Need help in making best choice

[Ex-Calif]

Do park models have fresh/gray/black tanks?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Not the ones I have seen. Direct sewer hook up. I had a neighbor in my park with one. He had a selection of 3 inch pipe and rigged up a rigid line with clamping joints. Took a while to set up but he didn't move much. Like 6-9 month stays.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Just thinking how you could manage in sub freezing temps. Tanks at least give you a fill/dump option, and a camper you can more readily haul to a dump station if you had to. So it would seem with the park models it's full hookups and freeze mitigation.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Ex-Calif]

Just thinking how you could manage in sub freezing temps. Tanks at least give you a fill/dump option, and a camper you can more readily haul to a dump station if you had to. So it would seem with the park models it's full hookups and freeze mitigation.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Yeah but I think it is more like a house. Fewer outside pipes. For example my bunkhouse I have run the water 18 inches deep and it only pops up right near the entry through the floor.

The sewer has about an 8 foot run under the house from the toilet/shower/sinks to the 3 inch sewer pipe that starts at ground level and has a graded run of about 60 feet to the 4 inch septic drop in. It doesn't get more than a few inches below ground level but I am only slightly worried about freezing here in North Florida.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Do park models have fresh/gray/black tanks?

No. Designed for permanent full-hookups only

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Sooo, township says put in septic n well n you can place an rv on property to live in during the build (1 yr +/- for completion). Ok! Great idea.

If you’re going to go to this trouble, Why not get a prebuilt cabin from your local Amish guys? We added one to our existing cabin, worked out great. It was right around 20K. We needed to insulate and add air conditioning, but that was all diy. No waiting and you could then buy a great RV when you’re ready to travel.

 

[oldryder]

I agree with all the advice to look for an option other than an RV. Winter in an RV is difficult at best and a real cold snap could make it unworkable. A shed that eventually becomes a shop or guest house IMHO is a far superior option. If you live full time thru winter in an RV with 4 big dogs you can expect the RV to be worth almost nothing after that year. If the well, septic, and electrical are to be done anyway you might as well live in a real structure that can be properly insulated. Your dogs will thank you.

 

[woof-n]

You are going to have a bunch of time in setting up a temporary residence, skirting, winterizing, well, water lines, sewer, power, etc. If there is a mobile home park nearby, it may make sense to buy a budget line mobile home with the utilities already hooked up. Then use your time to get in to the home you really want. Sell our rent out the mobile home when you are done.
Second option: if you are having a basement. Build out the basement for basic living with the utilities. Rubber roof the first-floor deck and build the house on top. Once the structure is weather tight, cut the rubber roof out. In this case the utilities are where they should be without the rework.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Do your diligence carefully,, I just completed an 800 SF addition to my home with me doing most of the work.. Soils engineering,, concrete forms,, concrete,, slab-on-grade,,framing,,windows+ doors,, roofing,, drywall and texture,, trim,, paint,,floor covering,,bath equipment,, plumbing,, electrical,,county inspections,,septic additions,,heating and air conditioning,,kitchen cabinets and counter top,, refridg,, stove,, ,,,,9 months and 70K later a place for my daughter to live with 1360 total SF and all the comforts of home...And I started with owning the property..>>>Dan ( You may OWN the property,, but THEY will tell you how you can use it..)

 

[Onyrlef]

Second option: if you are having a basement. Build out the basement for basic living with the utilities. Rubber roof the first-floor deck and build the house on top. Once the structure is weather tight, cut the rubber roof out. In this case the utilities are where they should be without the rework.

Surely you're joking?

 

[Onyrlef]

If you’re going to go to this trouble, Why not get a prebuilt cabin from your local Amish guys? We added one to our existing cabin, worked out great. It was right around 20K. We needed to insulate and add air conditioning, but that was all diy. No waiting and you could then buy a great RV when you’re ready to travel.

View attachment 171012

That's nice, my only quibble would be the first step has too much rise (especially with the stringer sitting on the 2x), I like to extend the run to allow for half the rise on the first step.

 

[cdbullandbear]

If you’re going to go to this trouble, Why not get a prebuilt cabin from your local Amish guys? We added one to our existing cabin, worked out great. It was right around 20K. We needed to insulate and add air conditioning, but that was all diy. No waiting and you could then buy a great RV when you’re ready to travel.

View attachment 171012

Thx. That is gorgeous! May I ask the size?

 

[cdbullandbear]

Surely you're joking?

Hi there, unfortunately we ate not going woth a basement this time around. We will build a 1500 sq ft garage with 2 garage doors on 1 size for our vehicles n the other side will house my clients dig that are with me for training.

 

[cdbullandbear]

Get the biggest trailer that you possible can for $20k. It won't be enough room for 4 dogs and 2 adults but if that's what you have to do that's that you have to do.

As far as staying warm that won't be an issue. I'm from the Buffalo NY area and use our trailer often right up to January and between the furnace and running a ceramic heater we are plenty warm.

Your issues will be protecting the water lines to keep them from freezing. We don't live in ours just use it on the weekends so when the weather turns cold we winterize all the lines and just use bottled water. When the weekend is over I dump the tanks and and add antifreeze back into them.

I won't sugar coat it a year like that will probably suck.

Thx for your input. I'll keep it in mind when weighing it all out.

 

[cdbullandbear]

Not sure what you are asking. Any RV, even a park model, will have the same external water connection - just a place to connect a hose. Ditto for sewage - a 3" sewer line bayonet coupler that accepts a standard RV sewer hose. Or have I missed the point of your question?

Yes. You answered my question. I thought the park model was built for year round use. Thx

 

[cdbullandbear]

You are going to have a bunch of time in setting up a temporary residence, skirting, winterizing, well, water lines, sewer, power, etc. If there is a mobile home park nearby, it may make sense to buy a budget line mobile home with the utilities already hooked up. Then use your time to get in to the home you really want. Sell our rent out the mobile home when you are done.
Second option: if you are having a basement. Build out the basement for basic living with the utilities. Rubber roof the first-floor deck and build the house on top. Once the structure is weather tight, cut the rubber roof out. In this case the utilities are where they should be without the rework.

I really do like your 1st idea! And there is a camp sight location really near my land.

As for the 2nd idea it wouldn't work ...no basement on this build. But thx!!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yes. You answered my question. I thought the park model was built for year round use. Thx

It's designed to be left on the same site year-around, but otherwise generally follows RV construction techniques. It's a recreational park trailer. If you want pre-fab housing designed for 4-seasons and residential construction standards, you need a "manufactured home". It will be thicker walled with better insulation, residential plumbing & electric and available in larger sizes than the 400 sq ft max for standard RV park models.

A "destination trailer" is similar to a park model but somewhat more mobile, designed to be moved seasonally but not daily or weekly.

 

[Kirk]

I thought the park model was built for year round use.

Have you made sure of any restrictions on the land that you own? Things like septic systems, water supply, drainage, and many other rules are very common on undeveloped land. Does your land have access to utilities? Well drilling is also restricted in many areas.

 

[cdbullandbear]

Have you made sure of any restrictions on the land that you own? Things like septic systems, water supply, drainage, and many other rules are very common on undeveloped land. Does your land have access to utilities? Well drilling is also restricted in many areas.

We are dogging a well n septic. Hooking up temp electric.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Thx. That is gorgeous! May I ask the size?

14x32, our guy would have built 16x40 but there was a hill in the way so we didn’t have the room. It is an extension to the existing cabin. We wanted MB on the first floor, we were sleeping upstairs and the stairs are too dangerous for us now. Has a loft for our home office. In this photo we’ve insulated the ceiling :

 

[cdbullandbear]

It's designed to be left on the same site year-around, but otherwise generally follows RV construction techniques. It's a recreational park trailer. If you want pre-fab housing designed for 4-seasons and residential construction standards, you need a "manufactured home". It will be thicker walled with better insulation, residential plumbing & electric and available in larger sizes than the 400 sq ft max for standard RV park models.

A "destination trailer" is similar to a park model but somewhat more mobile, designed to be moved seasonally but not daily or weekly.

Looking into used mobile homes