So I'm new here! My husband and I are looking at full-timing in an RV next year with our 1 year old and baby due in November. We won't be doing a lot of actual traveling for a while (his parents have land with hook-ups that we will be staying at indefinitely) and will be buying a truck that will pull whatever we end up getting after we buy our RV. We live in northern Colorado and will be out on the plains with some wind protection on two sides but not all. So all-season and dual pane windows are definitely top priority.
I've been online looking at a ton of floor-plans for months now. Originally thought a bunkhouse but I don't ever like the living area which I feel is one of the most important parts since that were I hope we all be most of the time. They always put all the seating against one wall with the kitchen on the other but I like the living area as open as possible with L-shaped seating for conversations.
Also originally thought toy-hauler since we could do whatever we want with the "garage" part for the kids but I hate the garage feel, it doesn't feel as homey and it would be more difficult to keep warm for the kids. And again, same issue with the living area in most of them as with the bunkhouse. The biggest thing we liked with the toy-hauler was the actual patio for the kids to be out on.
Right now, I am really liking the den with queen loft in the middle of the RV so that there is a nice open and L-shaped living area where we can all be together for most of the time.
I thought I had found the PERFECT set-up with the greatest amount of storage I'd seen and with a patio. It is a KZ Durango Gold (says on website built for full-timing). But I don't know if they are actually weather tested by outside sources, etc. G382MBQ
Durango Gold G382MBQ Fulltime Luxury Fifth Wheel | K-Z RV
Went to RV America yesterday for the third time. We have a sales rep there that we really like and seems to know his stuff. He didn't recommend KZ as a high-quality built fifth-wheel.
His top recommendations were
#1 Redwood - They don't have floorplans built for families...more for retired folks so that's out.
#2 Grand Design Solitudes - From website they use actual cherry hardwood for cabinets which is important since we may be living in our rv for a number of years and we want the cabinetry to last and not peel. Found a floorplan 377MB similiar to KZ.
https://www.granddesignrv.com/showro.../377mb-377mb-r
#2 Open Range3X Residential - Didn't find a floorplan similiar to KZ with a den, only one with a bunkhouse. Also, didn't say what their cupboards were made of.
#3 Montana - Found a floorplan with den 3950BR and they say they have the hard-wood cherry cabinet framing.
Out of the two brands recommended that have the den, we like the Grand Design the best but they don't have as much cabinet space as the KZ one I fell in love with! :'( Obviously, quality is very important but I really want my storage space too! The last thing I want to do is have the RV look cluttered because I don't have enough cupboard space!
So a couple of questions:
What has your experience been with these brands?
Are there other brands you think are well-built for full-timing beyond what our sales rep told us?
Does anyone have one with a den? How do you like it?
If we go with one with less cabinet space, can you install more cabinets?
Or is there another way you deal with less built-in storage space that doesn't look clunky?
Thanks in advance!!!