the door of the shed.

eta - forgot to say - I also have a very small kitchen, so fitted a slimline dishwasher only. That was the main reason for looking for another home for the washing machine - and having it on the landing in the bathroom means less stairs between bedroom/laundry basket and machine! If I couldn't have done that, it may well have stayed out in a shed of some sort.

hesker

My mother had her’s in a block shed for more than 40 years. Not the same machine obviously and it worked out fine for her. One machine did rust fairly badly but she got years and years out of it.

Only issue would be water supply freezing in very cold weather but that doesn’t happen too often

banie01

Mine are in the "Shed" side of a subdivided Steeltech shed. We made a small utility/laundry/storage shed out of one of the bays of a Mancave/garden room build. It's been 8yrs now with no trouble. Just to caveat though, the shed is insulated, dry lined & plastered.

The utility is on the left of the shed.

elperello

If the shed is insulated and the electrical work is done by an electrician it should be ok.

You could save space in the shed by stacking the machines or getting a combination washer/dryer.

ted1

I've a dryer in a wooden shed, it works, but i have to repalce the dryer every few years..

Dick Turnip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123204998#Comment_123204998

Thanks! This is more what I was thinking of. Currently don't have a shed at all in the yard. So hadn't planned on building a brick shed just for this.

Had done a bit of research on google and had figured a simple garden shed would not be ideal and would need to be insulated and dry lined

HeidiHeidi

The shed that mine was in was just a wooden shed, nothing fancy.

I don't know how long it had been there before I bought the house, but it didn't look like it had been installed the previous week, put it like that! And it was working perfectly for me for a year before I moved it.

spuddy4711

Heat pump tumble dryers are not designed to work in cold sheds. Vented dryers will give better drying results, but use more electricity.

suvigirl

I have the washing machine and dryer in a block built shed, have no issues with it, great to get it out of the house imo, have a freezer out there too.

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123205887#Comment_123205887

Yes and from July 1st it will no longer possible to buy a vented or condensing dryer in the EU due to their energy use.

marco_polo

I was told that as well but we went and got a Beko HP drier anyway. It is in a modestly insulated 40mm steel shed that is unheated and doesn't seem to have a big effect on drying time TBH even in low single digit temps is done in about 2 hrs. It is only a year old so can't speak for whether it is good for longevity but it works at least

Edit I do have a frost protection heater so never let it under 0.

Juran

Its a great idea when you dont have a utility room. We have a 'utility shed'. We have our washing machine & dryer in a block shed. We have the vented dryer above the washing machine, sitting in a built in timber unit, to make the most of the space.

We kitted out the rest of the shed with tiled floor, painted walls, shelves, and a full size tall freezer as well as a half fridge mainly for drinks. We couldnt live without this utility shed.

We added a seperate large steeltech shed for bokes, bbq, tools, etc.

fitzparker

I had a vented dryer outside in a plastic Keter box for about 4 years until we got a cabinet built in the kitchen for it for convenience, still running now almost 6 years later, no signs of rust.

We would just open the lid when the dryer was on to let the steam out or if it was raining we would close it half way, got one of those Vent to condense box thing (about €20) but they are shite. when it rained we would keep it half closed with a sweeping brush to let the steam out and have the hose out it aswell

https://www.diy.ie/departments/keter-store-it-out-max-grey-1200l-pent-garden-storage-1250mm-1455mm/3253929001413_BQ.prd?storeId=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CTkmpOmztJ2BDBVBOpyy7BPvrCuRmJxP34RPEHF5y0VhGLykzfw1_xoCD-UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Toby22

Hi, I have a large block built shed which was constructed when the house was built in the 1970’s. The previous owners son lived in it so it was fully plumbed and connected to electricity. I have a washing machine, freezer, air fryer, deep fat fryer, Foreman grill in it for the past 2- years and nothing has ever rusted . Best idea ever