So i'm buying some land!
I want to put a nice looking trailer/RV on it to live out of for a few years until I build. I plan on staying 2-3 years then using it primarily as a guesthouse/rental unit/smoke and bathtub shack after that.
I hate the common cheap **** RV's.
This shelter must be:
- visually appealing (lots of neighbors unfortunately... and i want something cool!)
- well waterproofed (do more rivets = more leaks?)
- mobile (idk where the house is going yet or where i will need to put materials and i don't want junk on my lot)
- cheapish (made comfortable sub 15k - 5k purchase price ideally)
- well insulated or able to be - good windows and thick walls(relatively mild winters but average temps are 0-32 f)
- well built frame (i mean these things are pretty old and iron rusts)
- simple (to maintain, fix, mod, etc)
- low exterior matinance
Oh, and my car can only tow
1500 lbs so i guess I'm gonna need a tow vehicle or to rent a u-haul.
I like:
- the older style... rivets, rounded, etc.
- natural light (but big single pane windows are a scary thought)
- outdoor hidden storage for lp tanks
I dislike:
- those awnings :/ the tracks are kinda nasty
Don't really care about
:
- interior quality (would prefer to gut it to make it open and cleaner)
- vintage appeal (i dig that baby blue paint though... is that through the entire roof)
- tarnish/oxidation (is it necessary to polish it? can i do this myself?)
Usure about
:
- size (won't move much and will be full time. smaller is cuter imo but less rentable.)
- water tanks (seem like overkill and will freeze. i'd prefer a diy composting toilet and maybe shower water tank or discrete drain)
- should i gut it, seal any potential leaks, insulate, and make a minimalist interior?
Soo...
There is a Barth nearby for $4,500.
pros:
- good condition outside and leak free (one piece roof?)
- hardwood cabinets
- new heater (driven by engine i believe)
- 5 solar panels
- generator
- premium so i assume its well insulated and well built
- can move it to the land with the internal motor
cons:
- sorta ugly
- motor and mechanical parts will break; especially if/when it sits. Plus it's another vehicle to register and insure which is 2k/year for my car...
... this seems like a solid, move in ready, collectable RV. But I don't want an RV; I just want a little moveable classy camp.
There are a bunch of Air streams ranging from
1955 to 1970 ranging from 5,500 to 30k. Eh condition. Solid exteriors eh interiors... some vintage stuff like the bath and cabinets but not a lot. there is one totally original. There is one for 4,400 gutted and insulated with cellulose and with "2,200 in treaded metal flooring" (ewwww). Cellulose + leaks sounds scary; should i just do my own thing?
pros:
- prettest
- windows look nicer then avalon
concerns:
- poor build quality?
- does more rivets mean more leaks (i love the '55 look)
- are the windows double paned; can i replace the gaskets and get them re-gassed? I assume the '55 won't be double paned; would it be crazy to swap the windows or install secondary interior windows? :/ I love the look of the '55 but theres the windows and the tail lights and some screws are rusty... :/
- i've heard the frames are sorta cruddy
- floors are rotted in most - is it as simple as putting down new plywood?
- i want to insulate... i can get cheap PUR (Poly Iso) insulation. Any advice on air barriers? How thick are these walls? How wide are these things?
- am i going to kill the value if i paint inside and/or gut it? I kinda dig the '55's interior but would prefer some modern luxuries like heat, solar electric, queen mattress, insulation, light wood, double paned windows, etc.
There is a Avion Ultra for 5,500 in nicer condition (imo the interior is ugly). Will this be built better or a better buy? Will it be worse? I kinda want to gut whatever i get but i may not have the money so it would be cool to be able to get by in the mean time.
Questions:
- best approach to insulate?
- is the Kimberly stove the perfect solution it's made out to be? Will my mr. buddy heater kill me if run inside? Lots of cheap/free wood... Would i be better off with a $500 LP instant water heater? Any thoughts on radiant heat if i do a reno? I suppose i will need to cut the shell to put these in? :/ The poor AL!
- do composting toilets work well enough?
- am i stupid to dump gray water?
- Avalon vs AS
- how are barths? Is that a better move
- is a rooftop solar film a solid idea?
- is it crazy to gut a decentish Airstream?
- how much work am i looking at if i just want shelter not necessarily road worthyness right now
- can someone decode the differences between ages and models? Should i go newer or is it ok to go older?
- whats a fair price/good deal?
- anyone know the legality of living full time in an RV on your land? I can use my parents address as my legal address. It's a .4 acre lot in a sorta campy community near a lake. community water nearby. no septic (yet)
- Is it advisable to lift this onto blocks for the next few years for the sake of the tires/axel and underbody
- how hard is insulating and fixing the floor. I will have ~ a month until it gets chilly. 2-3 until heavy snow. I'd love to be able to shower in the winder once i have a water and/or septic but i can always shower at work. or maybe insulate my water lmao.
- I may get an army tent... should i park under it?
- can/should i remove the old furnace?
- how cheap should i be able to get one of these. I'm flat broke atm and saving so the cheaper there better.
- how wide is the interior? Thinking about putting a nice fiberglass tub in the back below the window - it's 6 ft and i can get it for $50.
- do more rivets = more leaks? Will need need to replace rivets?
- i assume my 1,500 lb tow capacity won't cut it... will it cut it to get it to the land (60 miles)? I don't have a hitch but i want one for dump runs. Any recommendations on a tow vehicle/truck down the road and plow with? Want something i can register as an antique (30+ years old i think) and prefer diesel i suppose. There are some sweet 5 ton army trucks for <5k with <5k miles around here. Guessing the milage is bad though.
- any words of wisdom for the reno? in general? things to look out for? things to build in? etc...
Thanks in advance guys and gals!