RV Park Model Cabins

BTDT · Dec 31, 2006

davemhughes said:
No not home depot.....they do sell one but I think the largest HomeDepot sales is a 12x24 that is like the one want. I have seen several in the $5k area on the web but then there is the shipping. This is the place I believe they buy them from because this looks like exactly the same cabin. Good looking little double lofted cabins.
Rocky Acre Buildings -- Lofted Cabin Picture Gallery

Thanks for the link

billbill1 · Jan 1, 2007

The blow in insulation that Lowe's and Home Depot sell will allow you to insulate for a couple hundred bucks, just drill 1" holes in the top wall plate and blow it in. Put about 18" in the ceilings of the attic and you're good to go. Very simple and fire retardant.

MarkV · Jan 1, 2007

Dave, nice looking cabin for a temporary place while you build. I was wondering if in your area when you start building your real home whether permits and inspections will be required? If so, there are a couple of things I would caution you on. Just because the cabin is existing does not mean the inspector will not take notice if there is no record of a permit having been pulled. For them it has to do more with your property taxes than whether it is insured or not. The one thing that you mentioned that would really get them going here is an unapproved septic system. That normally crosses over the line from building inspector to health department and they can levee some big fines. If there are no permits required in your area or if the building inspector turns a blind eye you’d be fine. On the other hand if you tick off the building department they can make your final build a total nightmare. Be careful!

MarkV

k6dyc · Jan 1, 2007

Dave, I just love the idea of straw for insulation. I've been researching straw bale wall systems for several years, but haven't yet built anything using it. The R-value is very good, but the one facet that is mentioned over and over again in all the publications I have purchased on straw building is the moisture issue. Once straw gets wet it becomes useless as an insulator and quickly becomes a rodent and insect hazard. Most of the research suggests that it isn't any more of a fire hazard than other systems. If you do use it, you have to take steps to make sure the walls are sealed at the top and bottom, and provide enough air circulation to avoid condensation in the cavity. The experts say that simple use of tyvec and standard membrane doesn't cut it. With all that I've read, for a structure of your size and purpose I'd go with standard fiberglass bats or other traditional insulation, if only to avoid issues down the road. Good luck with the project and the new home!

davemhughes · Jan 1, 2007

billbill1 said:
The blow in insulation that Lowe's and Home Depot sell will allow you to insulate for a couple hundred bucks, just drill 1" holes in the top wall plate and blow it in. Put about 18" in the ceilings of the attic and you're good to go. Very simple and fire retardant.

Now I like that.....cheap and effective

MarkV said:
Dave, nice looking cabin for a temporary place while you build. I was wondering if in your area when you start building your real home whether permits and inspections will be required? If so, there are a couple of things I would caution you on. Just because the cabin is existing does not mean the inspector will not take notice if there is no record of a permit having been pulled. For them it has to do more with your property taxes than whether it is insured or not. The one thing that you mentioned that would really get them going here is an unapproved septic system. That normally crosses over the line from building inspector to health department and they can levee some big fines. If there are no permits required in your area or if the building inspector turns a blind eye you’d be fine. On the other hand if you tick off the building department they can make your final build a total nightmare. Be careful!

MarkV

That would be my luck....yes the new home will have everything to code as required. What I may end up doing so I do not have to do over is going ahead and having perk test done as it has to be done anyway. Then find out how many ft of septic is required for the cabin sq ft and put it in to code. Here in Kansas under so many sq ft and a portable building does not require a permit. In some of the cities they do but this is in the country and my county does not require a permit if under 400 sq ft. Loft is not included in sq ft of living space.

k6dyc said:
Dave, I just love the idea of straw for insulation. I've been researching straw bale wall systems for several years, but haven't yet built anything using it. The R-value is very good, but the one facet that is mentioned over and over again in all the publications I have purchased on straw building is the moisture issue. Once straw gets wet it becomes useless as an insulator and quickly becomes a rodent and insect hazard. Most of the research suggests that it isn't any more of a fire hazard than other systems. If you do use it, you have to take steps to make sure the walls are sealed at the top and bottom, and provide enough air circulation to avoid condensation in the cavity. The experts say that simple use of tyvec and standard membrane doesn't cut it. With all that I've read, for a structure of your size and purpose I'd go with standard fiberglass bats or other traditional insulation, if only to avoid issues down the road. Good luck with the project and the new home!

Good point about the moisture issue....I plan on sealing this up as good as possible and want to ensure good air flow. The portable air conditioner unit I am buying has a feature that pulls moisture out of the cabin/room. Of course this does not help in winter. Like I said not sure this is the route I am going but I am very interested in the idea of it. Probably will not use it much in winter.....we have another home in town and the wife likes comfort.....me too to a certain point. I used to get paid to camp, hike, and rough it....but anymore I like cold beer, climate control, and soft bed.

Already starting to make a list of things I need. I want to find a used kitchen & bathroom sink and re-enamel them if need be. Figure build the cabinets out of 1" plywood and thinking maybe laminating 2 pieces of 1" plywood together to make 2" sheets then cutting them to make kitchen counter tops sealed with ureithane or something. Plan on visiting different places in town where thay are remodeling houses (lots of that going on here right now). Try to pick up maybe some used stuff and re-working them like running nice pieces of wood through my planer to resurface. maybe finding a good used gas stove and small hotwater heater to run off propane. Finding used doors and such.....try to save some money as well as who knows maybe finding some really nice wood products that just need cleaned up.

KentT · Jan 1, 2007

Faced with a somewhat similar challenge of not being able to afford two homes now (current residence plus retirement home), my wife and I are taking a slightly different approach. We're building a two-car garage with 1.5 bedroom/1 bath apartment above it. We'll use it first as a vacation home, then somewhere to live while the retirement house is being built. It will be connected to the home with a breezeway, when the retirement home is built. Once we move into the retirement home, it becomes the "guest quarters" for the children and grandchildren...

Just another alternative -- you can build one for somewhere in the neighborhood cost of an equivalent-size RV and then hold onto it, as it appreciates rather than depreciates. It also allows us to build a much smaller (i.e. less expensive) retirement home, since the "guest quarters" will already be there...

Just a thought!

sommervette · Sep 15, 2010

Does anyone if Arizona RV parks rent RVs?

redberankubota · Sep 20, 2010

We also struggled with the same issue , as we have 10 acres in High Springs that we love to go visit on long weekends , and are hoping for it to someday , be our retirement place.

After checking into everything we could , and taking cost and time/effort into building anything , we ended up with a used 2005 39ft travel trailer with two slideouts. We dug our own septic and had a temp. power pole installed...that supplies enough power for the RV and the well we had put in.

If I was closer and had more time I probably would have done something close to what you are doing...basically a large metal building for a shell , then make the inside living space.

I think it`s going to be awesome when you`re done.

I had a 30X50 steel building w/12ft. tall walls installed on my land here and it was under 10K...for 1500sq. ft. ...we had contractors in H.S. quote us something crazy like 40-60K for a small garage with living space on top...and that wasn`t for a completely finished building!