Purchased on March 22nd, 2019 - Written August 5th, 2019
How we picked our camper for full time living
We researched and read everything we could find about travel trailers for months, in preparation for living in one full time. We were preparing to buy what would be our new home, and wanted to be as ready as possible for whatever might come up.
We'd spend our free time watching Youtube videos and reading blogs about all kinds of DIY travel trailer projects. We researched general camper maintenance & repair, figured out the basic electrical components and how they're wired, learned about how campers are constructed, drooled over countless interior design ideas, and looked at layouts that would work for our lifestyle. Kyle and I are both DIYers and, after all of our research, were confident we could handle a project camper.
We attended a few RV shows and visited local camper stores to get an idea of what was on the market. Buying brand new was not in our plan, but it was neat to step into them and imagine living in the space full time. There were so many campers to check out, from tiny weekender pop-up campers with no bathroom to giant luxurious 5th wheel trailers with multiple levels that would easily sleep 15 people. It surprised me how expensive some of the rigs were (some were over $300k!!) and that so many people were there just looking for something to take on vacation. I can't see spending so much on a camper to only use it a few times.
For our new home-on-wheels, size and weight were the biggest factors. We needed something light enough for our half-ton Chevy Silverado 1500 to pull, but with enough space for two people and two dogs to be comfortable in. We wanted a lot of windows, to let in plenty of natural light and fresh air. After looking at how campers are built, and watching hours of repair videos, we decided an aluminum frame was pretty important, too. Aluminum frames tend to be much lighter and can hold up better against water damage. A trailer with two axles instead of one would mean easier tire changes and added stability. Storage space could also be an issue. In a tiny home, every extra cabinet makes a big difference for organization. We went back and forth about slides, since they are helpful for adding living space, but they also add weight and need maintenance.
After shopping around for what seemed like forever, we found it! A used 2006 Rockwood UltraLite by Forest River. It was the perfect length (26 feet) and weight (4640 lbs. dry which means we could add up to 1700 lbs of cargo if needed), with two axles and an aluminum frame, in the exact layout we hoped for, and at the right price. It even had a small slide that made a huge difference in adding floor space. We knew there would be some projects due to the low price, but everything else about the camper was just what we'd been waiting for. We were finally ready to buy, and were so excited for the opportunity to design and build our new home.
Kyle drove two hours to check out the camper. The man who owned it said it was barely used, kept under a cover, had never had a leak, and had all new tires. He guided Kyle through everything, and it all seemed to be in good condition. The owner seemed genuine & pleasant. During the inspection, Kyle saw a few cracks in the seals but they didn't look too bad, and the roof had just been redone. Since it was used, he had already planned to redo the seals when we brought it home, so that wasn't a big issue. He negotiated, bought the camper, hooked it up for the first time, and brought our new home back with him.
Check out this video of Kyle pulling into our driveway for the first time with our new home:
And a quick tour of the inside before we did any redecoration or renovating:
While settling into our new home, we soon realized we had a bigger project on our hands than we'd hoped for. Yep, the guy who sold it to us LIED. I still don't regret choosing this one, since it is exactly what we wanted as far as layout, weight, size, and height. Plus, the aluminum frame we were so adamant about made our renovation a ton easier. Stay tuned for detailed info about our renovation process and all the work we ended up having to do.
We'd spend our free time watching Youtube videos and reading blogs about all kinds of DIY travel trailer projects. We researched general camper maintenance & repair, figured out the basic electrical components and how they're wired, learned about how campers are constructed, drooled over countless interior design ideas, and looked at layouts that would work for our lifestyle. Kyle and I are both DIYers and, after all of our research, were confident we could handle a project camper.
We attended a few RV shows and visited local camper stores to get an idea of what was on the market. Buying brand new was not in our plan, but it was neat to step into them and imagine living in the space full time. There were so many campers to check out, from tiny weekender pop-up campers with no bathroom to giant luxurious 5th wheel trailers with multiple levels that would easily sleep 15 people. It surprised me how expensive some of the rigs were (some were over $300k!!) and that so many people were there just looking for something to take on vacation. I can't see spending so much on a camper to only use it a few times.
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| Kyle enjoying the big shower with a skylight in one of the giant rigs |
For our new home-on-wheels, size and weight were the biggest factors. We needed something light enough for our half-ton Chevy Silverado 1500 to pull, but with enough space for two people and two dogs to be comfortable in. We wanted a lot of windows, to let in plenty of natural light and fresh air. After looking at how campers are built, and watching hours of repair videos, we decided an aluminum frame was pretty important, too. Aluminum frames tend to be much lighter and can hold up better against water damage. A trailer with two axles instead of one would mean easier tire changes and added stability. Storage space could also be an issue. In a tiny home, every extra cabinet makes a big difference for organization. We went back and forth about slides, since they are helpful for adding living space, but they also add weight and need maintenance.
After shopping around for what seemed like forever, we found it! A used 2006 Rockwood UltraLite by Forest River. It was the perfect length (26 feet) and weight (4640 lbs. dry which means we could add up to 1700 lbs of cargo if needed), with two axles and an aluminum frame, in the exact layout we hoped for, and at the right price. It even had a small slide that made a huge difference in adding floor space. We knew there would be some projects due to the low price, but everything else about the camper was just what we'd been waiting for. We were finally ready to buy, and were so excited for the opportunity to design and build our new home.
Check out this video of Kyle pulling into our driveway for the first time with our new home:
And a quick tour of the inside before we did any redecoration or renovating:
While settling into our new home, we soon realized we had a bigger project on our hands than we'd hoped for. Yep, the guy who sold it to us LIED. I still don't regret choosing this one, since it is exactly what we wanted as far as layout, weight, size, and height. Plus, the aluminum frame we were so adamant about made our renovation a ton easier. Stay tuned for detailed info about our renovation process and all the work we ended up having to do.
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