First, thank you for such an informative forum. I posted last year, but ended up holding off. We are now looking again, but with a new requirements. We have sold our house and are starting to build our new house. This will take 6-7 months. During that time, we plan to live in the bunkhouse. We are in central OH, so temperatures can go from high 90s next month to below 0 in January. We hope to be in the new house in January 2015.It will be my wife, our 3 year old daughter, beagle mix, and myself. We are looking at larger bunkhouses 32'+.It will be on our 8 acres during construction, but will be pulled when needed with a 03 Ram 2500 quad cab diesel long bed manual transmission 4x4.Our requirements include:-living room slide-bunkhouse slide-master bedroom bed needs to be away from wall so my feet don't hit. I am 6'2", so the 74" beds that are basically up against the wall in some floor plans won't work.Two options currently high on the list are: -Keystone Outback Terrain 332TRS-Jayco Jay Flight 33BHTS (have to get leftover 2014 as they no longer make this mode)Ideally, we would stay under $30,000. And a kitchen slide would be nice.Some others that met the criteria are:Keystone Sprinter 311BHSKeystone Sprinter 316BIKKeystone Sprinter 324FWBHS (5th wheel)Keystone Sprinter 343FWBHS (5th wheel)Keystone Hideout 305BHDS (5th wheel)Keystone Springdale 330KIKeystone Premier 343BHPR Keystone Laredo 335TG (5th wheel)Any thoughts/comments on these or others that might work?Thanks,Nick

Have a keystone Cougar 32RBK which I love and that floor plan would fit the bill for sure. The outdoor kitchen is a nice extra that I am so glad that I got.

One thing to consider is having a heated and enclosed underbelly with heated tanks, otherwise the tanks and pipes will freeze in those 0 degree temps.I like the Outback Terrain, that Floorplan is really interesting. I have nothing but good things to say about my own Outback terrain.Another one to consider is a Floorplan like the Wildwood 31qbts, it has 2 slides in the bunkhouse so it gives a giant room that can be used as another living room or huge kids room.

Would you be interested in a 2010 Outback 301??

Thanks for the feedback. I will definitely make sure it has the enclosed & heated underbelly. Plus I will try to put something around the base before winter (bales of straw maybe?).Sorry, DHDB, the 301 won't work for us. Thanks, though.

The Arctic Fox 31D would fit the bill perfectly. Here is a LinkIt's outside your price range but will be worth every dime...especially when your family is not shivering. Be warned though...RV'ing in sub freezing weather is not cheap. My dad ran about 30 lbs of propane every 2 days in 15° weather keeping the fiver at 65°....that was with a supplemental electric heater. His Challenger IS a four season RV with heated tanks, it just cost a lot to keep 30 plus gallons of water from freezing and the family comfy when it's that cold. An Arctic Fox would have helped my dad tremendously simply by their insulation. When he works in sub freezing weather he puts the Fiver in storage and rents a pay by the month hotel or condo. It's actually cheaper that way for him. But a TT is easier to heat because of the lower ceiling height.I am not trying to discourage you, I just wanted you to know what you are getting into. Thanks!Jeremiah

Help selecting a bunkhouse | Good Sam Community

nirion
Explorer
Jun 15, 2014
Thanks for all the advice. I am digging into the beginning RV section now.

We went to RV Wholesalers to look at a Sprinter 316bik, and ended up buying a 2015 Sprinter 324fwbhs!

We got about 38% off msrp, so I thought that was a fair deal and my wife loved the feeling of the 5th wheel height.

Link
Skidus1
Explorer
Jun 15, 2014
I bought an Open Range LT 308bhs that fits most if not all of your options, might take a look at them. I'm happy with mine.
ralph_day
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
To move a rig inside a garage could you take off the wheel/tires and just run on some rims? That would drop you 4 to 6 inches. I saw this done where my trailer is being made (the fella's garage is only so high...to get the finished trailer's out he puts bare rims on for the haul out to the driveway.

Ralph
texasclarks
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
lawrosa wrote:
heres a vid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R4ap7waBfA

The one thing I don't like about that floor plan is clothes/cabinet space for the children who will occupy the bunk house. The living are is very unique with the slide out mid-cabin for the bunks...but no storage are except in that small entertainment area.
lawrosa
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
heres a vid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R4ap7waBfA
lawrosa
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
One of the best bunk houses I know 2014 Coachmen Catalina 313RLS. A unique design. Gives the best of all worlds with a normal living room...

Coachman is the #2 seller.

22K..

Get the arctic package

http://www.seguinrv.com/2014-Coachmen-Catalina-313RLS-Seguin-Texas-78155/4676672

http://www.coachmenrv.com/products/catalina.aspx?page=floorplandetails&floorplanid=5320
nirion
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
Thanks.

We'll definitely have to keep an eye on water lines.

We do have a shop/pole barn out there, but it is only 12' with a 10' door. And while it is 30x48, it is 48 long and only 30 deep, so it would take removing the ac and some creative maneuvering to get it in there. I might check into a three sided 14' tall add-on though.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
Well every home on that much land need a huge shop. You are going to need a base to store incoming materials during the initial phase of building, and by the time winter comes, or even when super hot weather comes you will have a wind break, or a shade break for the summer.

Why not put up the shop first, then you would be able to park your rig either close, or maybe even inside. Maybe leave the cover off one wall on the outside for now, so you have light and ventilation, and drop a tarp on the other side or a temporary wall with the siding you will use on the outside once the house is built.

Even just a shelter over the rig to park it under would really help.
texasclarks
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
As someone who has lived in our TT over a winter move insulation is key. Another thing to consider is the location of the water lines. We had the enclosed underbelly and heated tanks and let me say that insulation is the key.

While the inside was warm through use of space heaters to help reduce propane usage, we had issues trying to keep the water lines inside the TT from freezing because they ran the lines around the outside of our bunkhouse to the bathroom and then around to the kitchen. So the water lines that were behind the shower froze and stopped water from getting to the rest of the trailer. It took some ingenuity but the use of drop lights with standard bulbs (not the energy saving fluorescent ones) and the use of a heated water line to make it through sub-freezing temperatures.

There are lots of options available and you are going the right direction with your search, but remember once you decide that there are a lot of things that will need to be considered when living sub-freezing. Heating of the space is one thing, but you will need to find ways to keep fresh water and dump valves from freezing.
nirion
Explorer
Jun 14, 2014
The 31d is nice, and has the 80" bed. Thanks, I'll check it out.

Forum Discussion

Help selecting a bunkhouse

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Smaller Bunkhouse vs Larger Bunkhouse

Bunkhouse Feedback

Mirada Select Steering

Bunkhouse

Toy Hauler Toy Selection