Renovation to a truly awful shared laundry

Thanks for the input, Andy. For now I have a glass half full view of the plan.
There will only be taps for the two pay machines and taps over two tubs that will not accept a washing machine. So private machines are unlikely to end up in there.
The tenant pool in Marrickville has improved a lot over the last 10 years as the area has changed and the people in that building seem pretty decent. I suspect it will only be about 10 flats that will be using the shared machines.
I will report back.
Appreciate hearing your experience.

 

CCTV systems are cheap these days.
Cameras at $110 a pop + $250 NVR (network video recorder) + $160 4TB recorder. Put a gate around it and have it email snapshots.

Hopefully it will be enough of a deterrent for those trouble makers.

I just set one up. Pretty simple stuff.

 

I hope you keep the original retro paint scheme/colours for the new laundry.

 

What a difference knocking those walls down has made already.
Keen to see this completed.

 

#Laundrynazi

No wash for you!

 

Met with the two other OC members last night. We agreed that the cable that comes up the wall to the far right in one of the recent photos needs to be chased in. It was put there by a lazy electrician some years ago. The cost to deal with it is $352.
I also think we might put a 600mm high tiled splashback along the wall behind the machines and tubs. I'm thinking square edge subway tiles. I waiting on a quote for that.
Not sure about colours for the wall yet. But I do want it to suit the era. Needs to be a washable paint, too. I have used Solarguard low sheen successfully for that purpose.

 

There's a huge palette you can chose from to suit the era:
Stallag Grey
Drab Grey
Depression Grey
Grey Nomad
50 Shades of Grey
White

 

50 shades of grey ? Not in that room.

 

Good to see you were paying attention.

 

I keep seeing images of shackles on the wall.

And not like "you lucky *******" :

 

We are in the final stages of getting our laundry in our apartment block upgraded as well- i thought ours was ugly but it looks like a 5 star laundry compared to yours!
We currently have one paid washing machine and one paid dryer. We used to have enough room for two private washers then one new tenant came in and put her humungous washing machine and thats now the only thing that fits. It also always unbalances itself resulting in it beeping for hours on end which is very annoying (to our neighbour building as well)- i've started just switching it off at the well when it happens and I'm around. We have decided to have her remove her washing machine (she has been unresponsive to letters so far), and add another paid washing machine and another paid dryer. We are also retiling, adding some new tubs and painting.

 

How many flats in the block, Jodes?

 

Nearly done. The terrazzo look tiles are great - and were cheap. The tiler did a really good job, too. That floor had a significant fall - the wrong way. Painter also did a great job. Washing machines come tomorrow and the tiler is back on Saturday to do the splashback. Then I just need to organise a bench for the space between the tubs.
That room is bigger than I expected. The odd stroller will get parked there, but that will be okay. I think what I might do later this year is get some vertical storage for pushbikes on one of the walls.

 

@Depreciator - I was wondering where it was at.

Definitely worth the spend by the BC.

All it's missing is the sound system, a bit of artwork and a few barstools (bench is on its way).

 

It does look a bit bare. One of the people on the BC suggested a fold down ironing board. She is from the north shore and I explained that people our side of the harbour are a scruffy bunch and ironing is not a priority.

 

I take it she means one of these: Linky

 

I suspect she does.
Although that room is now better, I can't really see people wanting to spend time there ironing.
And given Marrickville is increasingly populated by hipsters, they are not going to be ironing at all.

 

Looks much better but I agree no one will iron in there when they can do it in their apartment watching telly etc or not at all

A bench to fold items on now that would be nice - but only necessary if there are dryers. Otherwise some hooks on the wall so people can hang their washing basket whilst their load is in might be nice.

 

No dryers, so no need for a big bench. There will be a small bench between the tubs, though.
I noticed yesterday the taps the plumber put over the tubs had a threaded spout. I have asked him to swap them for ones with no thread. I am 100% sure that if the taps with threaded spouts remained, somebody would put their own machine in that room and connect it up. And then a second person would. And a third....

 

I am wondering how you can stop the intrusion of new machines anyway.
Is it possible to 'lock' the paid machine hoses to their taps? Otherwise those taps could be used for other machines.