Park Model vs Fifth Wheel for Fulltiming (Single Guy)

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Mr_Toad

Mr_Toad

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Joined
May 13, 2012
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31
Location
Frisco, TX
Hi, RV Forum Folks!

Could some of you please describe the advantages/ disadvantages/ issues of living full-time in a large Park Model trailer, vs. a good size Fifth Wheel (e.g., Redwood 36FB Full Bath).

Are there some more high-end Park Models designed for Full-Time Residential living?  And does the warranty still apply for a full-timer in a Park Model? 

FYIl...I'm a single guy with two or three dogs, living and working in Dallas, and I do NOT plan on towing a fifth wheel on vacations anyway.  (I like the freedom of just my dogs and me at those $40 a night KOA Kampground Kabins.)

My apologies, since I'm sure this has been discussed, but I didn't find it on search.

Thank you!

Robt.
 
Park models are designed for residential living and are larger than most fifth-wheels.  Many are up to 12' wide for example.  40'x 12' is half again as big as a 40' fifth-wheel, I think.  The ceilings are usually higher and many have lofts in them.  Much preferable, I would think, for full-time living like you suggest.  They also have residential appliances and equipment.
 
Thank you, Mr. COMer!

I wonder what would be some good quality brand names/ products....that would withstand some years of use?

I must Google up some!

Robt.
 
The other thing about park models is they like to be PARKED, on an RV site, They have no tanks so if you are on the road and stop at a Wal-Mart, Flying-J or even a non-full hook up site in a campground YOU HAVE NO TANKS so you can't flush the flusher.
 
Park models are NOT portable. They are moved from the sales lot to a site just like a mobile home. They are PARKED and hooked up to utilities.

Park models are built to be lived in full time. They have regular household appliances just like a house. They are just like mobile homes except for the square footage. I think they are limited to 400 sq. ft. or less. Over 400 sq. ft. and they are mobile homes and fall under different building codes.

If you are not going to move it, it will be fine to live in full time. But if you're going to have to move it more than a couple times a year, then you want a 5th wheel.
 
Sounds like you have gotten some good advice and confirmation that what you are pondering, should work for your application.  As far as shopping for them, when we are in FL where the parks are full of Park models, we see them advertised a lot.  With quite a variety of prices.  From under $20,000 for a new unit to over $50,000.  I'm sure that if you looked at them you would see a difference in quality.  Things like the appliances that are included and the cabinet workmanship and the extras that are included.  I suspect that the more you pay, the better the unit will be.  Construction will also vary as the better ones will have more residential construction in the roof and walls.  You might look at some used ones and see which brands are selling for the most after ten years and how used models look, compared to each other.  Might get an idea of which ones hold up by looking at models that have gone through that process.  Your best bet would be to look in areas that have a lot of parks where they end up so there is more selection and competitive pricing.  Then look at your new one.
 
Check with the park where you're planning to put the park model.  Contrary to what you might think, some RV parks don't allow them because they're more of a hassle to move on short notice.  A 5th wheel can be moved by anyone with a pickup truck and hitch, while a 12 ft. wide park model requires a commercial truck and special Wide Load permits to move out of the park.
 
Alaskansnowbirds said:
I think they are limited to 400 sq. ft. or less. Over 400 sq. ft. and they are mobile homes and fall under different building codes.
Click to expand...

There is a height difference in the code as well - in that park models cannot be as tall as a mobile home. That is why the lofts in some models are not high enough to stand up. Great for kids, storage, or for a second sleeping area - though you have to either bend way over or crawl to your mattress on the floor. They will also have a small bedroom downstairs in the rear of most units.

It comes down to if you plan to live permanently a park model is the way to go - whereas if you plan to move even just once a year, a 5th wheel would be a better choice. Unhooking and moving a park model wold cost a ton.

If I were to decide to settle permanently in a park I would buy a park model with loft as a no brainer over a 5th wheel . . .  :)
 
I don't think there is a specific height limit in the RV code - park models adhere to ANSI 119.5, whose primary requirement is:

...built on a single chassis, mounted on wheels and have a gross trailer area not exceeding 400 square feet in the set-up mode.
Click to expand...

Park models greater than 8.5 ft in width often rise to heights of 13 ft  (or more) because they are not intended for open highway travel and require special permits and routing anyway.

The ceiling height in the loft is low because it doesn't count toward the 400 sq ft space limit if it is too low for a child to stand (under 5 ft). That enables to manufacturer to provide extra room for storage or a play/sleep space for small children without exceeding the building code.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I don't think there is a specific height limit in the RV code - park models adhere to ANSI 119.5, whose primary requirement is:
Click to expand...

When I looked at park models - several times and locations, I chatted w/sales folks about the lofts. That being the model I would prefer. One fellow put a tape measure up the side of the loft wall that read 55" - explaining what you Googled here about the constraint on height that still allows the 400 limit on the first floor.

Have never seen it in the code because have never found the complete code short of downloading for $67 or so. However, would assume the 5' limit is part of the code, which in turn would limit the overall height.

Of course, height limits while on the highway do not always apply after it lands. Some, for example, will have roofs that can be raised to higher angles - such as in snow country. One vendor does a "drop" thing with the ceiling to lower the loft, thereby giving it greater height w/o impacting the overall height.
 
Make sure your bank will finance a park model.  I got caught because I called it a "RV" when talking to my banker and getting the go ahead.  After she got the deal sheet and saw that it was a park model, not a regular RV, she denied the loan.  Dealer won't refund my down payment.  Lost a bunch of dough.
 
I may have missed it if this was posted before, but from what I've heard from people the issue of the toilet in park model can cause problems. They are not RV toilets and require much more water to flush if that will be an issue. One couple doing oil field gate guarding was having a problem with water usage as they only get 300 gal/wk. Just something to consider.
 
Park Model is a 1 br MH.... Meant to be permanent....  We just bought a 34' 5th Wheel and will move it from the storage lot to an RV site within the park...$25/month storage fee and $380/month when we drag it out.... very economical... this way when visiting Utah from Colorado we only pay for the months we're there....Will drive Toyota Prius from Denver to Utah... We'll pay someone to drag it out and put it back.....
 
Could a "standard" RV toilet be installed in place of the conventional toilet to conserve water?  I'm looking at a similar issue, but it is the disposal more than the consumption that I need to worry about since it will be connected to a holding tank.

Scribe1952 said:
I may have missed it if this was posted before, but from what I've heard from people the issue of the toilet in park model can cause problems. They are not RV toilets and require much more water to flush if that will be an issue. One couple doing oil field gate guarding was having a problem with water usage as they only get 300 gal/wk. Just something to consider.
Click to expand...
 
Did I miss something?  I thought Fulltiming was someone who moved around the country and not staying in one place for more than a season.  Most that full time move with the season so they have comfortable temperatures year round.  That would require a RV or park models in at least 4 locations.
 
lambethnwoodward said:
Make sure your bank will finance a park model.  I got caught because I called it a "RV" when talking to my banker and getting the go ahead.  After she got the deal sheet and saw that it was a park model, not a regular RV, she denied the loan.  Dealer won't refund my down payment.  Lost a bunch of dough.
Click to expand...

This is VERY sad, as many contracts would say contingent upon financing. It's done all the time so that you don't lose a down payment should the financing not go through. I would be rattling that dealer something awful to find you financing and pester them to death until they either found you financing or coughed up the refund to get rid of you.

I can't figure out the banks position either. A park model is easier to repo, you know where to find it, an RV could be anywhere in the world and harder to find. I can't imagine that an RV holds its value any better than a park model.

About the original post...

Look around because often people sell their park models in place, you buy it and take over the lot rent payments. Also the neat thing about park models is that its easy to custom order one just to your liking.  There are some real cute ones on the market. When I become unable to travel in  my RV, I will probably end up in a park model.

 
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