I've owned an RV since I was 17 years old (50 now) but I've never really looked into park models and had a few questions.In looking around the internet it looks like there are two kinds, one that has the traditional RV skin and RV appliances, and one that looks to be built out of wood and other traditional home materials and has residential appliances, yes?This one caught my eye though it is very expensive.http://sftimes.co/?id=93&src=share_fb_new_93http://www.canoebayescape.com/That one is 14' wide and says it requires mobile home movers (and applicable permits) to have it moved to your site. What about the single wide park models, can they be moved with an appropriate sized pickup?Do all of these park models have the actual RV manufacture placard on them? What are the typical length and height limits? I notice some of them have lofts and a taller roof line.Thanks

IIRC there is a maximum of square feet they can be. 400 maybe?? to get around that the builders put in a loft that is for storage only. can't stand up. would happen to make a nice place to stuff some kids however. the only ones that I looked at were the wooden ones non TT style.bumpy

Just because it has wheels does not necessarily make it a travel trailer or a park model. In this case, it's advertised as a "cabin" with all intentions of being placed permanently on a site. Mobile homes are trailers also but designed to be placed permanently in one spot. Wheels are removed, tongue is removed, and it's jacked up on blocks, underskriting,and it sits. It appears this "cabin" is just a miniature mobile home. The fact it's 14 foot wide and does require all the bells and whistles for certified movers to transport it on the road with all the required permits and exemptions for overloaded extra wide loads, means it's not an RV.There's nothing wrong with either cabin you've identified, provided that's what you want. They do look nice, have a charm to them, appear to be well made, but to believe they fall into the category of an RV ... I think the company who manufactures them is attempting to feed everyone snake-oil there ... appealing to a gullible audience.To legally tow something on the road without any special permits, in almost all states, the maximum width is 8 1/2 feet. Anything more than that is not a "travel trailer".Just my opinion.As far as the unit itself, I think it's really cute. Provided I had some property to put one one myself, it's a great alternative to actually building a house from foundation to roof, one stick at a time!

Be careful with your local zoning laws - You cannot live in TRAILER HOUSE in this county.Being a park model with no wheels kinda hard to say it is a mobile home. You may not be able to get an occupancy permit to live in one in your county/state. i.e. park models may only be permitted in a TRAILER PARK.Roy ken

Wrace wrote:I've owned an RV since I was 17 years old (50 now) but I've never really looked into park models and had a few questions.In looking around the internet it looks like there are two kinds, one that has the traditional RV skin and RV appliances, and one that looks to be built out of wood and other traditional home materials and has residential appliances, yes?This one caught my eye though it is very expensive.http://sftimes.co/?id=93&src=share_fb_new_93http://www.canoebayescape.com/That one is 14' wide and says it requires mobile home movers (and applicable permits) to have it moved to your site. What about the single wide park models, can they be moved with an appropriate sized pickup?Do all of these park models have the actual RV manufacture placard on them? What are the typical length and height limits? I notice some of them have lofts and a taller roof line.ThanksMy question is WHY do you want a Park Model?If it simply to have more space then I think you are going to find most Park models WILL be way too heavy and or way to wide (exceeding 108" width in most states WILL AUTOMATICALLY REQUIRE PERMITS to move any item on public roads) to be towed via a pickup truck.If it is to put into a PARK or on your own land then a Park model just might be the ticket.Granted I do believe that there has been a few people towing SMALLER Park models I can't say that I have ever witnessed one in tow or in a RV park.My suggestion is to keep your life simple, stick with ordinary RVs and skip the Park models. In the end you most likely will be happier not towing an over weight beast down the road..

Personally, I see no advantage to them other than them being cute and the residential sized appliances. Unless your a commercial hauler, you will have to hire someone to move it. The interior square footage is still going to be a max of 400 SF as in the largest 5h wheels. A 5th wheel of the same interior size has a lot of built in cabinets and storage underneath the floor of the trailer. It can be moved by anyone with a decent sized truck in any campground. Be very sure about purchasing one. They're not as easy to resell as a 5th wheel.

Tell me about Park Models | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

RoyB
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2014
Be careful with your local zoning laws - You cannot live in TRAILER HOUSE in this county.

Being a park model with no wheels kinda hard to say it is a mobile home. You may not be able to get an occupancy permit to live in one in your county/state. i.e. park models may only be permitted in a TRAILER PARK.

Roy ken
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
Just because it has wheels does not necessarily make it a travel trailer or a park model. In this case, it's advertised as a "cabin" with all intentions of being placed permanently on a site. Mobile homes are trailers also but designed to be placed permanently in one spot. Wheels are removed, tongue is removed, and it's jacked up on blocks, underskriting,and it sits. It appears this "cabin" is just a miniature mobile home. The fact it's 14 foot wide and does require all the bells and whistles for certified movers to transport it on the road with all the required permits and exemptions for overloaded extra wide loads, means it's not an RV.

There's nothing wrong with either cabin you've identified, provided that's what you want. They do look nice, have a charm to them, appear to be well made, but to believe they fall into the category of an RV ... I think the company who manufactures them is attempting to feed everyone snake-oil there ... appealing to a gullible audience.

To legally tow something on the road without any special permits, in almost all states, the maximum width is 8 1/2 feet. Anything more than that is not a "travel trailer".

Just my opinion.

As far as the unit itself, I think it's really cute. Provided I had some property to put one one myself, it's a great alternative to actually building a house from foundation to roof, one stick at a time!
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
IIRC there is a maximum of square feet they can be. 400 maybe?? to get around that the builders put in a loft that is for storage only. can't stand up. would happen to make a nice place to stuff some kids however. the only ones that I looked at were the wooden ones non TT style.
bumpy

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Tell me about Park Models

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