just wondering if this is possible

Seems like they need a plan, calculate the costs, get permits and THEN proceed. Sewer, water & electricity are mandatory for long term dwellers. Anything less, in my humble opinion, will not be well received. 50K sounds way, way, way too little.

That's my worry that its too little and the process is backwards

You asked for help. My suggestion is to give what advice you can to your friends and then stay out of the business as far as possible, because it unfortunately sounds to me like a scheme doomed and underfunded from the beginning. Marine By Choice has good basic advice: get a plan and make a sensible budget, and get the proper permits, and then proceed. I would suggest talking to some other campground owners in the general area.Does the zoning permit campgrounds as an accepted use? If not, I'd think the first step would be to seek a variance, which may not be forthcoming. If the zoning board says no, you won't get a little campground. The requirements may be different for having long-term/permanent campers rather than transient ones. Likewise, the tax implications (property, business, ....) and insurance situation should be checked out.What are the legal requirements for wells and septic systems? In Vermont, at least, septic systems generally have to be designed (or at least stamped) by a properly licensed engineer and involve a good bit of costly paperwork. In some cases, particularly for commercial or large-scale systems, the actual installation must be observed by a state engineer, at the builder's cost. $50k might not be enough to cover septic for a small campground around here, though I have not priced such services to really have any idea (and much less priced them in Texas).Fifteen 50A sites would I think need somewhere in the vicinity of a 500A electrical service, possibly more if any expansion or buildings are also to be included at some point. There's a good bit of heavy (expensive) wire involved in hooking up fifteen pedestals, and conduit to bury the wires in.There certainly is a good bit of opportunity to save money in campground construction by doing things oneself. Much of the site work and labor doesn't need a lot of skill or, with enough excess energy, even a lot of equipment. Ditches can be dug with shovels just as well (though certainly not just as fast) as with a backhoe or excavator. But there are also many expenses that are inherent in the project.

DrewE wrote:You asked for help. My suggestion is to give what advice you can to your friends and then stay out of the business as far as possible, because it unfortunately sounds to me like a scheme doomed and underfunded from the beginning. Marine By Choice has good basic advice: get a plan and make a sensible budget, and get the proper permits, and then proceed. I would suggest talking to some other campground owners in the general area.What are the legal requirements for wells and septic systems? In Vermont, at least, septic systems generally have to be designed (or at least stamped) by a properly licensed engineer and involve a good bit of costly paperwork. In some cases, particularly for commercial or large-scale systems, the actual installation must be observed by a state engineer, at the builder's cost. $50k might not be enough to cover septic for a small campground around here, though I have not priced such services to really have any idea (and much less priced them in Texas).Thank you, I kind of agree. I'm still hoping someone has a clever way of figuring this out so i can help before it tanks...

If they are planing on a bare bones RV park they can probably get it done. Having it all contracted, maybe not. The septic will be the biggie. ditching, pipe, and hook ups, plus the permitting. no idea the cost.Electrical. Three wire in conduit, have the power company help as to size per footage run. The plastic conduit and boxes aren't that much, but the copper cable is.Good luck with it, we need more RV parks in S. A.

Building an RV Park from scratch under 50k? | Good Sam Community

SCVJeff
Explorer
Sep 15, 2016
Well it looks like this Novella has come to an end...:(
All_I_could_aff
Explorer
Sep 15, 2016
Looks like I picked the wrong week to try to give up popcorn!
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Sep 15, 2016
elialane7 wrote:
just wondering if this is possible

* This post was edited 09/12/16 10:18pm by elialane7 *

I got to this party a little late so I don't know what was deleted in the first post but it sure was entertaining, all 9 pages. :B
RV-1_2n-FUN
Explorer
Sep 14, 2016
CATFISHED????? Seemed to me to just be trolling....put-put-put :S
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Sep 14, 2016
2012Coleman wrote:
I think that the OP is the investor. I'm not sure what one with multiple ivy league degrees would post questions about a topic such as this.

That's what I thought way back on page 1 or 2 of the post. The OP is actively involved in this fiasco.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Sep 13, 2016
I think that the OP is the investor. I'm not sure what one with multiple ivy league degrees would post questions about a topic such as this. Reminds me of my three year old asking where is that truck going daddy? I personally could give a rats behind how these dimwits as described by the OP spend their money.

It's a blessing paw! Some ivy lady gave us 50K! Lets open an RV camp! Yea maw! it'll have 50 sites with full hookups so folks can do thar paintin and dumping all in one place!

Now Whar's my shovel! I need to dig a well! Put up some no tresspassin signs so those revenuers don't bother us!
azrving
Explorer
Sep 13, 2016
Tvov wrote:
In my little town (and surrounding towns), building permits are a relative thing. If you have relatives in the town hall, no problems - whether or not you built before or after "forgetting" to get a permit. Or if you don't have relatives, a few nice lunches for town officials goes a long way. And learning where their "watering holes" are for happy hour after work to become friends.

There is a legend in my parts that one builder did actually do everything "legally"... but he went out of business.

Either way, it does take money -- and $50,000 may just be the "initiation fee"! lol

Sorry, just spend too long sometimes gossiping about local politics.

As I and others have said, go ahead and help your friends however you can, but not financially. Even if it turns out to be a big money maker business, it is rarely good to mix friends, family, and money.

LOL
You mention watering holes. In my case I think the watering was during work too!! I had a new house built years ago and I had it pretty much figured out as you describe it. During the winter I had such a bad draft in the living room that our feet would get cold. When I pulled the vinyl siding off that side of the house and found that they stood that wall up with a scab of about 3/4 inch thick wood under the bottom plate. Only about half that side of the house had Tyvec. I then found that the chase had huge gaps where it fastened to the side of the house and no insulation.

We had to sign a paper stating what paint colors and tile choices we wanted so there were no misunderstanding. Everything in the house was painted the wrong color so they had to change it. The hearth tile was not what we picked out and signed for. They changed that too but when we would vacuum the vac seemed to hit the tile at the edge of the carpet. They had installed the correct tile color over their wrong tile. I removed the tile and the fireplace insert so I could seal and insulate as good as possible.

The neighbor had a very slow water leak upstairs that destroyed the drywall and caused mold all the way down to the basement. They fixed all that then it blew a solder joint and took out everything from upstairs master bedroom down.

A couple years later we sold that house and about 3 moths later my realtor called and asked if I had done any undisclosed plumbing repairs or changes in the upstairs master bathroom. Nope, it was a new house, I never touched anything. He said it blew a joint and flooded the master bath, bedroom, down the stairs, into the living room and took out the kitchen and everything below all the way to the finished dry walled carpeted basement.

Just as you say this was a pack of rub dub drunken good old boys along with the township inspectors all hanging out at the local bar on the lake. After I knew what was going on I started recognizing the vehicles parked down there.

Code? Code my fanny
Tvov
Explorer II
Sep 13, 2016
In my little town (and surrounding towns), building permits are a relative thing. If you have relatives in the town hall, no problems - whether or not you built before or after "forgetting" to get a permit. Or if you don't have relatives, a few nice lunches for town officials goes a long way. And learning where their "watering holes" are for happy hour after work to become friends.

There is a legend in my parts that one builder did actually do everything "legally"... but he went out of business.

Either way, it does take money -- and $50,000 may just be the "initiation fee"! lol

Sorry, just spend too long sometimes gossiping about local politics.

As I and others have said, go ahead and help your friends however you can, but not financially. Even if it turns out to be a big money maker business, it is rarely good to mix friends, family, and money.
nevadanick
Explorer
Sep 13, 2016
There are still counties in states that have no building dept or permits required other than a state permit for septic.
elialane7
Explorer
Sep 12, 2016
westernrvparkowner wrote:
elialane7 wrote:
Yeah I'm staying out of it and I'm moving to England at the end of the month anyway. Anyway updates: they got the water meter tapped and just to put a meter in
Will be 11,200 which they're going to do now and will take a month or so ? That's all I know
No current water or existing plumbing on land

I believe we have all been "catfished". Moving to England and the well has become a municipal water source. And we all took the bait, hook, line and sinker. It was fun while it lasted.

Really? I have nothing better to do than "catfish" some RV forum people? Your opinion has been made loud and clear, feel free to not bother to reply.

As for the water meter being tapped, I have no idea, it confused me too. I figured they needed to make a water system that complies with state regulations and THEN worry about some meter? I honestly try not to ask too many questions because they can sense my concern...and at the end of the day it isn't my worry. I was just updating you all on what I heard since that's what you had asked.

I'll be happy to not update further. Thanks everyone for the input.