Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Common House Laundry Facilities

[Kay Argyle (argyle]

> 1) Did your group purchase, rent, or lease laundry machines for the 
> Common House? How were these financed (i.e. coin-op, membership dues)?

Machines were purchased from funds included in the construction costs.  

Funds for eventual replacement are being raised through charges of 50c per
washer-load and 50c per dryer-load (I suspect this is way more than
necessary).  There is a clipboard in the laundry room to write down how
many loads you do.  Every month or two you are expected to add up what you
owe and include it in your monthly condo fee check.  This is totally an
honor system.

People purchase their own detergent but may keep it in the laundry room
(marked with their name of course).

> 2) Are your machines front or top loading and why?

The washers are front loading.  (You didn't ask this, but the dryers are
gas.)  I don't know the brands.

Something to keep in mind while arranging the layout of the laundry room --
it is faster and easier if you can open the doors of both the washer and
dryer and pull handfuls of clothing out of one and fling them into the
other without having to transfer them to a basket or walk several steps. 
To do this, the doors need to open away from the other machine.  (In our
laundry room the doors open towards each other and are in the way.  Bad
ergonomics.)

If you can get dryers that have a door that opens downwards (Sears may be
the only brand), that is a _very_ nice feature, especially in conjunction
with a top loader.  You can drop the wet clothing onto the door as you
unload the washer and shove it inside all at once instead of having to keep
bending over.

> 3) How many machines were provided in the common house per how many 
> households in the community?

We have 26 households.  Some households have their own washers and dryers
(I don't know how many).  The laundry room has two washers and two dryers. 
Maybe half the time I have to wait for a machine.

Kay
Wasatch Commons