Why do British Flats have washing machines in the kitchen?

[Brent]

I've been watching a lot of British TV for a while and I've noticed something that I just now figured out what it is, British kitchens seem to have their washing machines built into their kitchens under the counter. They seem to be side loaded and smaller than what we have. Why is this? Do flats not have a "laundry room" like we do in America? Where is the dryer?

 

[Chaos Descending]

I've seen plenty American apartments set up the same way.

 

[Brent]

I've seen plenty American apartments set up the same way.

Never seen any, and it appears to be the common thing across the pond. Just wondering if there is a reason, why no laundry room, and where the dryer is?

 

[Amaris]

I've seen plenty American apartments set up the same way.

So have I. Around here it's very common.

 

[T'Girl]

Mine is in my kitchen, it one of those mini stacks, right next to the fridge.

 

[Marc]

I've been watching a lot of British TV for a while and I've noticed something that I just now figured out what it is, British kitchens seem to have their washing machines built into their kitchens under the counter. They seem to be side loaded and smaller than what we have. Why is this? Do flats not have a "laundry room" like we do in America? Where is the dryer?

Combination of space and proximaty to water and drainage. Can't be in fhe bathroom but needs to be connected to the water and the only other place is the kitchen.

 

[scotpens]

Most of the less expensive apartments in the U.S. have communal laundry rooms. At least, that's been my experience.

 

[AliciaD496]

This reminds me of a question I have from the time I lived in England, perhaps I already know the answer but I'd like to confirm.

In the US we usually have at least one outlet in the bathroom by the mirror, usually one that turns off automatically if it detects a surge. When I traveled around Ireland, Scotland and England I noticed that this was never the case. In fact there was usually only one outlet in the hotel or dorm room. I can understand in the bathroom at least it's probably too dangerous to have the higher voltage current anywhere near water at all, but why the lack of outlets in the rest of the living space?

As for the laundry question...both apartments here in the US that I've lived in that had a washer and dryer they were/are in the bathroom likely for the cited drainage and water supply issues. The one flat that I lived in over in England had a machine that was a combo washer/dryer that took FOREVER to dry anything and was in the storage closet away from either of the bathrooms or the kitchen...so it's not ALWAYS by the kitchen in England either.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have never seen an Australian home/apartment that has an washing machine in the kitchen though I have seen some that have them in the bathroom.

I find it strange to find a toilet in the bathroom as in most Australian homes the toilet is in a room of its own (unless the home has more than one bathroom).

 

[thestrangequark]

^That sounds more sanitary to me.

When you're seven years old you never think, "Golly, it'd be awesome to have my own washing machine!" But now, I wouldn't care if it was in the kitchen, bathroom, wherever -- I would kill for a washer and dryer.

 

[scotpens]

I find it strange to find a toilet in the bathroom as in most Australian homes the toilet is in a room of its own (unless the home has more than one bathroom).

When I was in Israel, a couple of the apartments I lived in had the toilet in a separate little room adjacent to the bathroom. Seems a good idea, as it frees up the washing and bathing facilities for someone else to use while you're sitting on the crapper.

. . . The one flat that I lived in over in England had a machine that was a combo washer/dryer that took FOREVER to dry anything . . .

Combination washer-dryers are like sporks. They don't do either job particularly well.

 

[Davros]

I have never seen the laundry room on any other level than the lowest one in any apartment I have had. My parent's house also had it's laundry room in the basement. I imagine they are on the lowest levels in case their is a leak or something so damage is kept to a minimum.

 

[Miss Chicken]

^That sounds more sanitary to me.

When you're seven years old you never think, "Golly, it'd be awesome to have my own washing machine!" But now, I wouldn't care if it was in the kitchen, bathroom, wherever -- I would kill for a washer and dryer.

Not only more sanitary but if one only has one bathroom more convenient because it is possible to use the toilet is someone else is having a long bath.

 

[Canadave]

I've definitely seen apartments here with washers and dyers in the kitchen. It's not super common, but you do see it from time to time.

 

[FPAlpha]

Here in Germany appartment houses rarely, if ever (never have encountered one), have laundry rooms - exception would be student dorms back in my day where we had a laundry room.

Usually the washing machines are somewhere in the bathroom or if there's no room it's integrated into the kitchen as it's the only other place with water and electricity.

Also most appartments don't have the space to have a separate toilet room so for convenience's sake it's included in the bathroom.

I've also seen houses where the toilet is in the bathroom so i guess it's "custom" but then if i built a house i'd make room for a separate toilet or buy one with a separate toilet room.

 

[Marten]

In Sweden, all apartement buildings have laundry rooms in the basement, that is shared by the inhabitants(Scheduled). Some of them might have washers in the apartment, but then I'd guess that they are in a separe room or possibly in the bathroom, this would be reserved for larger flats.

As for one family houses, they all have their own laundry romm, usually in the basement, if there is one. I have never seen a house with the washer in the bathroom or kitchen, actually.

 

[Deckerd]

A lot of flats have drying greens in the UK, although not the big multistorey jobs. People don't use dryers so much over here because they eat up electricity.

 

[captcalhoun]

our washing machine's in the kitchen.

we have a toilet downstairs and then a bathroom with a toilet and small sink in as well as the shower.

it weirds me out on CoD: Modern Warfare 2 when fighting in the Virginia suburbs and seeing washing machines and dryers in the garage with the car...

 

[Deckerd]

Washing machines tend to go where there's room for them. Stating that they're all in the kitchen of UK flats is as erroneous as stating that US flats never have them in the kitchen.

 

[Captain Shaw]

A lot of houses in England are 100+ So were not built with white goods in mind.
I live in a bog standard terraced house which is probbly the most common type of house in the UK when it was built it did not have indoor plumbing or electricity so things go where there is room.