Anyone have a dumb waiter in their house??

[janey99]

I know a few people who bought older homes with dumb waiters or laundry chutes, and every single one of them closed them up or locked them, because they are an attractive nuisance and dangerous for kids.

Just something to think about, depending on the ages of your children and resale value.

Also, just out of curiosity, why would it cost 4K?

Jane

 

[MarkBarbieri]

My wife does the laundry in our house. If she tells me that she wants different equipment, locations, or whatever, I say "OK" and we work out where it fits in the budget.

 

[wvjules]

How old are your children?

ETA: I think the laundry room should be upstairs where most of the laundry is. How does he get the laundry to the laundry room now? He has to walk upstairs to get it, right? How is that any different then having to walk up stairs to start a load?

The kids can be put in a playpen, playroom, etc while he puts in a load. Or it can be done during nap time.

I think having the laundry room on the floor were most of the laundry goes makes more sense. The kids will eventually grow up and figuring out where to put them during the 5 minutes it takes to put in a load will be irrelevant.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I would look into fire codes- many places don't allow new builds to have laundry chutes-they are the perfect way for a fire to travel at alarming speed from one floor to the next. Could be the difference between saving the kids on the second floor or not saving them. I'm guessing a dubwaiter would carry the same risk.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I would vote against it as I don't think you'd recoup the cost if you end up having to sell the house. In the initial post, the concern was lugging laundry up the stairs in your golden years. I think it's more likely that one of you will develop knee or other joint problems that make it difficult to use stairs at all, in which case you'd be selling that house and downsizing, or adding a chairlift up the stairs in your existing house. If you do put in a chairlift, you can easily stack the laundry on it and let it ride up. Until that time, honestly, carrying the laundry upstairs is good for your heart. Just my opinion!

I have a two-story house, laundry on main level, laundry chute from master bedroom to laundry room. I sort the clothes, put the "colds" down the chute and carry the "warms" down the stairs to keep them separate and then wash, dry, fold and carry 'em back upstairs. Just so you know I do understand about carrying laundry upstairs.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

I did home nursing for a number of years and all the elderly who had multi level houses moved their bedrooms downstairs because they were unable to go up and down the stairs.

If you are putting the laundry away, you win, whether he is the SAHD or not.

Doing the laundry means you put it away as well.

My compromise is that it is either upstairs or he puts it away as part of the deal.

Seriously?!?!

Let me see if I understand this...DH collects the dirty clothes, sorts the clothes, washes each load, dries each load, folds the clothes,sorts them into piles according to person/area but because the DW walks them up stairs she wins??

I don't think so.

I agree. If you feel a dumbwaiter is worth it, go for it. However, I love having my laundryroom near the main areas of the house for the same reason your husband mentioned. I can cook, watch the kids, etc. so much easier while I keep the laundry going. If it was upstairs, I'd have to "single task."

Same here. Everything is downstairs. Tv,computer,kitchen to prepare the kids meals,door to let them outside to play etc.

The only time I go upstairs is to make sure the kids pick up their rooms and to go to bed.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Seriously?!?!

Let me see if I understand this...DH collects the dirty clothes, sorts the clothes, washes each load, dries each load, folds the clothes,sorts them into piles according to person/area but because the DW walks them up stairs she wins??

I don't think so.

If I had to carry it upstairs, you bet.

I know the OP is trying to please her hubby but it makes WAY better sense to have it upstairs. It would make things so much easier for them both, esp. when the kids get older.
Not too mention the value added on the house by having it upstairs.