Laundry Room Update on a Budget

Sharing is caring!

This post contains affiliate links to products I love ♥ See my full disclaimer here!

This laundry room update on a budget was no easy task; however, in the end, it turned out amazing & we are so happy with the way it came out.

When we bought our home 4 years ago, we had many questions and wondered why the previous owners fixed things the way they did. It just didn’t make sense. And quite frankly, it cost more money the way things were modified. As you read on, you will see what I mean about the Laundry room update on a budget.

What was once a porch off the kitchen was eventually enclosed with windows & drywall some years later. Under the subfloor are the original beams that support the room. Under the mudroom is dirt & a drain that is connected to the original cistern under the patio outside the laundry room.

The renovation in our laundry room should have only taken two days to complete. Still, it wound up taking took four & a half days because of old house problems that needed to be remedied.

Last year, I gave our laundry room a refresh. However, we did not have it in the budget to replace the floor and add a new screen door like we wanted to.

Keeping within budget for flooring

We finally moved forward to getting rid of the ugly green carpet to replace it with vinyl tile flooring because this is a high-traffic area on a daily basis.

I wanted the tile to be cohesive with our living room & dining room floor. We chose Honey Oak plank vinyl tile that looks like hardwood flooring. Even though, It was peel and stick tile, we still had to use tile adhesive. We wanted to ensure the tile stayed in place as this is a high-traffic area.

I was initially going to get the same vinyl tile as our kitchen. Then, when we were looking at other tiles, we found one that not only did we love but was much cheaper than the one we used in our kitchen. We only needed enough for 120 Square feet and under $140 and enough for up to 144 square feet; we had more than we needed. It was definitely worth it.

We ran into a problem, a BIG problem!

We accessed the damage to the subfloor by the back door, some wood was rotted. I know, an easy fix, right? No, it wasn’t!

We soon discovered that the support beam that holds the mudroom subfloor up was tilting forward and as you can imagine, we were upset & very concerned about what this means not only for our budget but the damage to the rest of the beams.

Old house problems!

Our home was Built-in 1885; you never know what kind of problems you will run into with an old house over 100+ years old when doing renovations/restorations; you may run into issues that can blow your budget out of the water.

I can not express how grateful we are that our handyman had an idea on how to fix the framing that holds the subfloor.

We soon learned that the support beam that holds the subfloor was tilting forward and it had to be straightened to make the floor sturdy. Using a jack was precisely what helped to straighten the beam.

Whoever had enclosed the room that was once a porch, left their empty beer cans under the floor.

Once we got the floor was fixed & secured, we had to tackle the rotted area on the door frame, which was chiseled out, new wood was mounted in place.

We added additional improvements to the laundry room!

A new screen door! We always wanted to have a screendoor, and now we finally have one. What a difference it made! We can now up the door to allow fresh air to come through the house without worrying about our kitties getting out!

Then we added a New doorknob & bolt lock. We wanted a better doorknob & and we added a bolt lock to the door for additional security.

Finally, there was a covered outlet that had wires capped off. It wasn’t live wires, but it was a mystery and we weren’t sure what it was intended for. Our handyman was stumped as we were and he also could not find the wire for it in the basement. so he cleaned out the old wire, then, he ran a new electrical wire to the new panel we had installed this Fall in the basement. So now we have another working outlet!

Use up what you already have

After installing the electricity & plumbing for the washer and dryer, a local carpenter made custom shelving for the laundry room. This definitely helped with the needed storage space.

Out with the old and in with the old-made-new

We found this marketplace find, a beautiful antique step-back cabinet from the 1940s that was purchased for $60. It was the perfect size for this space to store extra linens & supplies. It was perfect for our Laundry Room Update on a Budget

There were some slight modifications for the last four years

To stay within budget, we worked on some areas in phases. This made it possible for us to do what we wanted to do in this space over time. I am so happy with how it turned out and I can finally mark this space off our list of home projects to do!

How much does it cost to create a laundry room?

Depends on if you have to add the space or convert a space into a laundry room. But you need to take into consideration what is needed to create it, such as washer/dryer, flooring, tiling, cabinets, countertops, and hookups for plumbing & electricity.

Does adding a laundry room to my house add value?

Adding more square footage to your home is always an excellent investment, but the type of space determines the value. If you want to do some remodeling or add an addition, adding a laundry room is a great alternative. Laundry room additions add value to your home while providing you with the potential to maximize functionality and cost.

Here are 6 tips to create a laundry room on a budget

1. Just remember as frustrating it is when tackling projects, it takes time, and you want to get it done right! So make the best of it and know in the end, you will be glad you have done it!
2. Create a realistic budget and make sure to leave room for the unexpected. With our house being 137 years old, you are sure to run into issues.
3. Use what you have. For example, cabinets, paint, hardware & so on.
4. Take time to DIY projects. Only hire out if out of your expertise to fix.
5. Shop at thrift stores, marketplace &, etc., for cabinets, hardware, paint &, etc. Taking the time to search for items will keep you within your budget.
6. Take time to thoroughly plan your renovation, so you’re prepared. In the end, you want to be happy with the final product!

Now onto a new project! Stay tuned for the biggest one yet!

Until next time y’all!

If you want to follow along on our home restoration/renovation plans and all of our exciting antique & thrift finds, be sure to check out Linen and Wildflowers on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to receive updates.

Shop this Posts!

Laundry Basket

Plant Hangers

Ironing Board Hanger

Ironing Board with Bamboo Legs

Traditional Runner Rug

Check out these other popular posts!

Laundry Room Makeover

Recent Thrift Haul & 5 thrifting tips

Bathroom Refresh

How to create a cozy guest room on a budget

Vintage wood finials door stoppers