Where Illawarra laundries ended up
In older Wollongong houses, the laundry is usually in one of these spots:
- An enclosed back verandah, lined with fibro, with concrete tubs
- Under the house on a sloping block, down a set of outside stairs
- In the garage of a seventies brick veneer
- Next to the kitchen, in a small room with a back door
And in seventies and eighties brick veneer homes around Figtree, Unanderra and Dapto, it's often a narrow room off the garage or hallway with a stainless tub, a single power point and not much else.
What's usually wrong
Damp. Under-house and back-verandah laundries near the escarpment can be cold and damp year-round. A dryer venting into the room makes it worse. Mould on the ceiling and musty linen are the signs.
No waterproofing, no floor waste. A burst hose or an overflowing tub runs wherever it likes.
Fibro. Common in enclosed verandahs and older laundries. It gets tested before it's touched.
Old pipes. Galvanised supply lines and old waste pipes.
Not enough power. Laundries with one power point behind the machine and no room for a dryer.
No storage. Nowhere for the ironing board, the mop or the cleaning stuff.
Refit it where it is, or move it?
Refitting in place is cheaper. The plumbing's already there, so the budget goes into waterproofing, a decent tub, bench space, cupboards, lighting and ventilation.
Moving it makes sense when you're carrying washing up and down stairs every day. Common options are a European laundry in a hallway cupboard, part of a bigger bathroom, or a room near the back door on the main level. It depends on how far the drainage has to run and whether there's access under the floor.
What a good laundry has
- A proper tub with a pull-out mixer
- Bench space over the machines for folding
- Tall cupboard for the ironing board, vacuum and mop
- Hanging rail for shirts
- Floor waste and a waterproofed floor
- Non-slip tiles
- A fan or window that actually moves air, especially near the escarpment
- Enough power points, safely placed
Engineered stone has been banned in Australia since 1 July 2024, so laundry benchtops are laminate, compact laminate, porcelain or natural stone now.
Mudroom laundries
In beach suburbs like Thirroul, Austinmer, Towradgi and Corrimal, the laundry often doubles as the place wetsuits, towels and sandy feet end up. A floor waste, a deep tub, hooks for wet gear and tiles that don't show sand all help.
European laundries for units and small homes
A laundry behind doors in a hallway can work well in units and smaller homes. It needs a tub or basin, room for a washer and dryer (stacked or side by side), a waterproofed floor, a floor waste where required, and a condenser or heat-pump dryer if there's nowhere to vent outside. In a unit, strata approval is generally needed if waterproofing or plumbing is changing.
Second toilet in the laundry
If the house only has one toilet, fitting a second one into the laundry takes a lot of pressure off the bathroom. Because the laundry drainage is close, it's often cheaper than people expect.
Rentals
For rental properties, including student houses near the university, a laundry needs to be tough: laminate benches, simple cabinetry, a stainless tub and a floor that can handle a flood. See rental bathrooms.
Doing it with the bathroom
The same plumber, electrician, waterproofer and tiler do both, and the skip's shared. Doing the laundry at the same time is one of the easiest ways to get more out of your renovation budget.
Under-house laundries on sloping blocks
Plenty of houses on the slopes around Mount Keira, Mount Ousley, West Wollongong and Figtree have a laundry tucked under the main floor, dug into the hill. These rooms have a particular set of problems: water coming through the retaining wall at the back, no natural light, a low ceiling, and a long walk up the stairs with a full basket.
If it's staying put, the priorities are keeping groundwater out, ventilating properly and lighting it well. If it's moving upstairs, the old space often makes a good storeroom or workshop once it's not wet all the time. Either way, check whether the damp is coming from the laundry or from the ground before spending money on finishes.
Time on site
Two to three weeks for a straightforward laundry refit. Longer if it's moving or if a toilet's going in.
The builder
Renovation work is carried out in partnership with Coastal Renovation Group, a licensed NSW builder. Licence and insurance details are provided on request. See prices for 2026 bands.
Call 02 4214 4073 or send the laundry details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
What does a laundry renovation cost in Wollongong?
As a 2026 guide, most laundry renovations run $8,000 to $18,000. Moving the laundry, adding a toilet, or dealing with asbestos and damp pushes toward the top of the range.
Does a laundry need waterproofing?
Yes. A laundry is a wet area, so the floor and the wall junctions near the tub need waterproofing, and a floor waste is often required. Plenty of old laundries were built with neither.
Can a toilet go in the laundry?
Often, since the drainage is already close by. It needs enough room, ventilation, and a layout that meets the plumbing rules. In a one-bathroom house, it's one of the most useful changes you can make.