How Much Does a Laundry Room Remodel Cost in 2026?
National ranges, materials + labor · Pricing data updated · Reviewed annually
A typical laundry room remodel costs $11,000 to $24,000 in 2026 — that's a full dedicated laundry room at mid-range finishes with proper flooring, cabinets, supply box, and venting, with most projects landing near $16,500. The spectrum runs from about $2,500 for a budget closet laundry to $65,000+ for a high-end laundry/mudroom combination on an upper floor in an expensive metro. Washer and dryer not included — these are construction numbers.
Laundry budgets are decided by geography inside the house, not by finishes: how far water, drain, and dryer venting must travel, and what floor the room sits on. The tables below break the national ranges down by room type, finish, and floor level, and the free laundry room remodel calculator turns your layout into a materials list.
The four kinds of laundry space
Closet laundry
30"–60" wide stacked or side-by-side in a closet bay
Small laundry room
5×6 to 6×8 dedicated room (~30–48 sq ft)
Full laundry room
8×10 to 12×12 with counter, uppers, often utility sink
Laundry / mudroom
Laundry + bench, cubbies, drop zone — 6×8 to 10×12
Laundry room cost by type and finish level
First-floor location, national averages, existing rough-in nearby. Note that type moves the budget more than finish does — a budget mudroom-combo costs more than a high-end closet.
| Type | Budget | Mid-range | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closet laundry30"–60" wide stacked or side-by-side in a closet bay | $2,500 – $7,500 | $4,500 – $11,000 | $7,500 – $16,000 |
| Small laundry room5×6 to 6×8 dedicated room (~30–48 sq ft) | $4,500 – $11,500 | $7,500 – $16,500 | $11,000 – $24,000 |
| Full laundry room8×10 to 12×12 with counter, uppers, often utility sink | $6,500 – $17,500 | $11,000 – $24,000 | $16,500 – $35,000 |
| Laundry / mudroomLaundry + bench, cubbies, drop zone — 6×8 to 10×12 | $9,000 – $22,000 | $14,500 – $30,500 | $21,000 – $44,000 |
How the floor level changes the price
The same full laundry room at mid-range finishes on each floor. Second-floor installs carry a drain pan and deflection considerations (IRC R301.7); basements typically want a floor drain and, where the rim sits below the upstream manhole, a backwater valve per IRC P3008:
| Floor level | What changes | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1st floor | Standard slab-on-grade or framed floor — baseline scope | $11,000 – $24,000 |
| 2nd floor / above conditioned space | Pan strongly recommended; check IRC R301.7 deflection (L/360) | $12,000 – $28,500 |
| Basement | Floor drain + trap primer typical; backwater valve per IRC P3008 | $11,500 – $27,000 |
Estimate your laundry remodel
Combine type, finish, floor level, and region — then toggle the plumbing and electrical add-ons to see what your specific layout costs.
What the add-ons actually cost
Priced against a typical full laundry room at mid-range finishes. These are where two identical-looking laundry projects end up thousands apart:
| Add-on | What's involved | Adds |
|---|---|---|
| New plumbing rough-in from main stack | 20–60 LF DWV + supply + drywall cut/patch — vs tying into existing nearby rough-in | +$1,500 – $6,000 |
| New 240V dryer circuit pull to panel | 10/3 NM-B, 30A 2-pole breaker, NEMA 14-30 receptacle (NEC 250.140) | +$500 – $2,500 |
| Gas dryer (vs electric) | New gas line run + shut-off + listed connector — IRC G2414/G2420, licensed gas-fitter typical | +$500 – $3,000 |
| Add utility sink (laundry tub) | Mustee / Glacier Bay style 19×24 tub, 1½" P-trap, hose-thread faucet w/ vacuum breaker | +$500 – $3,000 |
| Drain pan + 1" pan drain (above conditioned space) | Galv steel or HDPE; not in 2021 IRC but mfr / many AHJ required for 2nd-floor | +$0 – $1,500 |
| Smart leak detection + auto-shutoff | Moen Flo / Phyn whole-home, or FloodStop / Taco LeakBreaker local — UL 943 | +$500 – $2,500 |
| Backwater valve (basement, IRC P3008) | Required where flood-level rim is below the next upstream manhole — slab cut typical | +$500 – $3,500 |
| Panel / service upgrade (100A → 200A) | Triggered when existing panel can't accept new 30A dryer + 20A laundry circuits | +$2,000 – $11,000 |
| Tile floor + Schluter Ditra (vs LVP) | Uncoupling membrane per TCNA; ceramic/porcelain over plywood subfloor | +$500 – $2,500 |
| Upper cabinets + folding counter | 12"–15" deep uppers over W/D, laminate or butcher block counter | +$500 – $3,500 |
Cost by region
The same full laundry room at mid-range finishes, first floor:
| Region | Typical metros | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-cost metro | Midwest, parts of South & Mountain West | $9,500 – $20,500 |
| National average | Most metros | $11,000 – $24,000 |
| High-cost metro | NYC, SF Bay, Boston, LA, Seattle, DC | $14,000 – $30,000 |
How to keep the cost down
Put the laundry where the plumbing already is. The single biggest saving on this page: a location with existing rough-in nearby avoids the new-plumbing-run premium of $1,500–$6,000. Stacking above or beside a kitchen or bath usually gets you there.
Keep the dryer vent short and straight. Code (IRC M1502) limits developed vent length, and every elbow costs equivalent feet. A layout that puts the dryer on an exterior wall avoids expensive concealed duct runs and dries clothes faster forever after.
Spend on water protection, not on counters. Braided stainless hoses, an accessible supply box, and (above living space) a pan with a real drain cost little against the damage a failure causes. The high-end move — smart leak detection with auto-shutoff — is the rare luxury item with an insurance-math justification.
Price the finishes yourself. A laundry room is small enough to DIY-price precisely: floor tile from the tile calculator, cabinet runs from the cabinets calculator, and paint from the interior paint calculator.
What these ranges don't include
National ranges, materials + labor combined. Excludes mold / asbestos remediation, structural floor reinforcement, exterior trenching, washer / dryer appliance purchase, and luxury cabinetry.
- The washer and dryer — appliance purchase is excluded; these are construction numbers.
- Structural floor reinforcement — if a second-floor location fails the deflection check, that's engineered work.
- Exterior trenching — rerouting a sewer lateral or adding a cleanout outside is a separate project.
- Permits — set by your municipality.
Where these numbers come from
Ranges reconcile national published data — Remodeling Magazine's laundry-add category, Angi and HomeAdvisor/Forbes Home medians, Fixr's laundry room report, and the NAHB builder cost survey — bracketed by roughly ±35% to absorb regional and behind-the-wall variability. Every figure is rounded to the nearest $500 on purpose. The model is reviewed annually; this page was last computed from data updated . For your own project, get written local bids — and have the bidder open the supply box before quoting.
Ready to plan the actual project?
The free laundry room remodel calculator goes past ranges: enter your room's real dimensions and it runs the underlying trade calculators — flooring, tile, cabinets, paint, drywall — and merges them into one materials list you can save, share, or hand to a contractor. No signup.
Open the Laundry Room Remodel Calculator →Get Accurate Pricing From Local Contractors
Compare real pricing from licensed professionals in your area based on your estimate.
- Free, no obligation quotes
- Local licensed contractors
- Faster than manual estimating
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a laundry room remodel cost in 2026?
A full dedicated laundry room (8×10 to 12×12) remodeled at mid-range finishes — LVP or tile floor, semi-custom cabinets, proper supply box and venting — runs $11,000 to $24,000 nationally, with most projects landing around $16,500. A closet laundry runs $4,500 to $11,000 at the same finish level, and a combined laundry/mudroom with bench and cubbies runs $14,500 to $30,500. Ranges include materials and labor but not the washer and dryer themselves. Use the laundry room remodel calculator to price your configuration.
How much does it cost to add a laundry closet?
Converting an existing closet bay to a stacked or side-by-side laundry runs $2,500 to $7,500 at budget finishes and $4,500 to $11,000 at mid-range — IF plumbing rough-in is nearby. The location decision dominates: a new plumbing run from the main stack adds roughly $1,500 to $6,000, which can double a small project. Put the laundry where the pipes are.
How much extra does a second-floor laundry cost?
The same full laundry room costs $12,000 to $28,500 on the second floor versus $11,000 to $24,000 on the first — the premium covers a drain pan with piped drain (recommended by manufacturers and required by many local jurisdictions above living space), potential floor-deflection checks per IRC R301.7, and longer utility runs. Many owners add smart leak detection with auto-shutoff here too; a burst hose above a finished ceiling is the most expensive laundry failure there is.
Do I need a utility sink in the laundry room?
Code doesn't require one, but they earn their space: soaking, handwashing, and a place to drain the washer during service. Adding a laundry tub with faucet and trap runs about $500 to $3,000 on a typical project when the drain is nearby. The faucet needs a vacuum breaker if it has hose threads — a small part inspectors actually check.
Is a gas or electric dryer cheaper to install?
If both hookups already exist, use whichever you own. If you're adding one: a new 240V electric dryer circuit (30A, NEMA 14-30 per NEC 250.140) is usually the cheaper install, while running a new gas line with shutoff and listed connector adds about $500 to $3,000 and typically requires a licensed gas fitter per IRC G2414/G2420. Gas dryers cost less per load to run, so heavy-use households recoup the install premium over time.
Why are these ranges so wide?
Because laundry projects hide their biggest variable — how far the water, drain, and venting have to travel. Two visually identical laundry rooms can differ by thousands based on what's behind the drywall. We reconcile published figures (Remodeling Magazine, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Fixr, NAHB) into ±35% brackets, round to the nearest $500, and review the model annually — last updated 2026-05-16.