bshpilot wrote:
while i get that it gets COLD in IOWA...im wondering why he need HEAT (or insulation) - is that something every RV storage lot is required to have ??
what about the open air (uncovered) storage surely they don't offer those amenities, yet they still seem to get customers & fill their lots.
NONE of the units in my complex have separate metered electric, and some how my owner is able to show positive cash flow - my lease calls out that tenants may not have or run refrigerators - and i try not to (except for the 24hrs prior to a trip when i switch it on)....but there is NO WAY for the owner to know & i know SEVERAL larger (high end) coach owners that never turn off their coaches (residential) fridge.
Just the same i do set up small thermostatically controlled (oil filled) radiant heaters when the temperature falls below 40 degrees....i speak quite often to the property owner & he's never mentioned electrical cost as an issue or concern.
Without heat or insulation in areas where zero degree weather is a potential, everything in a unit will freeze. A number of people use these units because their RV does not need to be winterized and can constantly be ready for winter trips to warmer climates. Other people use them to store a variety of items they want protected with some climate control. Other people use them to work on their projects in cold weather.
I never build in cold weather climates without heat. They can run on natural gas or propane if not available and will add less than $800 to each unit cost. I never add heat in warm weather climates but a significant percentage will have A/C. Even in cold weather climates we see people adding air.
Open air storage is a completely different market and appeals to a more value oriented crowd. It is much more competitive and requires a different set of amenities. In warm weather markets covered parking with available electricity is popular and somewhat hard to find.
Electric costs are always an expense in any complex and can be extremely expensive when abused. I have seen people run bills in units to more than a $100 a month running a variety of items. Individual meters are relatively inexpensive when installed in original construction. They pay for themselves quickly and also reserve the opportunity to sell the units as a condo in the future. It solves the problem of people running space heaters which are very inefficient. Perhaps the owner of the complex you use did not have the experience to recognize this when he originally built.
