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Old 01-25-2021, 09:38 PM   #1
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1978 25' Tradewind
Charlottesville , Virginia
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 15
Finally time for layout - the great bath location debate!

I'm pretty sure my last post on here was looking for ideas about how to configure bunks to fit my family of 7 in our Tradewind, which we are completely renovating. And that was a very long time ago. The last 10 months really slowed down our ability to access the trailer to work on it but . . . we are now moving forward again. And the great debate is stalled at layout.

We were certain we were going to stick with the original plan, but some motivated measuring gave me another idea.

I'm coming here to look for honest opinions. Not on resale specifically - we are designing this to actually be able to use it and enjoy it. The size of our family (5 kids), poses some challenges if we aren't looking to kick anyone outside to a tent I'm looking for opinions as far as usability, snags we may not have thought of, tips that may save us from making incredibly stupid first time renovators' mistakes . . . and anyone that has done something close to this (which is incredibly hard to search for and find).

I'm attaching my two layouts (crude as they may be). The original plan was two sets of bunks and the bath in the back. The top bunk was going to flip out across the aisle and create a full width bunk to fit three kids (which, yes, we would have to slink under to reach the bathroom at night - sacrifices). The new idea is to move the bath to the curb side and have an L-shaped set of bunks with either a gaucho or some extra piece in the aisle past the bathroom door so that the two littlest could share one bed.

I've pulled my rough measurements from some current bathroom sizes, so I'm pretty sure it would be big enough for us, but I'm not sure if it's a great idea to run the hot water across the trailer somehow from the hot water heater or if it's best to keep that as close as possible. The other concern is getting from the shower drain to the grey tank which is at the very back of the trailer and making sure we have enough drop.

Thanks ahead for any words of wisdom you all may share!
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Old 01-26-2021, 05:24 AM   #2
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The real issue when moving a bathroom is the toilet, it needs to sit above the black tank. So unless you’re installing a composting toilet you will have to move the black tank, dump line and vent stack. Big job there, but it’s been done.

I’m going to assume the toilet is currently on the street side or is meant to be as that is on top of the black tank and very close to the dump valve. There is a very sound reason for this. Solids, aka poop, need the shortest distance to evacuate efficiently. So if you have to move everything, I suggest keeping the toilet on the street side and move the tank one bay forward (maybe two) and reroute the dump valves accordingly. Or save yourself the headache and go the composting toilet route.
The shower and sink is a bit less of a pain as the grey water can travel a ways and doesn’t need to be right on top of the grey tank... still need to vent it though.

What is the current state of your trailer?
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Old 01-26-2021, 07:04 AM   #3
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1978 25' Tradewind
Charlottesville , Virginia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iansk View Post
The real issue when moving a bathroom is the toilet, it needs to sit above the black tank. So unless you’re installing a composting toilet you will have to move the black tank, dump line and vent stack. Big job there, but it’s been done.

I’m going to assume the toilet is currently on the street side or is meant to be as that is on top of the black tank and very close to the dump valve. There is a very sound reason for this. Solids, aka poop, need the shortest distance to evacuate efficiently. So if you have to move everything, I suggest keeping the toilet on the street side and move the tank one bay forward (maybe two) and reroute the dump valves accordingly. Or save yourself the headache and go the composting toilet route.
The shower and sink is a bit less of a pain as the grey water can travel a ways and doesn’t need to be right on top of the grey tank... still need to vent it though.

What is the current state of your trailer?

Ah, yes, I completely forgot to put that in my initial post. We are planning to have a composting toilet, saving us the need for a black tank. So, other than routing the vent, we can put the toilet almost anywhere.


The trailer is down to exterior walls, subfloor, and belly pan off.
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Old 01-26-2021, 07:53 AM   #4
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a thought

A random thought really but you could look at using the rear 6 1/2' as a kids bed pod as illustrated in the worlds worst sketch and locate the shower and head next. Using something like 80/20 extrusion when the kids age out of bunks you could just remove the upper section and be left with a rear bed mid bath trailer.
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Old 01-26-2021, 08:05 AM   #5
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1978 25' Tradewind
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A random thought really but you could look at using the rear 6 1/2' as a kids bed pod as illustrated in the worlds worst sketch and locate the shower and head next. Using something like 80/20 extrusion when the kids age out of bunks you could just remove the upper section and be left with a rear bed mid bath trailer.



Yes, I love the idea of simplifying and just shoving the bunks to the back, that would be ideal. But they would end up needing a wall directly in the middle of the side windows . . . which is definitely not ideal.
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Old 01-26-2021, 08:06 AM   #6
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People are probably tired of hearing this: I'm a great promoter of mockups. We did this in our trailer reno, and it was a great help. We used cardboard box rough shape mockups and painters tape, and it helped us figure out many things including where to put the bathroom.

I like both of your configurations. Either one could work, although I'd prefer to reach the bathroom without gyrations (probably the age factor).
Good luck!


Kay
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Old 01-26-2021, 10:33 AM   #7
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When our family of 7 traveled across the US, my father made a frame to put on top of the stove/sink area at night to use as a bed for my youngest sister, about 4 at the time. Worked for her, and as she got older, not all of us were able to go, so then she had one of the bunks! Have fun with your family and Airstream!
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Old 01-26-2021, 02:15 PM   #8
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I agree with Minno, Use cardboard, tape, lath, and staples try it out! That’s what helped with my layout.
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Old 01-26-2021, 02:41 PM   #9
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Putting the kids in back, two on each side and one across the back is a nice plan. Gives them the whole back section for their stuff. An aisle for dressing in and playing. You could even make one of the bottom bunks a pullout thereby making it a three sleeper and forgoing the across the back bunk. Check out Tiny Shiney Home for ideas but they have one child less.
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Old 01-27-2021, 11:29 AM   #10
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You may want to check out this older thread...its got lots of retrofit 'bunk bed' ideas for large families (& links to other related threads).

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