Building a new property but not sure which laundry amenity is right for you?  We’ve put together a pros and cons list for having a community laundry room verses in unit laundry rooms to help you decide.

Community Laundry Rooms

Pros:  Community laundry rooms come with lower initial costs since they require less machines.  They can also be a great source of income.  You can charge per use and also offer vending machines with laundry products.  They can also foster a sense of community and be a great place for residents to meet one another.  In communities where you offer paid utilities, they can save property owners a lot of money since some renters will opt for off site laundry.

Cons:   Community laundry rooms require a lot of maintenance.  Since the washers and dryers get more use than in room appliances, they will break down more frequently.  There is also the cost of cleaning the space and operating the machines.  They also do not afford renters any privacy, so you could lose interest from potential renters.  You will also have to monitor the laundry room and make sure that residents are sharing the space responsibly which can add extra workload to already burdened property managers.

Individual Laundry Rooms

Pros:  The biggest pro of individual laundry rooms is renter privacy.  In apartment washers and dryers let renters wash their clothes without having their dirty laundry aired out in public.  It is also much more convenient for renters, since they can do their laundry when they need to rather than when the community laundry room washers and dryers are available.  They also do not have to pay extra to do their laundry.  They can also increase the value of a rental property because it is a highly sought-after amenity.

Cons:  They are more expensive.  They have a higher initial cost because property managers have to buy more appliances and they have a high maintenance cost because they have to maintain more appliance than in a communal laundry room.  They can also cost more more for the renter in water and electricity or more for the property manage in properties with included utilities.  This increased cost can drive the price of rent up, reducing your potential rental market.

There are pros and cons to both communal laundry rooms and individual laundry rooms.  Finding the best solution for your property is really about weighing those factors.  If you want to learn more about how amenities impact your property and your renters, contact the experts at Occupancy Solutions.  Our experts know all about cost and benefits of amenities and can help you plan your ideal property.