tight fits
It is good to hear your evaluation of your brief experience with the Affinity (which model number was it?).
My sister, though in a house in the Bay Area, had the same tight fit issues. Her laundry area originally (before she owned the house) was in the garage. The the previous owner built a laundry annex on the side of the house,encroaching about three feet into the back patio, so that they could have the laundry area on the same hall as the bedrooms. The doors to the laundry are raised panel, folding doors (accordian style) that match the bedroom doors. You might think it was a double width linen cabinet when the doors are closed.
Problem is, this modification was made in about 1990, before many front loaders were being made in the USA (does anyone know when the first Neptunes were made?), i.e. with top loaders in mind. The contracter simply had to provide a 27 x 27 inch footprint for side by side machines, plus space on the side for a laundry sink, and overhead cabinets. No one foresaw that machines might become deeper.
When her TL Maytag (circa 1993) konked out, she wanted a Whirlpool Duet, but alas the doors wouldn't close because the machine is too deep. She didn't buy one, but she took measurements. Also, since most people leave the door ajar, one needs a few more inches to allow for the door being ajar when not in use.
I steered her to the Frigidaire 2940 as a replacement (square door) and there is room for the laundry doors to close, plus enough room to leave the washer door ajar. She is very happy with the cleaning performance. She still uses her Maytag dryer, now 15 years old, because it still works fine, and she didn't care if the machines match. She was simply happy to have a solution for under $700 that works.
The laundry annex has beautiful overhead cabinets that unfortunately are hung too low to allow use of a pedestal for a FL machine. I will have to remeasure and see if they can be raised, but I doubt it. Plus, my sister is 5-3 and doesn't want stuff way off the ground, out of reach. I believe there are two cabinets, and possibly ONE could be removed to allow for a pedestal if she tires of stooping to remove the wash.
