A new project? Custom Built motorhome?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by sandpsycho

I have done some ambitious large scale projects and if you post it on the internet the experts that have never built anything will tell you where you will go wrong. Ignore all that and do what makes you happy or accomplishes your goal. On a large project you might not have all the skills needed at the start but nobody is born an expert, skills are learned, mistakes will be made and fixed, only by pushing yourself will you get to the next level. A true craftsman is never done learning and looking for ways to improve. I say go for it!

In the mean time when you have a little down time, start planning it out in your head, draw it out on paper. It will let you get mentally away from where you are and give you something positive to focus on.

This is an outstanding answer. I couldn't have said it better myself. If you want to do a project like this, jump in and have fun. Contrary to POPULAR belief, you don't have to be a rocket scientist, just to build your own rolling Kleenex box. If you're not sure at any given point in the project, that's why god gave you a voice and fingers, either ask, or send a message to someone and ask. Good luck and have fun.
Scott

[All_talk]

I love this idea but I would be sure to fully investigate the path to get a home built motorhome legally registered for the road. This will very from state to state, in some it may be nearly impossible, others may be easier. But I suspect in any case it will be a challenge. This issue might be another reason to consider remodeling/rebuilding vs. from scratch.

For me rebuilding would be the obvious choice, I love vintage vehicles of all types and I would go for a cool classic shell and have my way with it.

Gary

[IGotProblems]

Thank ya'll for the words! I would have responded asap but I was visiting family before signing my oath to the Military Friday, err actually yesterday, Friday whatever you want to call it lol. All last week I was barely on the internet only just to update family. Out of everyone that was there, I was the only early enlister which means I leave early and when I mean early, I mean July 2nd early.

I also took construction because of this project. It would give me some of the necessary skills I would need. After four years, I would be able to switch to whatever job that would help me out of the army. I am going to still pick Military Police as being a police officer / guard has a lot of potential on what you can be outside of the Military.

It just sounds so much fun building it from scratch. I know you guys say renovate one from an old one, I could do that. I might do that first. Who knows tbh. All I know is that I want one with a 4x4 capability but the ones that are 4x4, are sooooooo high in price. When in reality, its cheaper just getting an empty cab and save $20k. I'd take it on the trails that it can handle and then I would take out a fourwheeler on the smaller trails.

I love the wilderness thus why the motorhome vehicle has to be 100% boondockable. I have also been contacting certain people about that and they say that you can have water pumps with certain filters so you could use lake or river water.
ClearSource is the name of the company? Hm. I would have to look at messages from two weeks ago or so.

I have to research some questions first. Like, what is the height limit when driving a vehicle. I plan on getting a Ford 750, A Chevy 5500HD or a Dodge(its harder to find a dodge with an empty cab though) But I could find a 4x4 Class B and use it on the weekends to see if I would like it WHICH I would because I love camping and I Don't mean campground camping<3. plus I'd be able to use it as a regular vehicle from to work and to the base.

Woopsies, I am rambling again xD So sorry guys!

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by All_talk

I love this idea but I would be sure to fully investigate the path to get a home built motorhome legally registered for the road.

Love your ambition and idea but this is an excellent point and something that should be fully investigated. I'd like to elaborate here on what Gary said

Like FIRE UP, I too back in day had friend who I hung out with and his dad could build anything and had a fully equipped large garage to do it in. We built and worked on many things in those days. Learned a bunch as kid. But those days were different. These days with all the regulations, EPA requirements, weight limits, structural integrity and on & on I could go getting this unit "from the ground up" legal, able to get it titled, registered and most of all—insured—may be a headache more than you know.

For example, my wife & I are traveling FTers, and our insurance policy is coming up for renewal and we currently have good coverage and pricing policy for our MH & toad. Just got our renewal policy and it did go up about $225 annually. So being diligent I started shopping around to see what else is out there now to compare. I spent a grueling 2 days emailing, calling and policy shopping talking to a plethora of companies and agents. Seventeen of them to be exact. It was shocking to see what some of these rates were. In the end...we will be staying with National General.

But my point here is, while shopping around, almost every company either asked me or it was stated in plain english on their website "WE DO NOT INSURE SCHOOLIES". Now here you have a bonafide passenger vehicle—that carried kids—and many folks are converting these school buses to MH's. And that's fine. I think it's cool actually. But from what I've seen getting them insured when you want to LIVE IN THEM is going to be a real challenge and even if you could find a underwriter, it may be cost prohibitive. So, since you said you want to be FREE which means to me you'd be planning on living in it 24/7/365, that's full time and that may be where the rub comes in. Since they won't even look at insuring SCHOOLIES, your unit may also be out of the question.

Just think about it...I have no doubt you can do this but that's not the question. The questions are, will the state title and register it and most of all will an insurance company cover your, hand built house by unlicensed hands, that travels around in various terrains all year round. Will they be willing to take the RISK to insure you?

So like Gary said above, investigate all the legal and insurable options first BEFORE you start or you may end up with a beautiful, hand built garden ornament sitting in your driveway.

My 2 cents.

Good luck.

[IGotProblems]

Oh no I understand guys! Always gotta look into the legal registration of things.
Since I will be in construction, the only thing I will only need would be one of those insurance agents and someone to check if the electric wiring is good and up to code.
I will take whatever skill like wiring, and etc to help me get through this construction project. Like I said I may get something to see if I will like it first, but I know for a fact I will. I always love camping so this will be camping basically 100% of the time.
I'm not going to go above 5k-10kpounds. Because I don't need a lot of stuff. The only things that may weigh a lot would be the heaters, tanks, and AC units. I don't know if the solar panels would weigh anything, but the batteries oh yah.
So I just gotta make sure when I call for registration that 5k-10k would be plausible.
I have a bunch of time to do this anyway because in the Military it would be somewhat of a slow process so I have all the time in the world to call up agencies and what not to make sure this vehicle would be up to code and insured.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by IGotProblems

Oh no I understand guys! Always gotta look into the legal registration of things.
Since I will be in construction, the only thing I will only need would be one of those insurance agents and someone to check if the electric wiring is good and up to code.
I will take whatever skill like wiring, and etc to help me get through this construction project. Like I said I may get something to see if I will like it first, but I know for a fact I will. I always love camping so this will be camping basically 100% of the time.
I'm not going to go above 5k-10kpounds. Because I don't need a lot of stuff. The only things that may weigh a lot would be the heaters, tanks, and AC units. I don't know if the solar panels would weigh anything, but the batteries oh yah.
So I just gotta make sure when I call for registration that 5k-10k would be plausible.
I have a bunch of time to do this anyway because in the Military it would be somewhat of a slow process so I have all the time in the world to call up agencies and what not to make sure this vehicle would be up to code and insured.

Not trying to put a damper on your ideas, but when you say things like what I highlighted above, I think you need to balance military REALITY with your expectations based on what the RECRUITER TOLD YOU, to see how much free time you have after you get in, at least for the first few years, THEN decide if you have the time to engage in something like this!

What recruiters say is a lot like what people say about RV Sales peoples, or Politicians lips moving . . .

[IGotProblems]

If you looked at what I said though, earlier, I said I was going to wait anyway and that's all that needs to be said about that.

[IGotProblems]

I'll have 4 years of being inactive after my 4 years of active duty. I could look into it then bcs I'll only be going there once of twice a month I was told but we'll see about it.