Laundry Renovation Perth: Small Room, Big Difference

The laundry is the room most Perth homeowners walk past and quietly ignore. The washing machine fits, it more or less does the job, and there are more exciting rooms to spend money on. So it stays as it is, sometimes for the entire time a family lives in the house.

The problem is that a laundry gets used every day. When it's cramped, poorly organised or just visually worn out, you feel it constantly. And unlike a kitchen or bathroom renovation, a laundry update is often one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make to a home. It's the last thing people think of, but frequently one of the first things buyers and tenants notice when they're looking critically at a property.

If you're planning a renovation or preparing a home for sale or rental, the laundry is worth putting on the list.

What a laundry renovation typically includes

Scope varies depending on what you're starting with and what you want to end up with. Most projects include some combination of:

• New cabinetry, overhead, under-bench or both

• A new benchtop for sorting and folding

• New laundry trough or sink and tapware

• Plumbing connections for the washing machine and sink

• Tiling or flooring update

• Paint and finishing work

More involved projects might mean reconfiguring the layout, improving ventilation, adding a dedicated drying area or extending the room if the space allows. Some Perth laundries are genuinely too small to work in comfortably, and a modest layout change can fix that without a huge spend.

If you're also updating the kitchen or bathroom at the same time, it's worth combining the projects. Coordinating one renovation is significantly easier than managing three separate ones, and trades that are already on site can often pick up the laundry work with less mobilisation cost. This & That handles all of this under one roof.

Do you need a building permit for a laundry renovation in Perth?

For most laundry renovations, a building permit is not required — but it depends on the scope of work.

Under the Building Regulations 2012 (WA), a building permit is generally required if the work involves structural changes, changes to the drainage layout or alterations to a waterproofed wet area. A straightforward cabinetry, benchtop and tapware update typically won't trigger a permit. Relocating plumbing, moving walls or altering the drainage layout usually will.

Your local council is the relevant authority for building permit applications. Perth homeowners can check requirements through their local government's building services page. Useful starting points include:

• City of Perth — Building Approvals

• City of Stirling — Building Permits

• City of Swan — Building Permits

• City of Joondalup — Building Services

• City of Rockingham — Building Applications

For a full list of Perth metro councils, the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) is a useful reference point.

The Building and Energy division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) is the state-level authority overseeing building compliance in WA and has clear guidance on when permits are and aren't required.

Plumbing and licensing in a laundry renovation

Any plumbing work in a laundry renovation — connecting the washing machine supply lines, replacing the trough, relocating drainage — must be carried out by a licensed plumber registered with Building and Energy.

Under the Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 (WA), it is an offence to carry out plumbing work without the appropriate licence. Most laundry plumbing work also requires the plumber to submit a Plumbing Notice to Building and Energy before or after the work is completed, depending on the nature of the job.

DIY plumbing in a laundry is not just illegal — it can void home insurance and create significant problems when you sell. This & That works with licensed plumbers on all renovation projects and handles the required notifications as part of the job.

Laundry renovation costs in Perth

Basic refresh — new taps, paint, minor cosmetic work: $2,000 to $5,000

Mid-range renovation — new cabinetry, benchtop, trough and tapware, tiling: $6,000 to $14,000

Full renovation with layout changes — reconfigured layout, extended storage, new flooring, plumbing relocation: $15,000 to $25,000 and up

Small room, but the trades involved are the same as a kitchen or bathroom. Plumbing, tiling and carpentry don't get proportionally cheaper just because the space is smaller.

That said, a well-planned mid-range laundry renovation typically delivers excellent value for the spend, particularly for properties heading toward sale or households that use the laundry heavily every week.

Design features that actually make a difference

A laundry that genuinely works well usually comes down to a few practical decisions made early in the design process.

Cabinetry that goes to the ceiling. In a small room, vertical space is the most underused asset. Overhead cabinets running all the way up dramatically increase storage without changing the floor plan. Upper shelves handle bulk supplies, spare linen and anything you don't reach for daily.

Enough bench space to fold a full load. This sounds obvious but it's often the first thing cut when trying to fit everything in. Aim for at least 900mm of clear bench. It changes how the room feels to use.

A proper sink rather than the old concrete trough. The concrete laundry trough is functional but hard to clean, looks dated and takes up more bench space than a modern alternative. An undermount or inset sink looks better and is far easier to work around.

Built-in space planned around your appliances. Whether side by side or stacked, planning this before the cabinets are ordered means nothing ends up slightly too wide or at an awkward height. A stacked washer and dryer arrangement with the dryer raised to a comfortable level is usually the better option in a smaller laundry.

A hanging rail. Simple, inexpensive and used constantly. Somewhere to hang items straight from the machine is particularly useful in Perth where you can hang things outside most of the year but occasionally need an indoor option.

Proper ventilation. Laundries generate heat and moisture. An exhaust fan vented properly to the outside, not into the ceiling cavity, makes the room more comfortable and protects the walls over time. The Australian Building Codes Board's NCC requirements specify ventilation standards for wet areas — your builder or plumber can advise on what applies to your specific setup.

What landlords should prioritise

Rental tenants in Perth notice laundries. A room with no bench space, poor storage, a cracked trough and bad lighting signals that the property hasn't been looked after. It doesn't need to be stylish. It needs to be clean, functional and practical.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), landlords are required to maintain premises in a reasonable state of repair. The Consumer Protection division of DMIRS provides clear guidance on what that means in practice for WA landlords. A laundry that's genuinely deteriorated, with broken fixtures, damaged cabinetry or plumbing that doesn't work properly, can become a compliance issue rather than just an aesthetic one.

Practically, the investment property priorities are:

• Enough bench space to actually use the room

• Soft-close cabinetry with quality hardware that won't generate a maintenance call within two years

• A sink that's clean, functional and not cracked or stained

• Tiling rather than vinyl where possible, it holds up better under regular use

• Good lighting, because most laundries are poorly lit and it makes the whole space feel worse than it is

A laundry that tenants don't think about because it works is exactly what you're after. If you're managing multiple properties across Perth, take a look at how we approach investment property maintenance to keep everything in good shape between tenancies.

Laundries and pre-sale appeal

Buyers inspecting Perth homes almost always look at the laundry. It's a quick read on how the property has been maintained. It doesn't need to be spectacular. It just needs to look like someone cared.

A clean retile, updated cabinetry, new sink and tapware and a fresh coat of paint can transform the room for a sensible spend. In a market where buyers are forming quick impressions, the laundry is one of those spaces that builds quiet confidence rather than being a headline feature.

If you're doing multiple rooms before listing, our guide to pre-sale property improvements covers where to put the budget for the best return.

According to REIWA (Real Estate Institute of Western Australia), Perth's property market remains highly competitive, and well-presented properties consistently achieve stronger results and shorter days on market. Small improvements like a fresh laundry add up across the whole property presentation.

The trades coordination issue

Laundry renovations involve plumbing, carpentry and tiling working in sequence. The plumber roughs in before the cabinetry arrives. The tiler works before the kickboards and finishing trim go on. When these trades are booked separately, a delay in one creates a delay in all of them.

Working with a team that handles all of this together keeps the project moving without the scheduling headaches. This & That manages renovations, plumbing and carpentry across Perth with one point of contact from start to finish.

Ready to update your laundry? Call 0487 606 491 or get in touch online and we'll come out to take a look.