Looking for input on floor replacement

[S C Streamer]

Does anybody know how much a professional restorer would charge to replace the compete floor in my 17' Bambi II? The interior is stripped down to the floor with the toilet/shower still intact. Lacking sufficiant room to attempt a shell off replacement, I'm trying to evaluate my options. I've read the forums on this repair (VERY informative) and am beginning to think my time and money might be better spent on other parts of the interior restoration. I'm only looking for ballpark estimations or any other information. I thank you in advance for your help. Mark

[Lee Davis]

If you just want to replace the top flooring instead of the base (whole thing), I have done a few repairs to my 34 foot 1986 Limited and one of the easiest and good looking was to replace the carpet in the living room section with stick on tiles. I did the same in the bath. In the LR I put down 1/4 inch plywood over the pressed board flooring to help the tile stick and it worked great. In the bath I just stuck it on the pressed board and it is still doing OK.

Inexpensive, much easier to clean, and those stick on tiles look so good I've had people ask me if it was ceramic. And with a good large sissors and tape measure it's relatively easy to do. Eventually I will do the whole trailer with them but being full time, it's hard to find the place or time.

If you are trying to do the whole floor down to the steel, I believe it would be better to take off the shell, because when I replaced a small section of the subfloor, it looked like if I had been forced to do more, it would have been important for it to be attached to the shell. Others can give you better input on that. But, if the subfloor is in reasonably good shape (not soft), the tile works great.

[Jim & Susan]

You might PM Safari Tim, he is the guy that runs TheVAP.com. Colin Hyde is one of his regular guests and is a "professional restorer". Tim might be able to get the two of you together. Colin lives in New York State, I believe, but he might be able to give you some ideas as to costs.

I assume you are talking about replaceing the plywood subfloor? I just did a "shell-on" replacement in a '73 Overlander and let me tell you, it was not a simple process, but it can be done.

Good luck with it.

Jim