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airplanemech's avatar
airplanemech
Explorer
Apr 29, 2018

Travel Trailer Value After Rehab

Hello everyone. Not sure if this is the right thread, so please feel free to move the post if not. I bought a 1994 Chateau travel trailer a couple years ago from a friend who told me the back corner needed work. He said there was a little rot. Well I finally started looking into it and there's a lot of rot. One corner of the roof/ceiling, the corner stud, most of the floor. I was going to just fix it and sell it, but every time I remove another part, there's more rot. I'm considering gutting the whole thing and rebuilding it with new materials. I wanted to use that synthetic wood stuff, foam panel insulation, and anything else I can find that's waterproof. Basically making it so it will never be able to rot again.

So I have a few questions. If I rebuild the structure (including the floor) with all waterproof materials, would it increase the value as opposed to repairing it with just wood and fiberglass insulation? What is a reasonable sales price if it's repaired like this? Basically I'm trying to figure out if it will be worth the effort and materials cost, or if it's a wash and I should just sell it for parts or something. Thanks in advance for any help.

32 Replies

  • Sadly, I have to agree with Bob.
    I did something similar years ago. I did lot of rot repair and even replumbed and replaced all tanks. Also lots of new fixtures and other many hours of other improvements.
    I used the rig for a few years and it was worth nothing. I figured the cost of all the stuff was just the price of using the TC for a few years.
  • Not worth it. Trust me on that one.

    I once tore down an 81 Citation TT and completely rebuilt it from the frame up. I replaced every stick of wood in the thing except a few floor joists.

    It cost me several grand in materials and about a thousand hours of my time over the course of a couple years.

    And then at the end of it all, it was still an 81 Citation, worth only as much as someone was willing to pay me for it as an old trailer.

    I never did finish it and sold it as is for $1700. He got a good deal on an incomplete trailer that was built better than the factory. But had to finish it. One day i will drive by and look. Its probably still sitting right where I parked it in his driveway.

    If you do the same, it will never be worth more than a used 94 Chateau.

    You are better off to sell it for parts and buy something in decent shape that you can hook up, tow away and use.

    I learned that lesson the hard expensive way!