Camper recommendations to live in

[ShredLikeRed]

The border wall job I’m on here in S TX is winding down (thanks to a senile old man in a certain Oval Office) and I’ll be relocating in the next month or two. Depending on what job my company relocates me to, I’ll be looking to join camper life and pay off a camper instead of throwing away money on an apartment.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what models they’d look for? How much should I be looking to spend? I’d probably prefer to buy a 1-3 year old model instead of buying brand new, but I’m sure that a lot of damage can occur in that short time. I’m under the impression that most campers are pretty shoddily built.

Minimum size? It will be myself and my 60lb dog and on occasion my girlfriend visits. I have a capable 3/4 ton to pull it, so I’m not terribly concerned about that aspect.

Is a toyhauler a bad idea to live in? I kind of like the idea of having some dedicated work space and a place to store a dirt bike out of the weather instead of having to rent a storage unit or find another solution.

I’m all ears. If anyone has one for sale that might fit the bill, you’re welcome to link it below as well.

[kmitchl]

I am looking at doing a cargo trailer conversion for my hunting lease. The toy hauler/RV campers are built so cheaply they are always in need of some repair. If you do a cargo trailer you can select the quality of the materials and construction. There are several Facebook groups that deal with this topic.

[cva34]

no flat Roof...Air Stream a good example

[WItoTX]

I've never lived in one, but we have a 37' bumper pull, with a bunk house in the back. It would get small real fast if I lived in it. If it's just you, I would bet the toy hauler would be perfect if you got a mid 30's and up trailer, or at the minimum get the large rear living area. Also, go 5'er, as the taller ceiling makes it feel a bit bigger. I personally would get slides in the bedroom, and hopefully two in the main living area.

I would go new so you can get the full warranty. Your camper will be in the sun, AC working hard, roof taking a beating. If you have the warranty, any leaks develop and you are covered, no out of pocket. Not to mention, if you get a dealer down there, and your fixtures or anything fail, the dealer is just down the road from you, and it would be easy to swap parts.

[Bryan11]

I've lived in a 5th wheel for work for the past 3 years. Started with an old one that needed a lot of work and figured out what i liked and didn't like about the layout. I just purchased a newer (2016) model from a fellow TBHer back in July. The new one is 42' and has 4 slides. The biggest improvements for me was getting a rear living area with opposing slides which makes it feel much bigger, a residential fridge and more counter space in the kitchen. Lots of floor plans out there to suit everyone's needs. Definitely buy used and let someone else eat the depreciation. If you look hard enough, it's easy to find one well taken care of that people hardly used. Things will break, but if you're handy, they're all pretty basic to work on and plenty of youtube videos. I would pick a quality brand (i chose Grand Design), get the 4 season or winter package and make sure it's a 50 amp with 2 AC's. Me personally, i'll take a camper over an apartment any day of the week.

[S-3 Ranch]

no flat Roof...Air Stream a good example

I am not a fan of sliding sides and flat roofs
My buddy lived in a airstream for years
He still is using it , it’s about 30 years old and still rocking
He does store in a pole barn if he isn’t using long term

[Mike D]

Camper recommendations to live in

Most campers aren’t designed to be lived in full time. They just typically don’t hold up.

Some of the higher end models may last a little longer and maybe even some of the ones considered park models but you are going to pay a premium for the high end units and the park models I’ve seen are lacking on amenities and some features.


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[Dale Moser]

If I had to live in one, airstream would be waaaay down the list.


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[kerrbow]

How about a small barndo vs an RV. My son is a general mgr. of an RV repair shop and he will attest to how shabbily they are built. A barndo can be built and if you are in the building trade(border wall) do some work after shell is up and the resell would be a plus.

[DFWPI]

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[DFWPI]

How about a small barndo vs an RV. My son is a general mgr. of an RV repair shop and he will attest to how shabbily they are built. A barndo can be built and if you are in the building trade(border wall) do some work after shell is up and the resell would be a plus.

Hard to move that Barndo from one site to anothet.

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[kerrbow]

Hard to move that Barndo from one site to anothet.

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I was thinking that if he lives in an apartment he has to sign a lease for a year or more. Just built one on our place that is 24x30 in a week for the shell. Pretty basic but still better than an Rv. I dislike apartment living of any kind. Just too expensive and no return other than a roof over your head.

[basskicker24]

Just make sure it has residential appliances, 2 ac’s and at least one slide out. A rear living area would be a must and a large bathroom. Mine has been great and I stayed in it for several months. Keeping up with maintenance is important. They are not built like a house but will give you many years if you take care of it. Most trailers I have seen fall apart because of lack of use. I bought brand new cause used ones have been hard to come by last few years.


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[ShredLikeRed]

How about a small barndo vs an RV. My son is a general mgr. of an RV repair shop and he will attest to how shabbily they are built. A barndo can be built and if you are in the building trade(border wall) do some work after shell is up and the resell would be a plus.

This is definitely an option that I’d love to pursue if I get assigned to a longer term project. Unfortunately, they like to keep the new engineers moving around and you don’t really get that long term stability where I’m at with my career. Definitely appreciate the suggestion though.

[DFWPI]

This is definitely an option that I’d love to pursue if I get assigned to a longer term project. Unfortunately, they like to keep the new engineers moving around and you don’t really get that long term stability where I’m at with my career. Definitely appreciate the suggestion though.

Hey, Misty said she gave you a call. Did yall ever connect?

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