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PaulAllen · 10-01-2013, 01:15 PM

I'm planning to place a used 32' to 40' fifth-wheel on my permanent rural site in Bryan/CollegeStation/Caldwell,TX and hope to not move it for years. Any comments on the availability and practicality of mobile repairs and perhaps upgrades. (For instance, if my near-ideal RV lacks a second AC unit, I'm sure I'll need to add one. When I was younger, I would have installed the 2nd unit myself but now I lack the energy and friends in a new area to help me get it onto the roof, if I go that route, So should I have the reseller install it or will even the average local HVAC dealer routinely install to RVs also?)

I definitely don't want to take my fifth-wheel to a shop for several days for any sort of work if I can possibly avoid. (Indeed, for that and many other reasons, I plan to hire an RVSurvey inspector to thoroughly check out my unit before final purchase.)

jesilvas · 10-01-2013, 04:55 PM

Most residential HVAC companies won't mess with A/Cs on RVs, in our area anyway.

I would have any modifications that you're going to pay for be done right after purchase either by the seller or another shop, doesn't matter. You might can work it into the deal.

PaulAllen · 10-01-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesilvas

Most residential HVAC companies won't mess with A/Cs on RVs, in our area anyway.

I would have any modifications that you're going to pay for be done right after purchase either by the seller or another shop, doesn't matter. You might can work it into the deal.

Thanks! That's exactly the sort of informative answer I was hoping for.

Should I assume that that "mobile RV repairmen" who are equipped to come on-site in my area are not readily available in abundance and/or have major limitations as to the sorts of work they can do?

[I'm really hoping to never have to move my RV from my permanent site. But perhaps you could tell me how likely I"m going to be success at that. I may be using the water systems not at all or very little. And I may be bringing in some of my own electric circuits any way. Central air might be an issue where I would have to work with repair people. But it is also possible that I'll be working entirely with two AC units and some electric space heaters. So, considering that the wheels/axles only need get me to the site initially, I"m hoping that there will be no reason I would ever have to take the unit in for repairs and thereby disturb some of my foundation improvements and load-support structures for having some heaving things inside the RV. But perhaps you can think of some factors that I'm overlooking. You can probably appreciate by now---based upon my various questions---why I'm considering hiring a consultant to advise me on planning. I have hoped that all HVAC work, if any were to be necessary, would be possible on-site. Brazos County surely brings in a a lot of RV maintenance/repair business due to the Texas A&M football fans so I would think that mobile repairmen would be in the area but I"ve not yet checked.]

jesilvas · 10-02-2013, 05:45 AM

You can't assume anything. We won't do major work on service calls, but not to say others won't.
You're really over thinking it all. There's no planning that you can put into RV living that will make it so you'll never have to move it for 30yrs. Don't block it in like a mobile home, don't worry about mold and all that. Just set it up, cover the top, skirt the bottom, and hook it up. Stuff will break and you'll either need to learn to fix it, pay someone to come out (which will not be cheap), or move it to take to a shop. It's an RV, you can not plan to keep it from breaking, and if you have to move it, you'll have to find somewhere to live.

wingnut60 · 10-02-2013, 05:44 PM

Well said, jesilvas.

Joe

targaboat · 10-02-2013, 05:58 PM

We have a RV service place in Emory, TX who make most of their living servicing the Mobil homes on the local lake. They are able to do anything you will ever need on a permanently park coach. No different than the unit service all the time. I am sure there lots of lakes around college station with Mobile homes and repair facilities. As you know Texas is different from the rest of the country and this forum tuned into the area. If you, I would look around the area and ask question related to service work and I am sure you will be satisfied with what you find.

NathanJ · 10-02-2013, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by targaboat

We have a RV service place in Emory, TX who make most of their living servicing the Mobil homes on the local lake. They are able to do anything you will ever need on a permanently park coach. No different than the unit service all the time. I am sure there lots of lakes around college station with Mobile homes and repair facilities. As you know Texas is different from the rest of the country and this forum tuned into the area. If you, I would look around the area and ask question related to service work and I am sure you will be satisfied with what you find.

Thank you, Targaboat, that is very helpful information. I figured that where there's a demand, there's surely people in business to meet that demand. Lakes/resorts areas tend to draw RVs as do major university sports programs, so I figured Brazos County surely had to have an active mobile repair economy.

NathanJ · 10-02-2013, 06:31 PM

Frankly, lots of RVers will be dead from natural causes in a typical 30-year time-frame so I don't think very many think of "permanent" in extremely literal ways anymore. Indeed, we are a society where 10 years lived in one location is quite a long time.