I'm Meggie. My husband and I are going to do it! We have just decided to and we couldn't be more excited but, wow, we know nothing about RVing full time. Actually for us, it's going to be the longest route to a move. We are moving from the east coast to the west coast and we would like to take about a year RVing doing that. Right now we are having a great time just learning and studying every day and I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and learning from you.
Lucky Mike said
11:27 PM Jun 30, 2013
welcome to the forum !!!......Meggie , lots of good friends and info to be gained here.....ask away
Meggie said
11:46 PM Jun 30, 2013
Mike, thank you so much. I will be doing a LOT of asking. I'm so excited and so...new to all of this, I find I am behaving like a 50 year old, 5 year old. It's all 'ooo what about this?" "and, and, can we do this in an RV?" "how in the world do we do that?"
Right now, we are starting at what I believe the beginning is: What RV do we want and need?
WestWardHo said
01:06 AM Jul 1, 2013
Maggie,
Welcome! What's your time frame to do this move?
Sherry
Meggie said
01:44 AM Jul 1, 2013
Hi Sherry,
Right now we are giving ourselves a year to educate ourselves, decide on the RV and modify it (we are pretty sure we want to buy used and then modify to make it perfect), get everything we need, decide on our home base and set that up, etc. Our lives are fortunately very flexible and ultimately we will land in the Seattle area, but we can get there whenever we want to. So, our (very) initial thoughts are to prepare for about a year and then be on the road for about a year. If it can be done sooner, we would love that. If we love it and want to be full-time for longer, we can do that too.
Terry and Jo said
02:45 AM Jul 1, 2013
Megan,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You are fortunate in that there are a lot of folks here that are helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about almost every kind of RV out there. While we are mostly encouraging in our nature, we occasionally meet a new forum participant that needs just a wee bit of advice to be careful. Some have an idea of what they want to do, but their plans may not mesh well with reality.
Your plan is a good one in that you want to buy used and modify. Unless you have plans to "extensively" modify your used RV, you should save a lot of money by buying used. Since we don't know your history of RV'ing in the past, should it be that your plan to full time doesn't pan out, would you still be part-time RV'ers? If so, be sure and consider length of the RV so that it would still be usable in places where the sites aren't that large. Should you decide to not stay as part-timers, consider what might be easy to sell on the West coast.
If you decide on a trailer of some kind instead of a motorhome, be sure and choose your RV first and then purchase a truck that is big enough to safely handle the size and weight of the trailer you choose.
Seriously, there are a lot of folks that really take to the full-time lifestyle, but for some others, part-time is best. Just as an afterthought, my wife and I researched RV's for two years before we made our choice. However, we started out with the idea of getting rid of mortgages and live for a l-o-n-g time in our RV, so we wanted to make sure it was all that we wanted it to be. In our case, we ordered ours with extra amenities and options and then modified or replaced things as we went along. So far, we've not seen anything that we feel we would want to trade for because it was better than what we had.
Jo and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well in your planning and research.
Terry
Meggie said
03:14 AM Jul 1, 2013
Terry,
These are such great initial suggestions and I want to thank you. If full-time is for the year only or a shorter length of time, we would absolutely want to stay part-time rv'ers and that was a great point in considering the size. That is something we go back and forth on and we need to really see and study all the rigs. We know we would prefer the motor home but I am only now learning that many full-timers opt for the fifth wheel because it offers more space. (??) We would like the most space possible of course but then...not too much. It's finding that "just right" spot. I'm glad to hear that you researched your options for a long time (grin) makes me feel less OCD about it.
DawnsTinyHouse said
09:50 PM Jul 1, 2013
Hi, my name is Dawn and I am a Newbie like Meggie. I know nothing about living on the road, but I have decided to go for it! I have absolutely decided against an RV. I want a HOME, but one that travels with me. I am going to build a home, most likely through Tumbleweed, that I will haul around the world with my Truck. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
I have just survived a year + battle with breast cancer and I finally figured out that the life I want isn't going to come to me. I have to go to it! Thanks to my amazing employer who graciously allowed me to travel across the country to be with my family during my chemo and surgeries, I have spent the last year working online from a borrowed bed in my mother's living room. I have downsized my entire life to fit in 2 small closets and a few tubs of stuff I added to my mother's storage unit. Now that I am cancer-free and my job is already online, I am ready to begin my research and preparedness in earnest. Like Meggie, I expect to be on the road in about a year. By then, I should be debt-free, fancy-free, cancer-free and ready to be living free!
This website has been incredibly helpful so far and I look forward to getting to know everyone in this forum. I am so glad to be a part this community and living free!
-- Edited by DawnsTinyHouse on Monday 1st of July 2013 09:55:34 PM
Edit by moderator: Activated link. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Tuesday 2nd of July 2013 07:02:13 AM
cherylbrv said
11:51 PM Jul 1, 2013
I suggest to try to go to as many RV shows as possible to get a good idea of what's out there.
WestWardHo said
09:04 PM Jul 2, 2013
Maggie,
Welcome to,the forum. You sound like you're really doing it smart by researching and planning. I'm sure you'll be asking a lot,of questions as you go along.
Dawn, welcome to you too, love your tiny house! Congratulations to have survived the BC and living YOUR life now. Bless your employer for being so flexible and humane.
Sherry
cherylbrv said
12:05 AM Jul 3, 2013
Thanks for sharing that! I've never even heard of this; it's so COOL!!!! How difficult is it to build, for someone who can hardly use a hammer? Do you need to know a lot about electrical and plumbing systems?
gjmiller138 said
01:03 AM Jul 3, 2013
I agree, those are really cool. Cheryl, it looks like you can but them all ready assembled too but its quite a bit more. Hi Dawn, Im still in the planning stage but thank you for sharing your story. I wish you all the best with your health and travels.
cherylbrv said
01:29 AM Jul 3, 2013
Where are the prices listed?
gjmiller138 said
02:18 AM Jul 3, 2013
I saw them to the right of the pictures. Not all the pictures included the price of having it assembled. I also downloaded the catalog so the prices may not show on the website.
DawnsTinyHouse said
05:10 AM Jul 3, 2013
I am definitely NOT building this myself. I didn't fight cancer for a year just to die in a house of cards! I have zero carpentry skills. But, I do have an eye for detail, and I am totally into researching things first. I will have the company build my little house with a few custom touches.
1) INCINERATOR TOILET. I am not up to "dumping" tanks. With this toilet, you "do your business" in the toilet bowl which is lined with paper. When you are done you "flush" the bag and its contents to the unit which burns it to ashes. A family of 2 need only empty the ashes once or twice a year. Since they are like cigarette ashes with no germs, you just dump the ashes in the trash. And no icky toilet bowl to clean! :)
3) Solar panels built into the roof with the batteries and cables built into an attached housing unit. So much more, but these are the highlights of my research results. What do you think?
DawnsTinyHouse said
05:15 AM Jul 3, 2013
The prices range from $15-50,000. Some people can really trick these things out. But when I look at the cost of an RV with these amenities, I am thinking this is a great price. Since it is on a trailer, it is like having a cabin with no property taxes. By my estimate, mine will be complete act about $40,000 including the special trailer custom built for this type of housing, furnishings, upgrades on solar power and internet hookups, etc. I am getting really excited!!!
cherylbrv said
01:24 PM Jul 3, 2013
Dawn, I'm also a research nut and have been doing so for over 2 years (and every day I learn that there are so many things I didn't know that I didn't know about!!!). Like this house on wheels!!! Never heard about it, but it sounds wonderful! Thanks for giving me another project to research!!!
DawnsTinyHouse said
05:49 PM Jul 3, 2013
Cheryl, I am glad to share my research results with anyone. I know my tiny house doesn't fit everyone. I am single, I want to travel, I have to work full time, and I am not technically savvy. I will be going to classes to learn how to do things on my own (Powder Puff Auto Mechanics, Home Depot for learning how to do work with tools to fix problems myself, plumbing, solar power and Computer Networking/Internet classes, etc.
I will not be helpless on the road! So, I have also decided to get a gun license and have my brothers (one is a state trooper and another is a Navy Police Officer) and my Niece (a Sheriff's Deputy) give me safety and proficiency classes. I am not a hunter and haven't even touch a gun since I was a 15 year old girl and my dad decided to have one of his weekends with us kids by dumping us in Hunter's Safety Class while he stayed home and watched golf on tv...but life is precious and I think it is better to be prepared.
Dawn
nightsky said
07:38 PM Jul 3, 2013
Hi Dawn! I've been intrigued with the Tiny House movement for several years now. Lots of great ideas for living in small spaces that apply very well to RV'ers such as the dual purpose furniture. I bought a vintage travel trailer and will be rebuilding it from the ground up and living in it full-time when it's finished. Just keep in mind when you're talking to whoever builds your TH that you want to be mobile. Some are designed to be moved once to a piece of property but not hauled all over the country. They tend to be quite heavy for their size, and some are really pushing the height limits as well.
DawnsTinyHouse said
09:30 PM Jul 3, 2013
Nightsky,
I love your name, which is the complete opposite of mine (Dawn). This also makes sense because you are being entirely reasonable...which is far from my standard "Blonde through and through" way of thinking.
Your point about telling the builders that I will be mostly mobile is a good one. I see how people would think it would be great to plunk the tiny house down on a piece of acreage and consider it a vacation hide-away that doesn't get moved too often. Hmm. I will look into finding blogs of people who have chosen this type of MOBILE HOME and look into pros and cons.
Before loading with personal items, the dry weight of the model I am working with is 5,800 lbs, including the trailer. I have been researching towing capacity for the trucks which interest me, and this is fully within the range. Even if I doubled the weight (hardly possible!) I should still be good with a Dodge Ram 2500.
Thank you for sharing your insight. I am confident this RV Community will be a huge blessing to me. I hope I can offer information in return as I continue my research.
Dawn
DawnsTinyHouse said
09:46 PM Jul 3, 2013
Mike,
I have never been a Pet Person. I love dogs, but they love me more! I have been attacked, sniffed, licked, bitten, had my arm broken and generally am a target for every dog within range. I don't know what it is about me, but they will run past 20 people to get to me.
Now that I will be on my own, I am considering getting a dog..but taking Owner Classes first. Your signature mentions your Service Dog is a Husky. Can you tell me how a dog of this size travels with you? Due to my health issues this past year, I am also considering getting a trained service dog. I value your insight. Thanks!
Terry and Jo said
10:26 PM Jul 3, 2013
DawnsTinyHouse wrote:
Cheryl, I am glad to share my research results with anyone. I know my tiny house doesn't fit everyone. I am single, I want to travel, I have to work full time, and I am not technically savvy. I will be going to classes to learn how to do things on my own (Powder Puff Auto Mechanics, Home Depot for learning how to do work with tools to fix problems myself, plumbing, solar power and Computer Networking/Internet classes, etc.
I will not be helpless on the road! So, I have also decided to get a gun license and have my brothers (one is a state trooper and another is a Navy Police Officer) and my Niece (a Sheriff's Deputy) give me safety and proficiency classes. I am not a hunter and haven't even touch a gun since I was a 15 year old girl and my dad decided to have one of his weekends with us kids by dumping us in Hunter's Safety Class while he stayed home and watched golf on tv...but life is precious and I think it is better to be prepared.
Dawn
Dawn,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You have found a good source for a lot of information, including alternative ideas. So, feel free to ask questions. Most everyone here is friendly and willing to help.
With respect to a gun license, you will really need to do your research on that matter. With so many relative in the law enforcement community, they can give you assistance. For instance, if what you are talking about is a concealed carry permit, those may not be recognized by all states. So, if you are traveling, you will certainly need to look into the firearms laws for the states where you will be staying. As for just a firearm permit, not all states even require permits. For instance, one does NOT have to have a permit to own a firearm, but one is required to carry a handgun either concealed or not concealed.
With your other plans for the small house, I haven't looked at all the plans, but just looking at the base trailer frame, I don't see much room, if any, for holding tanks for fresh water, a grey tank or a black tank. Look into that carefully.
Terry
DawnsTinyHouse said
04:09 PM Jul 4, 2013
Terry and Jo wrote:
DawnsTinyHouse wrote:
Cheryl, I am glad to share my research results with anyone. I know my tiny house doesn't fit everyone. I am single, I want to travel, I have to work full time, and I am not technically savvy. I will be going to classes to learn how to do things on my own (Powder Puff Auto Mechanics, Home Depot for learning how to do work with tools to fix problems myself, plumbing, solar power and Computer Networking/Internet classes, etc.
I will not be helpless on the road! So, I have also decided to get a gun license and have my brothers (one is a state trooper and another is a Navy Police Officer) and my Niece (a Sheriff's Deputy) give me safety and proficiency classes. I am not a hunter and haven't even touch a gun since I was a 15 year old girl and my dad decided to have one of his weekends with us kids by dumping us in Hunter's Safety Class while he stayed home and watched golf on tv...but life is precious and I think it is better to be prepared.
Dawn
Dawn,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You have found a good source for a lot of information, including alternative ideas. So, feel free to ask questions. Most everyone here is friendly and willing to help.
With respect to a gun license, you will really need to do your research on that matter. With so many relative in the law enforcement community, they can give you assistance. For instance, if what you are talking about is a concealed carry permit, those may not be recognized by all states. So, if you are traveling, you will certainly need to look into the firearms laws for the states where you will be staying. As for just a firearm permit, not all states even require permits. For instance, one does NOT have to have a permit to own a firearm, but one is required to carry a handgun either concealed or not concealed.
With your other plans for the small house, I haven't looked at all the plans, but just looking at the base trailer frame, I don't see much room, if any, for holding tanks for fresh water, a grey tank or a black tank. Look into that carefully.
Terry
Thanks, Terry.
Yes, I have many family members in law enforcement, and they will be stunned to know that I want to learn to shoot a gun. This is such a new idea to me, too, that I will take any and all suggestions for safety and other concerns. I am also thinking I may just get a stun gun. I only know enough to know that I don't know much of anything...so what else is new? Maybe the dog and alarm system will be enough...I could also go "low tech" a la "Home Alone" methods!
As for the water tanks, I don't believe I will need a black tank because I will have no human waste. Instead, I will have an Incinerator Toilet. The grey water is another story, and I am looking into this.
Thank you!
Dawn
Terry and Jo said
11:08 PM Jul 4, 2013
Just to keep things in perspective, let's all remember that this thread was initially started by Meggie. Let's not forget to also address her with her plans.
Meggie,
Have you and your husband done any looking at RV shows or even just on dealer lots? If you haven't, when you go into the RV's, imagine yourself and your husband doing normal day-to-day things like working in the kitchen, initial bathroom functions such as showers (size and location), shaving, and washing hair. Once you take those things into consideration, you may notice that it isn't necessarily easy to do a particular routine, so you would want to look at alternative ideas.
When looking at RV's keep in mind that the frame, axles, wheels and tires, and the suspension serve as the basic "foundation" for one's RV, so those items need to be as strong as possible. I was asked once what was the minimum I would consider for size in an RV's foundation. The primary thing was to consider the frame size and I mentioned that for full-timing, I would want nothing less than a 12-inch frame.
Because the forums are set up in such a way that there are "categories," it should be fairly easy to find an area to look in the forums that may directly address that problem. However, don't forget that one can use the "Search" function in the blue bar at the top of the forums to put in a search word or phrase and look for pertinent threads. There is no guarantee that someone's comment about an RV frame may be in the "Community Chat" category instead of being in the "Buying an RV" category.
Mainly, take your time and ask lots of questions. If you don't ask the question (even if you think it is a dumb one), you won't get the answer that solves your problem or saves you money.
Terry
scrappy said
01:29 AM Jul 5, 2013
Terry, good point. I have found a lot of useful answers to my questions by using the Search function.
Meggie said
03:25 AM Jul 5, 2013
Terry,
So kind of you, thank you for your consideration. Your advice on how to approach those RV walk-thrus is really smart. I think that is exactly what we need to do. We haven't been to any of the shows yet, just dealerships and even that is to just get an idea of what some of our "must haves" are (as we are not buying new).
Thanks again, I am SO enjoying going through the forum here --- I am going to love being here and learning from you.
Hi everyone,
I'm Meggie. My husband and I are going to do it! We have just decided to and we couldn't be more excited but, wow, we know nothing about RVing full time. Actually for us, it's going to be the longest route to a move. We are moving from the east coast to the west coast and we would like to take about a year RVing doing that. Right now we are having a great time just learning and studying every day and I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and learning from you.
Mike, thank you so much. I will be doing a LOT of asking. I'm so excited and so...new to all of this, I find I am behaving like a 50 year old, 5 year old. It's all 'ooo what about this?" "and, and, can we do this in an RV?" "how in the world do we do that?"
Right now, we are starting at what I believe the beginning is: What RV do we want and need?
Welcome! What's your time frame to do this move?
Sherry
Hi Sherry,
Right now we are giving ourselves a year to educate ourselves, decide on the RV and modify it (we are pretty sure we want to buy used and then modify to make it perfect), get everything we need, decide on our home base and set that up, etc. Our lives are fortunately very flexible and ultimately we will land in the Seattle area, but we can get there whenever we want to. So, our (very) initial thoughts are to prepare for about a year and then be on the road for about a year. If it can be done sooner, we would love that. If we love it and want to be full-time for longer, we can do that too.
Megan,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You are fortunate in that there are a lot of folks here that are helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about almost every kind of RV out there. While we are mostly encouraging in our nature, we occasionally meet a new forum participant that needs just a wee bit of advice to be careful. Some have an idea of what they want to do, but their plans may not mesh well with reality.
Your plan is a good one in that you want to buy used and modify. Unless you have plans to "extensively" modify your used RV, you should save a lot of money by buying used. Since we don't know your history of RV'ing in the past, should it be that your plan to full time doesn't pan out, would you still be part-time RV'ers? If so, be sure and consider length of the RV so that it would still be usable in places where the sites aren't that large. Should you decide to not stay as part-timers, consider what might be easy to sell on the West coast.
If you decide on a trailer of some kind instead of a motorhome, be sure and choose your RV first and then purchase a truck that is big enough to safely handle the size and weight of the trailer you choose.
Seriously, there are a lot of folks that really take to the full-time lifestyle, but for some others, part-time is best. Just as an afterthought, my wife and I researched RV's for two years before we made our choice. However, we started out with the idea of getting rid of mortgages and live for a l-o-n-g time in our RV, so we wanted to make sure it was all that we wanted it to be. In our case, we ordered ours with extra amenities and options and then modified or replaced things as we went along. So far, we've not seen anything that we feel we would want to trade for because it was better than what we had.
Jo and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well in your planning and research.
Terry
Terry,
These are such great initial suggestions and I want to thank you. If full-time is for the year only or a shorter length of time, we would absolutely want to stay part-time rv'ers and that was a great point in considering the size. That is something we go back and forth on and we need to really see and study all the rigs. We know we would prefer the motor home but I am only now learning that many full-timers opt for the fifth wheel because it offers more space. (??) We would like the most space possible of course but then...not too much. It's finding that "just right" spot. I'm glad to hear that you researched your options for a long time (grin) makes me feel less OCD about it.
Hi, my name is Dawn and I am a Newbie like Meggie. I know nothing about living on the road, but I have decided to go for it! I have absolutely decided against an RV. I want a HOME, but one that travels with me. I am going to build a home, most likely through Tumbleweed, that I will haul around the world with my Truck. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
I have just survived a year + battle with breast cancer and I finally figured out that the life I want isn't going to come to me. I have to go to it! Thanks to my amazing employer who graciously allowed me to travel across the country to be with my family during my chemo and surgeries, I have spent the last year working online from a borrowed bed in my mother's living room. I have downsized my entire life to fit in 2 small closets and a few tubs of stuff I added to my mother's storage unit. Now that I am cancer-free and my job is already online, I am ready to begin my research and preparedness in earnest. Like Meggie, I expect to be on the road in about a year. By then, I should be debt-free, fancy-free, cancer-free and ready to be living free!
This website has been incredibly helpful so far and I look forward to getting to know everyone in this forum. I am so glad to be a part this community and living free!
-- Edited by DawnsTinyHouse on Monday 1st of July 2013 09:55:34 PM
Edit by moderator: Activated link. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Tuesday 2nd of July 2013 07:02:13 AM
Welcome to,the forum. You sound like you're really doing it smart by researching and planning. I'm sure you'll be asking a lot,of questions as you go along.
Dawn, welcome to you too, love your tiny house! Congratulations to have survived the BC and living YOUR life now. Bless your employer for being so flexible and humane.
Sherry
I am definitely NOT building this myself. I didn't fight cancer for a year just to die in a house of cards! I have zero carpentry skills. But, I do have an eye for detail, and I am totally into researching things first. I will have the company build my little house with a few custom touches.
1) INCINERATOR TOILET. I am not up to "dumping" tanks. With this toilet, you "do your business" in the toilet bowl which is lined with paper. When you are done you "flush" the bag and its contents to the unit which burns it to ashes. A family of 2 need only empty the ashes once or twice a year. Since they are like cigarette ashes with no germs, you just dump the ashes in the trash. And no icky toilet bowl to clean! :)
2) Everything will serve multiple purposes. Like a Murphy Bed/Home office combination: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRkZFvKxiF4 Check out the link!
3) Solar panels built into the roof with the batteries and cables built into an attached housing unit. So much more, but these are the highlights of my research results. What do you think?
The prices range from $15-50,000. Some people can really trick these things out. But when I look at the cost of an RV with these amenities, I am thinking this is a great price. Since it is on a trailer, it is like having a cabin with no property taxes. By my estimate, mine will be complete act about $40,000 including the special trailer custom built for this type of housing, furnishings, upgrades on solar power and internet hookups, etc. I am getting really excited!!!
Cheryl, I am glad to share my research results with anyone. I know my tiny house doesn't fit everyone. I am single, I want to travel, I have to work full time, and I am not technically savvy. I will be going to classes to learn how to do things on my own (Powder Puff Auto Mechanics, Home Depot for learning how to do work with tools to fix problems myself, plumbing, solar power and Computer Networking/Internet classes, etc.
I will not be helpless on the road! So, I have also decided to get a gun license and have my brothers (one is a state trooper and another is a Navy Police Officer) and my Niece (a Sheriff's Deputy) give me safety and proficiency classes. I am not a hunter and haven't even touch a gun since I was a 15 year old girl and my dad decided to have one of his weekends with us kids by dumping us in Hunter's Safety Class while he stayed home and watched golf on tv...but life is precious and I think it is better to be prepared.
Dawn
Nightsky,
I love your name, which is the complete opposite of mine (Dawn). This also makes sense because you are being entirely reasonable...which is far from my standard "Blonde through and through" way of thinking.
Your point about telling the builders that I will be mostly mobile is a good one. I see how people would think it would be great to plunk the tiny house down on a piece of acreage and consider it a vacation hide-away that doesn't get moved too often. Hmm. I will look into finding blogs of people who have chosen this type of MOBILE HOME and look into pros and cons.
Before loading with personal items, the dry weight of the model I am working with is 5,800 lbs, including the trailer. I have been researching towing capacity for the trucks which interest me, and this is fully within the range. Even if I doubled the weight (hardly possible!) I should still be good with a Dodge Ram 2500.
Thank you for sharing your insight. I am confident this RV Community will be a huge blessing to me. I hope I can offer information in return as I continue my research.
Dawn
Mike,
I have never been a Pet Person. I love dogs, but they love me more! I have been attacked, sniffed, licked, bitten, had my arm broken and generally am a target for every dog within range. I don't know what it is about me, but they will run past 20 people to get to me.
Now that I will be on my own, I am considering getting a dog..but taking Owner Classes first. Your signature mentions your Service Dog is a Husky. Can you tell me how a dog of this size travels with you? Due to my health issues this past year, I am also considering getting a trained service dog. I value your insight. Thanks!
Dawn,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You have found a good source for a lot of information, including alternative ideas. So, feel free to ask questions. Most everyone here is friendly and willing to help.
With respect to a gun license, you will really need to do your research on that matter. With so many relative in the law enforcement community, they can give you assistance. For instance, if what you are talking about is a concealed carry permit, those may not be recognized by all states. So, if you are traveling, you will certainly need to look into the firearms laws for the states where you will be staying. As for just a firearm permit, not all states even require permits. For instance, one does NOT have to have a permit to own a firearm, but one is required to carry a handgun either concealed or not concealed.
With your other plans for the small house, I haven't looked at all the plans, but just looking at the base trailer frame, I don't see much room, if any, for holding tanks for fresh water, a grey tank or a black tank. Look into that carefully.
Terry
Just to keep things in perspective, let's all remember that this thread was initially started by Meggie. Let's not forget to also address her with her plans.
Meggie,
Have you and your husband done any looking at RV shows or even just on dealer lots? If you haven't, when you go into the RV's, imagine yourself and your husband doing normal day-to-day things like working in the kitchen, initial bathroom functions such as showers (size and location), shaving, and washing hair. Once you take those things into consideration, you may notice that it isn't necessarily easy to do a particular routine, so you would want to look at alternative ideas.
When looking at RV's keep in mind that the frame, axles, wheels and tires, and the suspension serve as the basic "foundation" for one's RV, so those items need to be as strong as possible. I was asked once what was the minimum I would consider for size in an RV's foundation. The primary thing was to consider the frame size and I mentioned that for full-timing, I would want nothing less than a 12-inch frame.
Because the forums are set up in such a way that there are "categories," it should be fairly easy to find an area to look in the forums that may directly address that problem. However, don't forget that one can use the "Search" function in the blue bar at the top of the forums to put in a search word or phrase and look for pertinent threads. There is no guarantee that someone's comment about an RV frame may be in the "Community Chat" category instead of being in the "Buying an RV" category.
Mainly, take your time and ask lots of questions. If you don't ask the question (even if you think it is a dumb one), you won't get the answer that solves your problem or saves you money.
Terry
Terry, good point. I have found a lot of useful answers to my questions by using the Search function.
Terry,
So kind of you, thank you for your consideration. Your advice on how to approach those RV walk-thrus is really smart. I think that is exactly what we need to do. We haven't been to any of the shows yet, just dealerships and even that is to just get an idea of what some of our "must haves" are (as we are not buying new).
Thanks again, I am SO enjoying going through the forum here --- I am going to love being here and learning from you.
Thanks again!
Meg