Customizing at purchase??

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WaMi

New member
Joined
Nov 26, 2012
Posts
2
Location
Manteo, NC
We are newbies considering full-timing in the near future. We have found a travel trailer that we like, except for a few minor (I think they are) details.
I mentioned these things to the dealer and he said his fabrication guys could make some changes, but he didn't elaborate and I didn't push.
We are considering the Cougar Xlite 31SQB.

1. Inline hot water instead of a tank.
2. Remove the upper bunk along the end wall and put in my own chest of drawers ( we would store the cub couch)
3. Remove the U-shaped dinette and put in my own table and chairs.
4. I don't need the Pull-Out Kitchen. I'd rather have the storage space. Besides,I need a place for a kitty litter box and that seems like a great place to me especially if I can install an access door for them.

Has anyone made these kinds of changes and would it be better to have the dealer do it, or could we do it ourselves??
I'm not interested in these changes to cut costs, I just want to make my new home more convenient and comfortable for ME.

Thanks!!
Michelle
 
Sounds like you need a carpenter to do these things.  I've never found a carpenter on the staff of an RV dealer.  Buy what you want (if it has the space, etc. to be customized) and then take it to a caprenter who can make the changes.  I think you would be disappointed with an RV technician doing that work.
 
I think the short answer is how picky are you with what the changes will end up 'looking' like? Has your dealer done these before? Any pictures you can see, etc. of their previous work?

Nothing here is too crazy of a mod, so the dealer might actually be ok. Or, if they contract out for a carpenter, etc., to do this work for them, I would definitely suggest staying involved so that you can help direct the outcome.  As suggested, you can always get your own carpenter, or find an RV remodeling company that could do this also. Price is the limit with all this stuff.

On the flip side, since none of the mods (except maybe the tankless water heater) is too complex, you could likely just do them yourself too.

One thing though - make sure the tankless water heater install doesn't void your warranty. If so (and you still want to do it), ask for some type of warranty from the dealer if possible.

Lastly, make sure you watch your weights too when adding that back closet - with both material that will be used, as well as how much stuff you'll put on just that one side where the closet will be.

Good luck with what you decide :)!
 
All these things are probably do-able, though details will depend on the specific trailer you choose. Some dealers, e.g. Lazydays RV in Tampa, have an extensive and experienced remodeling shop and can do just about anything. Others may just have their regular service techs do the best they can, and results can vary. Doing it yourself is a viable option if you are reasonable handy, especially at cabinet work.

I would trust the dealer only if I knew something about their work & experience, either first hand or recommendation from a trusted source.  Otherwise I would DIY or take it to a professional RV remodeling shop, of which there are quite a few these days.

The changes you are talking about are going to rather expensive unless you DIY. Labor rates for this sort of work vary by region, but think in terms of $75-$100+ per hour and lots of hours to do a nice job. If the changes are critical to your purchase decision, get some remodel estimates before you decide to buy.

Changes like this will undoubtedly complicate any warranty claims if one of the modified areas is in any way associated with the warranty issue. Simply making changes cannot invalidate the entire warranty, but they can make any claims really messy because there will always have to be a determination made as to whether your mods could have contributed in some way to the problem.
 
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