2gypsies wrote:
If your parents are concerned about the cost of using heat tape then you need to really consider how you're going to pay for heat in either the cottage or the RV. Propane for the RV will be very expensive because of the cold conditions no matter what you do to try and insulate it better. No matter how good a RV in insulated it will never be enough for freezing temperatures. Also, have you thought out a plan for dumping of the holding tanks?
I think building the 'cottage' would be much better as to keeping the place warm. You can heavily insulate it. A wood stove would be ideal heat. If you heat by electric it would be expensive. Buying an RV is going to cost you plenty and you could put that money into the cottage. Would your parents be able to utilize the cottage after you leave? If so, perhaps they could help with building it since it will be a part of their property.
Another thought - instead of a separate cottage, can an extra room just be built onto the existing house? Then it could really be utilized nicely when you leave.
...just some more things to think about. Good luck!
This^.
5-6 years and you don't have the benefit of using the kitchen or bath. (which would require many upgrades to the camper anyway to use year 'round in that climate for that length of time, not to mention heating cost of the ccamper and hot water, how do you keep water to the camper, more heat tape, etc etc)
Ditch the RV plan and build a cottage or addition on the house provided you have the skills and tools. Either one will be considered an upgrade to the property at the end. Cottage can be a guest house or gut it out and make it a shed/shop.
Think about what you would need to do to permit (if needed) this from structure foundation and electrical requirements first. That could result in alot of cost if you had to do a permanent foundation.
If the option of an addition to the house is out and you're building a cottage I'd look into whether you can set it on piers or not. A floating slab is the next cheapest option but will have cold floors. Putting in frost wall to ME requirements, probably 48" deep will eat up alot of your budget right there.
See if you can put it on some drilled conc piers then you dont ever have to worry about frost heaves. Other wise, compact a goos gravel base under separate conc deck/shed blocks and use a bunch of them to distribute the load.
The structure can be a simple 12x24 gable building. Use 2x6 walls and at least 2x8 floor and ceiling joists or rafters if going cathedral ceiling evenif not structurally required, just for the insulation value.
Couple good windows and a good door and you'll be plenty insulated.
Make it 2 rooms witha knock down wall in the middle so its more like a house but the ability to remove it to make a shop later. Header out the door opening to allow for a shop/garage door later and frame it down to only an entry door for your purposes.
Finishes interior and exterior can get spendy but look for durable and rustic (your in ME not FL!).
Put a little wood burner in it and spend a couple hundo on a used chainsaw and your heat will be free and warm!
If you can't leave it on the property when youre done, then make the structure stout enuff to be able to be jacked up and loaded on a trailer. Then you can sell it as a hunting cabin.
