Update: On my RV Building Plans....

myrvplans1 wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
If you were building this yourself I would say go for it. I'm not sure but it appears you intend to have this built by others.

If you have this built you will spend twice the price of purchasing a factory TT.
You will have a trailer twice as heavy as a factory TT.
You will have a trailer only half as functional as a factory TT.
You will have a trailer that no one will give any money for if you want to sell.

BEEMERPHILE (ok, no purple)
- It is true I will spend more in building this travel trailer than I would purchasing one of similar size off a sales lot. (Gee, I sure hope it won't come in at "twice" the cost, but I accept that "custom anything" in life costs.)

- You state that the trailer will be twice as heavy as a factory TT, but you provide no factual data to support that. I've removed so many unneeded factory items (stove, burners, slide outs, dinette, etc.) that I would have to disagree with you.

- You suggest that the trailer will be half as functional as a factory unit, but yet you don't state how so? I could understand your point better if you gave examples.

- You imply that a trailer of this type would not retain sales value? Again, you don't state why? If I was intent on selling it I believe as a custom unit it would be very appealing to some and would not depreciate any more or less than any others. I also believe that a trailer of this type could be a very marketable item to people traveling solo. (a niche market perhaps, but a growing segment)

Thanks for the feedback. -Darla

Just giving you some thoughts, I don't feel the need to prove anything or try to convince you but I will give a little of my reasoning.

There is another thread on here where someone was paying to have living quarters added to a horse trailer. After two contractors they still have an unfinished trailer and are very unhappy.

RVs don't use normal construction practices. Unless your builder knows RVs in detail it will end up very heavy.

Half as functional because you are leaving out many items that make an RV what it is.

Resell value - how many people do you think will buy an RV that you poop in a plastic bag and dispose of it like dog scat?

You might want to Google "vandwellers". There is a group of people that convert vans, cars, and cargo trailers for living off grid. Many live a very simplistic existence and you might glean some ideas from what they have done.