RV Dwellers

[GreenAndSwirly]

Anyone else homesteading in an RV or camper?
We're in a 35' 2018 Forest River Heritage Glen with a family of 5.
We're in the driveway of our old house, since our other parcel doesn't have electric/water ( that's where we're building out the off grid silo cabin) with the rest of our land being across the street.
Thought it would be nice to have a place to talk about the unique issues with this set up- ie having a smaller fridge, not being able to store home canned goods due to the weight on the floors/small spaces, tiny ovens that can't fit a loaf pan, 30amp service so you can't run big kitchen equipment without everything shutting down ...

 

[Mountain trapper]

Anyone else homesteading in an RV or camper?
We're in a 35' 2018 Forest River Heritage Glen with a family of 5.
We're in the driveway of our old house, since our other parcel doesn't have electric/water ( that's where we're building out the off grid silo cabin) with the rest of our land being across the street.
Thought it would be nice to have a place to talk about the unique issues with this set up- ie having a smaller fridge, not being able to store home canned goods due to the weight on the floors/small spaces, tiny ovens that can't fit a loaf pan, 30amp service so you can't run big kitchen equipment without everything shutting down ...

We lived in a 35' RV for a year before our house was built. Winter time was a challenge. The sewer was always freezing and I spent a lot of time under the trailer thawing it out. We were spending close to $1000 per month on gas for the generator and propane for the furnace. It was miserable in the winter. During summer the AC didn't do much to cool it off. It was a happy day when I sold that trailer. My fur shed was finished before the house was so we moved in to it. I installed a wood stove and a window AC. We lived in it for almost two years before the house was finished.
Good luck with your adventure.

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

We lived in a 35' RV for a year before our house was built. Winter time was a challenge. The sewer was always freezing and I spent a lot of time under the trailer thawing it out. We were spending close to $1000 per month on gas for the generator and propane for the furnace. It was miserable in the winter. During summer the AC didn't do much to cool it off. It was a happy day when I sold that trailer. My fur shed was finished before the house was so we moved in to it. I installed a wood stove and a window AC. We lived in it for almost two years before the house was finished.
Good luck with your adventure.

We normally spend about $200/month in propane heating in the winter, but last month was more like $400. This was our 4th winter (3rd actual year, but we started at the beginning of 2022 when it was still cold) and I'm so tired of everything freezing

 

[UserNameTaken]

Sheesh, only 3 posts in and you guys already convinced me my idea of getting an RV to live in while building is a bad one. I've been following a couple in Pagossa Springs, CO on FB, who are living in a wall tent thru winter while building their home. Brrrr...

 

[Mountain trapper]

Have you thought about putting up a building to live in while you're building your house? I built a 20×20 building that I ultimately planed to use as my trapping shed. It didn't take long to build and it was far more comfortable than the RV. What I sold the RV for paid for most of this building.
Picture of my fur shed that we lived in for 2 years. Taken from the back porch of the house.

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

Have you thought about putting up a building to live in while you're building your house? I built a 20×20 building that I ultimately planed to use as my trapping shed. It didn't take long to build and it was far more comfortable than the RV. What I sold the RV for paid for most of this building.
Picture of my fur shed that we lived in for 2 years. Taken from the back porch of the house.
View attachment 172817

Yes, but when you don't have any $ left after basic expenses, it's hard to save up to build . Our county also doesn't allow living in anything less than 950sqft, and they are very strict with enforcement. The RV is actually illegal here too, but it's hidden and the address is for the house itself, so if anyone asks, we live in there.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Sheesh, only 3 posts in and you guys already convinced me my idea of getting an RV to live in while building is a bad one. I've been following a couple in Pagossa Springs, CO on FB, who are living in a wall tent thru winter while building their home. Brrrr...

If I had to do over again I'd live in my wall tent too. Our RV cost $40,000. You could put up a pretty good sized building while your house is under construction for the cost of an RV. Then use the building for something else.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Yes, but when you don't have any $ left after basic expenses, it's hard to save up to build . Our county also doesn't allow living in anything less than 950sqft, and they are very strict with enforcement. The RV is actually illegal here too, but it's hidden and the address is for the house itself, so if anyone asks, we live in there.

I built my first cabin by picking up a couple 2×4's and a handful of nails every week. The foundation and framing were made from logs that I cut and pealed on the property. We lived in the back of my wife's Ford Ranger and then a tent made from tarps.

 

[Pearl]

@Magus will be helpful here!!

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

I built my first cabin by picking up a couple 2×4's and a handful of nails every week. The foundation and framing were made from logs that I cut and pealed on the property. We lived in the back of my wife's Ford Ranger and then a tent made from tarps.

That's how we're doing the cabin build! That is going to be our temporary housing while we save for a "real" house. The cabin isn't allowable as a domicile either, so we have to keep it stealthy. Plan is to put a septic in, then the smallest allowable mobile home. Keeping my eyes peeled for used ones, but anything more than 10 years old isn't allowed either . Incinerating toilets, outhouses, composting toilets are all also banned

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

Sheesh, only 3 posts in and you guys already convinced me my idea of getting an RV to live in while building is a bad one. I've been following a couple in Pagossa Springs, CO on FB, who are living in a wall tent thru winter while building their home. Brrrr...

It's difficult but not impossible. Normally we only battle frozen water lines for a day or 2 in the winter, because we have everything insulated and heat taped. This winter was brutal though, and we froze up for 2 weeks.
There's just a lot of prep involved, and since they aren't made to be used every day, things need repaired frequently.

 

[Mountain trapper]

That's how we're doing the cabin build! That is going to be our temporary housing while we save for a "real" house. The cabin isn't allowable as a domicile either, so we have to keep it stealthy. Plan is to put a septic in, then the smallest allowable mobile home. Keeping my eyes peeled for used ones, but anything more than 10 years old isn't allowed either . Incinerating toilets, outhouses, composting toilets are all also banned

Dang, that sounds like a "bad" neighborhood to live in. That grey building in the photo I sent is our electric building. It houses the inverter, battery bank, backup generator and all necessary solar gear. So we had electric while we lived in that building. Back behind it was our outhouse.

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

Dang, that sounds like a "bad" neighborhood to live in. That grey building in the photo I sent is our electric building. It houses the inverter, battery bank, backup generator and all necessary solar gear. So we had electric while we lived in that building. Back behind it was our outhouse.

I love your set up!
But yah, ordinances here changed after we were already invested. When I called last year for clarification on some things (specifically the sqft requirement) I was told "We discourage people like that from living here now, we're trying to clean the county up and make it nice for decent people".

 

[DrHenley]

We inherited a 32 foot and a 28 foot trailer with the land we bought a couple of years ago. I first tried making the 32 foot livable but that was a losing battle, especially since the pipes were leaking and weren't accesible without tearing out the walls and underside of the trailer.
I've been staying in the 28 foot trailer when I'm up there and I got nearly everything working except the AC. And that's only because I don't have a big enough genny for it.
Damn that thing gets cold at night in winter! It's poorly insulated and the furnace has to run so often I have to keep the thermostat below 60 to keep from running down the battery bank overnight. I did have to get up at 2 am one night and run the generator when the inverter kicked off due to low voltage.
So now I only go up there when the overnight temps are above 30, and the rest of the winter there is antifreeze in all the pipes.
So, yeah...an RV in really cold weather is a royal pain unless you have one that is really well insulated.

 

[Amish Heart]

Our son lived many years in a 27 ft Nomad travel trailer we left for him when we moved out of state. From there, he progressed to a Bluebird Bus, full size, which he converted the inside of. But now he is engaged and expecting a child, so he's in a small house.

 

[GreenAndSwirly]

We inherited a 32 foot and a 28 foot trailer with the land we bought a couple of years ago. I first tried making the 32 foot livable but that was a losing battle, especially since the pipes were leaking and weren't accesible without tearing out the walls and underside of the trailer.
I've been staying in the 28 foot trailer when I'm up there and I got nearly everything working except the AC. And that's only because I don't have a big enough genny for it.
Damn that thing gets cold at night in winter! It's poorly insulated and the furnace has to run so often I have to keep the thermostat below 60 to keep from running down the battery bank overnight. I did have to get up at 2 am one night and run the generator when the inverter kicked off due to low voltage.
So now I only go up there when the overnight temps are above 30, and the rest of the winter there is antifreeze in all the pipes.
So, yeah...an RV in really cold weather is a royal pain unless you have one that is really well insulated.

Those pipes are a major to pain to access, I'd consider just throwing it away

 

[Amish Heart]

Our son put in a small woodburner in the Nomad. Liked that so much that he put one in the Bluebird. The Nomad had a toilet in it, but he put a composter one in the bluebird bus.

 

[Hardcalibres]

Sheesh, only 3 posts in and you guys already convinced me my idea of getting an RV to live in while building is a bad one. I've been following a couple in Pagossa Springs, CO on FB, who are living in a wall tent thru winter while building their home. Brrrr...

Build a shed first.

Park the RV in the shed......then start using it for accommodation.

In a very hot or cold place, insulate the shed to moderate the temperature the outside of the RV/camper trailer is exposed to.

If local regulations require it, you can install a septic for an ablution block/bathroom in a corner of the shed.

When you build a real house, the shed becomes either overflow/guest accommodation or a really well decked out workshop.

.......and RVs/trailers survive much better when they are out of the weather.

 

[Dave V]

Maybe look for posts by DrJenner
That's exactly what she did...live in an RV while building.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/homestead-journey.18838/page-3#post-972519

 

[DrHenley]

Build a shed first.

Park the RV in the shed......then start using it for accommodation.

In a very hot or cold place, insulate the shed to moderate the temperature the outside of the RV/camper trailer is exposed to.

If local regulations require it, you can install a septic for an ablution block/bathroom in a corner of the shed.

When you build a real house, the shed becomes either overflow/guest accommodation or a really well decked out workshop.

.......and RVs/trailers survive much better when they are out of the weather.

Great Idea HC!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Back in October some idiot hunter parked his travel trailer in the woods about 2 miles from our lower gate. It started snowing and has been sitting there ever since. I'm pretty sure it's ruined by now with all the heavy snow sitting on it. Good chance that the roof has caved in too. Also the damage from the rodents and possibly porcupines chewing holes in it. I doubt if he'll be able to get it out before May or June now, if he even bothers.
When we lived in our trailer I had to climb up and shovel the snow off the roof every time it snowed.
If your going to keep your RV for a long time, it might be worth building a roof over it. Many people around here who live in mobile homes have built snow roofs over the top.

 

[DrHenley]

My 32 foot is under a roof, but the 28 foot isn't. I need to haul off the 32 foot and put the 28 foot under the roof. Just don't know where to haul it or with what.

 

[Hardcalibres]

If you do have an RV/trailer under a roof or in a shed, then prioritize setting up rain water capture. The RV is going to need water.

You can also put more solar panels on a shed roof than you can fit on an RV roof. The batteries for that system can be inside the shed......but outside the RV.....or inside the RV if they are LiFePO4 and your place gets below freezing.