Hi Jody, I'm working on a laundry project at the moment and we have a few different storage options. One that is very functional is a hamper on wheels or casters. Here is a photo for your reference- The main reason why we chose this is so that you can easily separate your colours using a couple of them, and easily wheel it from room to room as well as to the washing machine. For my project, the wheel hampers placed behind cupboard doors and wheeled out when required. Good luck for your project!

do not put an external ducted dryer in a cupboard unless you plan to replace the cupboard very soon after you discover the horrible wet mildewed, possibly dangerous, result...only the manufacturer should be able to advise about this option. I'm very happy with a condensor dryer that sits nicely under my 60cm deep counter and only has warm dry air vented out the front .. great for keeping the room warm and also helps with drying clothes on an overhead rack...Manufacturers of washers and dyers should have on line installation instructions and/or contact details so you can obtain written confirmation of sizes and amount of space needed and/or some condensor dryers and washing machines can be stacked so the under counter option wouldn't be necessary and any difference in depth not so obvious

Firstly OP, I believe the NSW government has no rebates for solar (except a minor trial for a low income rebate for solar in selected areas). Only a loan scheme. The main rebate for solar is the STC rebate, which is a federal rebate. Victoria has a state rebate, worth an additional $1,800 (plus another $1,800 as an interest-free loan), or there abouts. But to the crux of your question. If people have an unshaded roof, I think they'd be crazy not to invest in solar PV. Technology has improved over the years, & prices have tumbled. In most areas, single phase homes can have a solar system up to 6.66kW (5kW inverter) installed - any larger than this & export limiting will occur. A system this size can be installed for somewhere around a cost of $5,000 - $6,000. $3,500 to $4,500 in Victoria. With savings on electricity of up to $1,500 a year, payback times average from 3 to 5 years. After that is all profit. Tell we where you can find an investment with these sorts of returns. From you bank, shares, real-estate, I don't think so! If I was building now, not only would I spend a lot of time getting the passive solar design right, & making sure my building envelope was well insulated & air tight (most new Aussie homes are very leaky). I'd also make sure my roof was well designed to accommodate solar panels. This is often not the case in Australia, where we have a fascination for hip & valley tilled roofs. Hint: a rectangular panel doesn't fit well on a triangular roof face. A complex roof, with multiple angular roof faces, over many aspects, will reduce the available area for solar panels. It will complicate the installation, increasing costs. Plus the final result will look like a dog's breakfast. But I'd be going much further than just installing solar panels. I'd be building an all-electric house. Split system reverse cycle AC (heat pump), the most energy efficient, cost effective form of heating. Fans for cooling (AC is energy hungry for cooling). Heat pump hot water, again, the most energy efficient way to heat water - unless you're in northern Australia, where solar thermal water is a good option also. Induction cooking. As responsive as gas. But with even more control over temperature, & far, far easier to clean. This means no gas to the home! A saving of over $300 a year, just in service charges alone! Plus cheaper running costs, especially when powered by solar PV. Installing solar PV & saying no to gas is also far better for the environment. The federal government may tell you that gas is a great transitional fuel, it's not! Why was the CO-VID Commission stacked with gas executives? Jobs for the boys, their fingers in the pie. Not only does combustion of gas create quite a lot of carbon dioxide (about 50% as much as coal). But natural gas (methane) has a global warming potential of 25. That is, it's 25 times worse than carbon dioxide! This means that if only 3% of it leaks into the atmosphere during its extraction, processing or transportation, emissions are just as bad for gas as they are for coal! Progressive government's like the ACT are considering banning natural gas from new developments. Other government's, who are too friendly with the fossil fuel industry, & are addicted to their political donations turn a blind eye to science & tell you gas is great! For anyone on Facebook, who would like to build an energy efficient home, is recommend that join the 'My Efficient Electric Home' (MEEH) group.

Hi Souzette, Front loaders look great but can be a pain, We still like to soak things in the sink and getting anything like a sheet into the machine if it's not next to the sink becomes messy, so seeing that we try to avoid using the dryer we have the washer next to the sink Our preferred way to dry things most of the year is on the clothes line or on the retractable line we have above the bench and in front of the window But then we all do things differently, and you live in a colder area. Did you finish the original bathroom FYI The following link shows how to change the door on an Electrolux machine, not sure if it works on any others https://www.cnet.com/pictures/switch-your-washing-machine-door-to-the-other-side/11/