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derekkmartin

New member
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
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4
I'm Derek and I'm from Texas.  I'm a huge sports fan and I'm looking forward to buying my very first travel trailer or fifth wheel.  I do not know the first thing about RV's but I know what I want to do.  I'm not really a camper or a traveler... I plan to use my rv for tailgating events and for a "home" to relax in at my deer lease.  With that said, let me tell you what my thought process is and ask you kind people for your thoughts and suggestions.

1.  I don't really care if I purchase a travel trailer or a fifth wheel (probably would rather have a fifth wheel for the space) because I plan on completely gutting it.  I'm not the most handy person in the world but I lease a building to a fine gentlemen who opened his business renovating the living quarters of Bloomer Horse Trailers and I can hire him to do the work for me (or trade labor for rent).  What would be my first step in removing everything inside the RV?  How would I go about doing it?  Would it be easiest to remove the roof and crane everything in and out? 

2.  I plan to do 99% of my cooking outside on the grill, but I would like a "minature" kitchen space in my RV, by minature I mean a sink, refrigerator, and microwave to cook fixin's.  How difficult is it to remove the stove/cook-top and re-do the plumbing to necessitate what I am looking for?  Most likely we're looking at moving the refrigerator and sink about 4-5 feet, give or take.

3.  Since I want to remove part of the kitchen space, the dinette, and sofas or chairs, and most storage areas, I would like to be able to fit a leather loveseat and two leather recliners (possibly make these massage chairs).  Is this something difficult to do?  Can I simply bolt down my loveseat and chairs?  I would like to make the "living area" of my RV more of an entertainement area.  I plan to have a very nice flat screen TV and all the electronics to go with it, including surround sound built into the ceiling.

4.  I only need one living space for my wife and I, so I do not plan on gutting the master-bedroom area - simply remodeling it to bring it up to date.  Since I will not be removing any of the bedroom/toilet/shower areas, what do I need to know about remodeling this area?  I'm looking at buying an older RV since I'm renovating everything anyway... I will want a completely new matress and one that is VERY comfortable.  Do I need to know anything in particular about this?  Will a regular queen size matress I buy anywhere work?

5.  I drive a 2008 Ford F250 4x4, Gas 6.8L V10.  I think I can tow 14,000# safely.  This probably should have been bullit number 1 as safety is my highest priority.  I have a wonderful family I have to protect.  Do you think I should be just fine keeping my total weight under 14,000 pounds?

6.  I plan on painting the entire outside of the RV with my college colors.  Is this really expensive?  Is the best way to simply have an auto-shop paint it for me?

So, that tells you a little about what I am looking to do.  What do you ladies and gentlemen think about my idea?  Is this something totally unheard of?  Is this something you think might totally be unrealistic?  Thanks in advance... I'm looking forward to this project (even though I haven't bought my RV yet)!  I'm sure I will have many, many more questions as they pop into my head.  Is this the place to keep this thread alive throughout the entire process?
 
You can save yourself a lot of time and money by purchasing a toy hauler.  By their very nature, they have minimal inside comforts that other RV's have.  They are made to haul bikes, 4 wheelers, etc., so they are usually wide open in the back, with a sofa of some kind and a kitchen area, then the bed up front.  They also usually have a drop down bed in the rear.  I would look into them before you get a decked out normal RV and have to go to all the trouble of removing everything.

Your F-250 should be fine for a lot of RV's it sounds like you are looking for.  That V-10 is a beast.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
The galley in an RV is already pretty small - about what you describe. You probably won't have to change it much. The stove or cooktop comes out with the removal of a couple screws and disconnect the LP gas line. It's a breeze. Remodeling the cabinet to eliminate the hole is a bigger chore. Removing the dinette is also easy - just some wood screws hold the booths & table in place. Even less if it is a free-standing table & chairs.

Depending on the floor plan you choose, there may be no reason to move the bath either. Replumbing an RV is usually a nightmare - the structure pretty much dictates where things have to be placed. Toilets go directly over the black tank (unless you install a macerator type toilet with a pump) and there is not much room to move/extend drain pipes and still maintain the necessary downward slant to them. I'd plan on leaving the bath where it is, so shop accordingly.

Your only challenge is to get the existing sofa & chairs out and new ones in. The door is often inadequate for that. The common approach is to remove a large window for easier access.  However, you can often disassemble a sofa or recliner, e.g. remove the back, and get stuff in that way.

Removing the roof is a big, big job, but doable. That would be my last resort.

Frankly, what you describe as your goal sounds a lot like what most RVs interiors anyway. All you have to do is strip out the dinette, maybe change the sofa and chairs to something you like, and upgrade the tv & sound system to your standards. That's a fairly routine remodel for an RV.

As Ed Jr suggests, you can probably find a toyhauler or other basic RV that comes close to your specs anyway.

The cost of painting the exterior depends on the quality of work you demand. A paint shop can wash it clean and spray on paint quite cheaply, maybe under $1000, but it you want a good quality job in 3-4 colors, figure more like $5000-$10,000, depending on the size and the complexity of the pattern.
 
Thanks y'all!  I didn't think about the toy hauler approach.  I'm going to keep looking. Any other ideas would be great!
 
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