Advice on tear-down/rebuild?

John&Joey wrote:
Do you mind me asking what your ultimate goal is? Is it to save money, or to get a unique rig to fit a specific event. Just wondering.

Don't mind at all, maybe you have some good advice. My last child goes to college this year. I'm selling the big house (I'm single and 52), and want to (a) live mortgage-free and (b) enjoy life from my rooftop deck, moving my home/office between the mountains (grandkids), Washington DC (work) and the beach. That's my idea of a good life for an old guy who doesn't have to live just for his kids anymore. Not really planning to hit the highways and see the USA anytime soon.

There are two reasons I want to build. First, I've looked at hundreds of RVs, and I just can't see a way to adapt them to what I want. If I could afford a class A toy hauler and pull a Smart Car into the garage, I might. Otherwise, I need a towable that is strong enough for a rooftop deck. I'd also like to open up the back (TH ramp) or the side (fold down patio), so that I don't feel cooped up. I could buy a cheap toy hauler and renovate it to my needs, but they're built so flimsy! What is there to work with??

Second... If I could build anything, I'd love to put a more or less conventionally built modular unit on a trailer, that I could *dock* on my land as part of my permanent homestead. That's looking more and more like a luxury I can't afford right now, but if you're interested in what a Texas architect built like that, here's a very cool example:



Source: http://andrewhinman.com/images/portfolio/02-locomotive/5.jpg