How to Add a Laundry to a Garage or Outdoor Area

Add a laundry to your Perth garage or outdoor area. Covers WA permits, plumbing, flooring, and costs from $6,000 to $14,000.

Why Add a Laundry to a Garage or Outdoor Area?

Many Perth homeowners want to reclaim the indoor space their laundry currently occupies and use it for something more valuable, like a home office, butler’s pantry, or extra storage. Moving the laundry into a garage, shed, or covered outdoor area frees up a room inside the house while still giving you a fully functional wash space. In suburbs like Wanneroo, Armadale, and Balcatta where residential blocks are larger and double garages are common, this is a practical and increasingly popular option.

It also makes sense for homes where the garage already has plumbing roughed in for a utility sink, or where the outdoor area sits closer to the clothesline than the current indoor laundry. Perth’s climate, with more than 260 dry days per year and mild winters, makes an outdoor or semi-outdoor laundry viable for year-round use without the weather limitations that apply in wetter parts of Australia.

Council and Building Requirements in WA

Before you start any construction or plumbing work, understand the regulatory requirements that apply in Western Australia. Under the Building Act 2011 and the National Construction Code, a laundry must meet specific standards regardless of where it is located in the property:

Requirement	Details	Who Handles It
Building permit	Required if converting a garage or building a new structure. Minor fit-outs within existing enclosed buildings may be exempt depending on scope.	Local council (City of Wanneroo, City of Joondalup, City of Stirling, etc.)
Plumbing permit	Required for all new plumbing installations including hot and cold water supply, drainage, and gas connections if applicable.	Licensed WA plumber lodges with the Plumbers Licensing Board
Waterproofing	AS 3740 applies if a floor waste is installed in the laundry. Strongly recommended regardless of floor waste.	Licensed waterproofer, inspected and certified before tiling
Electrical work	Power points, lighting, and exhaust fans must be installed by a licensed WA electrician. RCDs required in all wet area circuits.	Licensed WA electrician
Ventilation	Mechanical ventilation required if the space is fully enclosed. Natural ventilation via openable windows or doors may suffice for semi-outdoor setups.	Renovator or builder specifies, electrician installs

Garage Laundry: What Is Involved

Plumbing

Washing machine hoses connected to hot and cold taps in a laundry conversion

The biggest cost factor in a garage laundry conversion is running plumbing to the space. You need a cold-water supply line, a hot-water supply line (or a dedicated instantaneous hot-water unit mounted in or near the garage), and a drainage connection to the sewer or septic system. If your garage is at the front of the property and the sewer connection is at the rear boundary, the pipe run can be significant and may require trenching across the property. A licensed plumber will assess the most efficient route and provide a quote based on the actual distances involved.

Flooring

Garage floors are typically raw concrete, which is an acceptable substrate but needs finishing for a laundry. Options include sealing the concrete with a high-build epoxy coating for a durable and easy-to-clean surface, tiling over the slab with porcelain floor tiles, or laying luxury vinyl plank flooring with a waterproof membrane underneath. If you install a floor waste, full waterproofing to AS 3740 is mandatory before any floor finish is applied.

Climate Control

Perth garages get extremely hot in summer, with internal temperatures regularly exceeding 45 degrees Celsius on the concrete slab during afternoon peaks. This heat shortens the lifespan of rubber hoses on washing machines and can cause electronic control boards to malfunction. Consider insulating the garage ceiling with bulk insulation, installing a ceiling fan for air circulation, or at minimum ensuring cross-ventilation with openable windows and a roller door that can be partially raised. Your washing machine and dryer will work harder and wear out faster in sustained extreme heat.

Modern laundry room with dryer and cabinets in a converted space

Outdoor Laundry Options

Covered Patio or Alfresco

A laundry installed under an existing patio or alfresco roof is a cost-effective option that leverages an existing structure. The appliances are protected from rain but benefit from natural ventilation that eliminates moisture and heat issues entirely. Use marine-grade or exterior-rated cabinetry to handle UV exposure and weather extremes. Stainless steel benchtops and sinks are ideal for outdoor installations because they resist rust, UV degradation, and temperature swings without damage.

Purpose-Built Outdoor Laundry

Some homeowners build a small standalone structure specifically designed as a laundry. This gives you complete control over the layout, size, and finishes, but requires a building permit from your local council and potentially a development application depending on your lot size, the structure’s setback from boundaries, and your local planning scheme requirements. Check with your council before commissioning plans.

Cost Estimate for Adding a Garage Laundry in Perth

Converting part of an existing garage into a functional laundry typically costs between $6,000 and $14,000 in Perth. The lower end assumes short plumbing runs from nearby existing infrastructure and basic cabinetry. The upper end includes longer pipe runs, tiled flooring, full waterproofing, ceiling insulation, and quality cabinetry with a stone benchtop. A purpose-built standalone outdoor laundry structure can cost $15,000 to $25,000 or more depending on the build complexity and finish level.

For a comparison with indoor renovation options, see our main laundry renovation guide. If you are also upgrading the indoor space that the laundry previously occupied, consider a complete laundry remodel approach to maximise the value of both the new and vacated spaces.

James Officer

James Officer, has been renovating homes for more than 20 years. Over a decade ago, James founded Perth Property Improver with a clear vision — to create a reliable, professional service where homeowners could feel confident that their project was in safe hands. Over the years, he has built strong relationships with trusted local contractors, carefully weeding out the average from the excellent, so only the most skilled, dependable tradespeople work on your home.