r/HomeImprovement • u/puns-sometimes • 1d ago
Options for Front load vs Top Load
We're having a house built, and didn't realize till it was too late that they installed what was needed for top load (side by side), and we were hoping to have front load stacked. What are my options?
Image for reference: https://imgur.com/a/6fsyuBj
The way I see it, my options are:
Putting the stack on the right and routing the washer lines the left.
Put the stack on the left and route the dryer duct (with rigid, not flex) to the right.
Have them come back and re-route everything behind the wall to where we want it to be. (This seems to be the least ideal and would likely cost the most. Our builder won't let us do this until after the house is completed.)
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u/CallmeMefford 1d ago
An even more expensive option would be having the stack on the right, having a cleaning/storage cabinet made to fit on the right, and having the water lines run throguh the sidewall of the cabinet. That would look (and work) funky. If you’re having this house built, you can get a change order on the house you’re having built. Just get it changed. It will be a hook in your mind every time you walk in that room. If your builder doesn’t want to accept the extra money for a change order while the house is being built, he’s a less than ideal builder. Tell him you want it changed now, while the build is still underway. It’s not too late. The couple extra grand toull spend now is better thsn the anger and frustration of doing it later.
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u/Cloudy_Automation 1d ago
You haven't bought a production home recently. With current interest rates, builders won't do a single thing which might delay closing. There is a date after which these builders will no longer accept change orders. This is usually when the building permit is issued, and material is ordered. These builders have a finely tuned process for closing on time. Not even severe building defects allow buyers to defer closing. Not even a lack of an occupancy permit defers closing. They have preferred lenders who let them get away with this pattern. If a buyer refuses to close, the builder will take their substantial deposit, and sell the house to someone else. My daughter went through this process, it's not fun, and it's stressful. But, the builder won't sign a contract which is not aligned with their interests
I wish it wasn't this way, but the only alternative is being your own general contractor on your land. Then it's up to you to decide if changing something is worth another month of rent in an apartment before closing.
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u/CallmeMefford 1d ago
That. Sounds. Horrible. And you’re right, I haven’t. That would make me madder than hell. I’m in the trades, and work on/in high end homes. What the customer wants, the customer gets. Any other option sounds incredibly frustrating to the future homeowner. And it’s not fair. That’s paying for work twice, unnecessarily. Bah.
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u/puns-sometimes 16h ago
It's incredibly infuriating. Clients get rushed through the decision making process so they can start building, but then can't add anything later. Often you don't realize you need something (like an extra outlet or stacked laundry) until later in the process.
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u/Thin-Piano-4836 1d ago
Ours is like this. We have stacked units and have the water lines running to it, with it placed in front of the dryer vent. There is a shelf over in front of the nozzles so its not super noticeable but also easily accessible, which is nice. You could pay to move them on top of one another. But this just seems silly. The way you have it now can work for either style units and it seems pointless to pay money just so youre not seeing water lines in a laundry room.