I'm putting my house on the market next month and have begun the process of getting a new custom house built.I estimate I will be homeless for about seven months or so. I am brand new to all things RV. I just bought a new 2020 Ford F-350 with a Northstar 850SC popup camper with the intention of it serving as my "fishin' rig". Take for short trips in my area to hit the fishing spots. I know plenty of people full time in all kinds of RV types and they certainly do in truck campers. But I have a hard time imagining seven months in something that small. I work full time at home and this rig would have to serve as my office too. I am familiar with staying connected to the internet with cellular options, so I'm ok there.Two questions:1) Should I get one of those tents that pop up for a large living area to allow me to get out of the truck camper?2) I joined Boondockers Welcome, but am struggling how to put together a plan as to where to stay for this long of a time. I want to be in the general area to watch the house build, so that limits me a lot. Any sage advice is very welcome. I can always just rent a small house, but if I could pull off the truck camper deal, it may be more fun and I could potentially save a few bucks over a house rental.

Longterm RV stationary living can create problems in your black tank. Not insurmountable but requires attention. Lots of posts on here regarding how to avoid issues.

Are you by yourself?I lived alone in a 22' travel trailer for a couple of months and I was totally comfortable and would do it again. OTOH but I didn't work from it and I think that would depend on how much stuff that involved as to whether it would work or not. If just sitting and working at a laptop, it seems doable as long as you can be comfortable.

When we build a house, we have the electrical meter mounted on a pole part way out the driveway. We then have a temporary panel installed to supply electricity for building the house. You could have a plug installed on the temporary panel for you to plug in to. Have a portable toilet company delivery a jobsite washroom for yourself, and the workers. You could stay on site, provide night security, and watch the house getting built. When the house is completed, you leave the meter on the pole, and run the permanent wire to the house. This way you don't have the meter on the side of your house. If you prefer to have the meter on the house, just leave enough cable to reach the house once completed.

Between marriages, lived alone in a truck camper for three years. Course, I was traveling all over the country at the time. I set up a 6x6 tent for reading, Laptop and other space needs when I was static for a week or two at at time. Otherwise, I worked in the camper for shorter stops.Then a few years later, my wife and I spent five months in our truck camper on our first cross-country trip, and made several two-three month trips as well. We're planning another this fall. Truck Campers to us, are mini-homes, and as long as you can get done what you need done, such as travel OR work -- What's also nice about the truck camper, easy to move and fill water or dump waste - just get a campsite for the night. Otherwise, boon-dock or stay on your property like was suggested above.

I live in part of a 38" Class a all the time (All but about the last six feet which is my "Storage shed"My advice.. Built a large multi-car garage. then have the house built next to it. The garage should be big enough to accept the camper (and in fact an upgrade later) the truck and a fuel efficient run about car.. All indoors (if door closed) so that HOA **** and city ords about parking the RV wont' apply.

Building a house, need long term RV site | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

LiudwigXIX
Explorer
Aug 04, 2020
huita
Grit_dog
Navigator
Mar 09, 2020
No more context given to the question by the OP.
If the camp on your lot while house is built option is not an option, then it boils down to the cost of a RV park spot and operating costs of a rv vs renting.

With dirt cheap rentals in NW Arkansas, it would be hard to come out too much ahead on just renting a small apt or condo for $5-600 and have normal conveniences.
Also, don't underestimate how long it will take to get your house built and realize the possibility of "7 months" turning into a year plus and having to winter over in your temporary accommodations.
Personally, I could live in an old TT for a while no problem. Pop up TC with spartan amenities, not so much. Much better suited for a fishin rig, IMO.
Fizz
Explorer
Mar 08, 2020
I would rather spend the money on a garage or large garden/storage shed that can be used later when the house is done.
memtb
Explorer
Mar 08, 2020
mobeewan wrote:
winniman wrote:
When we build a house, we have the electrical meter mounted on a pole part way out the driveway. We then have a temporary panel installed to supply electricity for building the house. You could have a plug installed on the temporary panel for you to plug in to. Have a portable toilet company delivery a jobsite washroom for yourself, and the workers. You could stay on site, provide night security, and watch the house getting built. When the house is completed, you leave the meter on the pole, and run the permanent wire to the house. This way you don't have the meter on the side of your house. If you prefer to have the meter on the house, just leave enough cable to reach the house once completed.

If you planned on an outside shed when you build the house, you might consider getting the shed now and using it for additional space instead of a tent for additional living. You could also wire it into the temporary service connection for lights, electric heat, hot plate, coffee pot and your needed office space.

A very good point, a large shed/pole barn .....is a good thing to have. The only negative to this approach, the camper will still get to ambient temps and being completely enclosed.....you may get a good case of “cabin fever”! memtb
monkey44
Nomad II
Mar 08, 2020
In other words -- GO FOR IT ... Its an adventure.
mobeewan
Explorer
Mar 08, 2020
winniman wrote:
When we build a house, we have the electrical meter mounted on a pole part way out the driveway. We then have a temporary panel installed to supply electricity for building the house. You could have a plug installed on the temporary panel for you to plug in to. Have a portable toilet company delivery a jobsite washroom for yourself, and the workers. You could stay on site, provide night security, and watch the house getting built. When the house is completed, you leave the meter on the pole, and run the permanent wire to the house. This way you don't have the meter on the side of your house. If you prefer to have the meter on the house, just leave enough cable to reach the house once completed.

If you planned on an outside shed when you build the house, you might consider getting the shed now and using it for additional space instead of a tent for additional living. You could also wire it into the temporary service connection for lights, electric heat, hot plate, coffee pot and your needed office space.
memtb
Explorer
Mar 08, 2020
sayoung wrote:
Where are you in NW Arkansas ? We have some land south of Berryville. Way back in in our youth my wife I tent camped often up there even in the winter . It can get , to me, pretty cold in the winter. We were in our tent one day it got down to -3 degrees. I have owned a pop up and it was colder than our tent.
If you have the ability to live on site might get one of those rent to own style buildings and make that like an office/living room/laundry ..

I agree. I used a pop-up camper my first three hunting seasons in Wyoming. The pop-up reached ambient temperatures very quickly.....and was “actually” colder than living in a tent. memtb
memtb
Explorer
Mar 08, 2020
“If” you will be buying property, with plans for a home......make you own RV parking site. Construct it the same as an RV park would have.....power, cable, sewer, and water, and phone (if you want a land-line). We lived on our property for 18 months while building, now we have a great set-up for preparing for our RV trips and to dump tanks and clean-up upon return. It’s also a great spot for friends/relatives to “camp-out” when in our area. But, much like building a structure for RV storage......be sure you build it bigger than you think you will “ever” need! memtb
Grit_dog
Navigator
Mar 08, 2020
Edit, saw that it's a popup camper.
But more challenging there for sure.
I agree, that's more of a fishin rig, but if you want full time living with more space and camper is cheaper than house. Maybe get an older TT. $5k or less will get a decent one. Use it, sell it for $5k or less and have more room, home base and very modest cost investment into it.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Mar 08, 2020
More info needed.
IMO, either you can setup camp on your own property (rural) or can't (city).
Presuming you can't but you didn't say that.
Otherwise, no one can give you a reccomendation where to stay unless they live there or are very familiar with the area. Call or google all the rv parks around and see which is the best for you.

Spacially speaking, are you looking for reassurance your TC will be big enough to live in? We can't answer that either. If your a hermit, I bet it gets pretty small pretty quickly. If your active and get out all the time then it should be totally feasible.
But you have the setup no, so wrong time to ask if it's the right choice.
Good luck on the house build! Exciting stuff!

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Building a house, need long term RV site

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