If you know anyone with land, tell them to build an Rv Park

Not sure name yet.

joelm wrote:
We are in the process of developing a park. Westernrvparkowners numbers are close to what we are coming up with for the sites. Office, store, rec area,pool, etc, we are looking at 400k. My brother/partner is a contractor so savings there.
One of the mistakes I see people making is building where there is no reason for anyone wanting to stay. Just because you own a piece of property doesn't mean it is a good location for a park.
We are also going to spend time and money marketing beginning a year before opening. A good website with a proper marketing plan and budget will pay dividends.

What will it be called and where will it be located? Looking forward to checking it out when done.

We are in the process of developing a park. Westernrvparkowners numbers are close to what we are coming up with for the sites. Office, store, rec area,pool, etc, we are looking at 400k. My brother/partner is a contractor so savings there.
One of the mistakes I see people making is building where there is no reason for anyone wanting to stay. Just because you own a piece of property doesn't mean it is a good location for a park.
We are also going to spend time and money marketing beginning a year before opening. A good website with a proper marketing plan and budget will pay dividends.

Often I just want an overnighters' section. Just a pull through pad and no utilities.
Open that section first and the rest when time, money and permits allow.

down home wrote:
It depends on the area of the Country as to how receptive or prohibitive in building an RV park.
In Tn, in a rural county near a popular stream, starting twenty years ago, a Fellow who worked for TVA had his own dozer and few pieces of equipment from his farm.
He built to pads at a time himself.
The ultimate design included planning the electrical grid with is a big expense.
He did the work himself and had it reviewed.
The septic system, if a pumped system is easier to get approved but takes a lot of effort to keep it pumped and costs.
He laid out his own septic drain field which was about twice the size of the park. The tanks were near the pads under concrete with access sealed access covers.
Many Rural Folks build their own homes and septic, everything so it is not like hitting a wall of doom and gloom doing such projects.
He is long departed but his kids took over. However it may be a big parking lot today. I haven't been in the area in a long time.
Well executed quality RV Parks are welcome in any areas. They bring in a lot of outside money for stores, fuel stations,and recreational businesses and activities and TAXES.
Fifteen to twenty thousand per lot or space seems a good number.
With good upkeep someone could make a lot of money over time.
A poor quality gravel mud hole will bring lower revenues and occupancy.
Twenty thousand, lets say for a big pad/patio landscaping etc.
Thirty five bucks per night, 95% occupancy even 100% in this part of the Country near a good stream or lake.
Roughly 900.00 per month maybe.
Electricity, 50.00 per month average, let's say.
Taxes, 50.00 a month, is high.
Fifty spaces x900.00 = 45,000.00 month gross income.
2,500 for electricity maybe.
2,500.00 for taxes.
Maintenance, by four might be able to keep it a ten thousand am month.
There is cleaning, mowing, unclogging customers sewers etc on 20 acres, plus watch your store.
You might be the only supplies in miles.
If you net 30,000.00 a month before the income tax man that's not bad on a million dollar to a million and quarter investment.
There is no printing press available. It requires hard work and staying out of debt. Not using the banks except as necessary. They become your partner your boss.

You should go into the RV Park consulting business. If you can make your numbers be the true numbers for a real park, not one that fictionally exists only in your mind, you could write your own ticket.
In our real world parks, we have to pay things like advertising, insurance, trash disposal, phone bills, repairs, water, sewage disposal, wifi, cable TV, propane for hot water, bathroom supplies etc. Our employees cost us much more than a couple of thousand a week and apparently we negotiated a bad rate plan with the power company, because we pay way more than $50.00 site. Finally, that 100% occupancy year round is pretty hard to achieve in the dead of winter. But I sure am willing to listen and pay if you can make your numbers become my numbers.

It depends on the area of the Country as to how receptive or prohibitive in building an RV park.
In Tn, in a rural county near a popular stream, starting twenty years ago, a Fellow who worked for TVA had his own dozer and few pieces of equipment from his farm.
He built to pads at a time himself.
The ultimate design included planning the electrical grid with is a big expense.
He did the work himself and had it reviewed.
The septic system, if a pumped system is easier to get approved but takes a lot of effort to keep it pumped and costs.
He laid out his own septic drain field which was about twice the size of the park. The tanks were near the pads under concrete with access sealed access covers.
Many Rural Folks build their own homes and septic, everything so it is not like hitting a wall of doom and gloom doing such projects.
He is long departed but his kids took over. However it may be a big parking lot today. I haven't been in the area in a long time.
Well executed quality RV Parks are welcome in any areas. They bring in a lot of outside money for stores, fuel stations,and recreational businesses and activities and TAXES.
Fifteen to twenty thousand per lot or space seems a good number.
With good upkeep someone could make a lot of money over time.
A poor quality gravel mud hole will bring lower revenues and occupancy.
Twenty thousand, lets say for a big pad/patio landscaping etc.
Thirty five bucks per night, 95% occupancy even 100% in this part of the Country near a good stream or lake.
Roughly 900.00 per month maybe.
Electricity, 50.00 per month average, let's say.
Taxes, 50.00 a month, is high.
Fifty spaces x900.00 = 45,000.00 month gross income.
2,500 for electricity maybe.
2,500.00 for taxes.
Maintenance, by four might be able to keep it a ten thousand am month.
There is cleaning, mowing, unclogging customers sewers etc on 20 acres, plus watch your store.
You might be the only supplies in miles.
If you net 30,000.00 a month before the income tax man that's not bad on a million dollar to a million and quarter investment.
There is no printing press available. It requires hard work and staying out of debt. Not using the banks except as necessary. They become your partner your boss.

I got a good laugh from this thread.

I am in California, and everyone knows California state government opposes any new business starting in the state.

Sure, the state talks a good talk, then passes laws and regulations basically prohibiting any new business.

I got the acreage. But the corn and soybeans are alot less hassle for me and a lot more profitable. Oh, and I am to far off of any beaten path with enough RV traffic.

westernrvparkowner wrote:
Here's your barriers to entry if you own the land.

1. Permitting, plan on 2 years and $50,000 for engineering reports and environmental impact studies.
2. Construction will take a year and cost +/- $15,000 per site (roads, pads, utilities and landscaping).
3. Add another $100,000 plus for office, restroom and common facilities such as laundry basic and recreation like a goofy golf course and playground. (no pool, that would add $75,000)
4. After those three years, it will take at least 3 more years to build business. Your new business will have no web presence, no repeat business, no reviews, it will not be in any of the guidebooks and won't be shown on any GPS.
5. Unless you heard voices from above like Kevin Costner, you won't know for sure that "if you build it, they will come"

So you will be spending, rather than collecting for six years. Better have a long investment horizon and a whole lot of confidence you are doing the right thing. Building a new park can be profitable, but it can also be a money pit with no way out.

Agreed....
Friend bought 8 acres of land on HWY frontage that was just a illegal dumping site'
took Him 2 years to clear, clean and grade property and get permits for RV Park
50 sites FHU 50A.----3 years to get to door open for business

Originally it was 3 septic tanks with appropriate leech fields.
City turn him a curve...no leech fields------on site treatment plant.
So now he is pump/haul.

Idea was to build/open doors and then sell for profit
Turned into on site living, 24/7 'job', getting work campers and dealing with PUBLIC PLUS City Hall. :S


Yeah.....go ahead ---build that RV Park

StephJohn2010 wrote:
Record Rv sales are making it very hard to fulltime rv. We recently had to buy an second home in our favorite place because the monthly sites are fully booked basically all the time. Anyone else running into trouble booking a monthly like they used to? #buildmoreRVsites

If it was easy and cheap then why isn't "everyone" owning a RV park?

Why haven't YOU built a RV park?

You could have if you were able to buy a second home in your favorite place.

Put your money where your mouth is, start your own chain of RV parks and see just how easy it is..

Buy a couple dozen acres in every one of your favorite places then put a few dozen rustic campsites on each property..

Then hire a "manager" for each property to collect the camping fee and clean up after the slobs have left.. You could even use your own Internet website to collect the fees but then you would be left with mountains of trash to deal with after the slobs leave..

In truth, it isn't easy or cheap to be in business and dealing with the public can make your life miserable at best..