Planning a Utility Room: Size, Location, Fit-Out and Mistakes
The utility room is one of the most frequently underestimated rooms in a new build. This guide shows how big a utility room should be, where it is best located, which connections it needs and which mistakes you should better avoid in the planning – for more order and short routes in everyday life.
The utility room (Hauswirtschaftsraum, HWR) is one of the most frequently underestimated rooms in a new build – yet it determines order, short distances and a quiet living area. This guide shows how large a HWR should be, where it is best located, which connections it needs and which mistakes you had better avoid during planning. How the HWR fits into the overall planning is shown by our guide to the prefab house overview, and the extra costs can be worked out in the prefab-house cost calculator.
Short answer: A functional utility room measures 6 to 10 m² and is ideally located next to the kitchen or entrance. It needs a cold and hot water connection, a floor drain, sufficient sockets as well as space for a washing machine, dryer, building services and supplies. Anyone who plans it too small shifts the chaos later into the kitchen, hallway or basement.
How large should a utility room be?
Short answer: For a two-person household around 5–6 m² is enough; a family had better plan in 8–10 m². A washing machine and dryer side by side need around 1.3 m of installation width, a work surface for pre-sorting a further 60–90 cm. In addition, factor in shelves or a supply cupboard. Better to plan a size larger than to have to give way later.
Guide values for the HWR size by use
| Use | Area | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (washing) | 4–5 m² | small household, appliances stacked |
| Standard | 6–8 m² | family, appliances + storage |
| Comfort | 9–10 m² | supplies, ironing, integrated services |
| Combined (services/supply) | 10–12 m² | heat pump/PV storage in the room |
How the HWR fits into the entire room programme and which areas other rooms need is shown by the overview of room sizes in the house.
Where should the utility room be located?
Short answer: The HWR is most practically located next to the kitchen or in the entrance area, because short distances for supplies and dirty clothes arise there. An external wall eases the extraction of the dryer’s exhaust air and a later access to the garden. In the basement the HWR is cheaper to accommodate, but in return you have to transport laundry and supplies up the stairs.
- Proximity to the kitchen saves distances for supplies and waste.
- Access to the garden or terrace eases gardening work.
- An external wall simplifies exhaust air and ventilation.
- With bungalows the HWR is worthwhile on the living level instead of in the basement.
- Enough distance of the washing machine from bedrooms because of spin noise.
Whether a basement is worthwhile for building services and supplies is weighed up by the guide to a basement or a slab foundation.
Plan the HWR in from the start
A well-planned utility room costs barely any surcharge but saves time every day. Have suitable floor plans shown to you – for free and without obligation.
What equipment and connections does the HWR need?
Short answer: A utility room needs cold and hot water, a waste-water connection with a floor drain, several separately fused sockets as well as good lighting and ventilation. Often heating technology, a heat pump, an inverter or a PV storage unit also find room here. A washbasin and a robust, waterproof floor surface belong to the basic equipment.
Sensible equipment in the utility room
| Area | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Connections | hot/cold water, floor drain, high-voltage power if needed |
| Power | separate circuits for washing machine & dryer |
| Storage | tall cupboards, open shelves, supply area |
| Building services | heating/heat pump, inverter, meter cabinet |
| Floor & wall | tiles or vinyl, moisture-insensitive |
If a heat pump stands in the HWR, the installation area and sound insulation play a role – the guide to a heat pump in a prefab house fits with this. If the HWR is located directly next to the open kitchen, plan both together – see the open kitchen in the floor plan.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
Short answer: The most common mistakes are a room that is too small, missing sockets, no floor drain and poor ventilation that leads to moisture. Just as annoying: the HWR is located far from the living area or directly next to the bedroom, so that spin noise disturbs. Plan the room early and functionally, not as the leftover space of the floor plan.
Take moisture seriously
A dryer and a running washing machine bring a lot of moisture into the room. Without a window or controlled ventilation, mould threatens. Plan targeted air supply and extraction – with an airtight construction ideally via the central ventilation system.
How a controlled living-space ventilation removes moisture is explained by the guide to a ventilation system in a new build.
Verdict: small, but decisive for everyday life
A well-thought-out utility room keeps the living area free of building services and mountains of laundry. Plan 6–10 m², a practical location near the kitchen and all connections from the start – subsequent changes are expensive. Anyone who takes the HWR seriously noticeably gains order and comfort. Consumer information around building services is offered by the Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice centre).
Find a floor plan with a functional HWR
Compare offers and floor plans from various providers for free and without obligation – including a well-planned utility room.
What does your dream house really cost?
Request suitable quotes from vetted manufacturers for free and compare the prices per square metre for your construction project.
Compare house prices now