Cedar Creek Destination Trailer

[rfsod48]

We are considering selling our class A dp and going to a destination trailer. I would appreciate info on the build quality, fit and finish of the FR Cedar Creek trailers.
Thanks

[TampaDave]

I have a 2017 I'm using as a rental. Would not be eager to drag it all over but just sitting there, it's right liveable. I give it high marks for cabinetry, appliances and electronics (the retractable tv with fireplace is so dope). Love the kitchen. Low marks for furniture, which is just omg terrible. Views are awesome through all those bay windows and sliding doors. Not much storage. I don't like the hot water tank, would much rather have on-demand.

Easy enough to swap out MOST of the furniture but check your slide depth, not all residential furniture will fit without modification.

AC barely adequate for Florida summers, don't let it get behind.

I'd compare it more to park models, where it wins on price, space, and portability. Compared to a fifth wheel... I dunno man. It's more designed to stay put well, rather than to tow well.

I'm happy with mine. Got a great deal on it and feel like I got WAY more than I paid for. It's been lived in since new and other than the furniture it has held up well

[rfsod48]

Thanks Dave for the info. We don’t plan to travel with unit, just use it for 6 months in Texas to get out of Michigan winter. The furniture can always be upgraded down the road. Going from a DP motorhome I was more interested in the basic construction.
Roland

[TampaDave]

Ya know it's not bad. I live in my DP out back and it's hard to compare the build quality, the DP is nicer than any house I've lived in. Won't exactly get solid wood dovetailed cabinetry or anything. But after four years of being lived in -- well not full time, PO lived in it seasonally as you plan to do -- but given the amount of use it's had, it still looks brand new. There's some attention to detail, I could play with those soft-close drawers for hours. Fixtures are top-notch. We've had no problems with plumbing or electrics, except that the dang hot water heater makes the water smell like sulfur after sitting a while. Floor and ceiling are good, no leaks or soft spots. TV is great, microwave is great. Stereo is pretty cool, sound quality isn't awesome but I love the way you can pipe music outside. Awnings are holding up well. High tech vents (I didn't know a vent could be high tech, but there ya go). Residential appliances, except the stove which works off of portable external tanks.

Only really build issue is, one of my external panels came loose in the wind, gotta tack that thing up. Saw a FR going down the road other day with the same thing, same panel in fact. Interior is fine tho.

For what you want to do, I'll bet you like it. Even my 26-year-old daughter -- who hates all RV's -- gave it her seal of approval. "This trailer is dope, Dad." I just don't know how you beat that. She even rejected my old Airstream, and I thought nothing was doper than that....

If you're buying new, I kinda suspect they've fixed the peeling furniture problem by now. Better have, is all I got to say. Used? Watch out, the peeling furniture thing was an industry wide problem in 2017, and unlike the DP manufacturers, FR didn't cover it under warranty.

PO put in a deck, which really adds to the package. Can't do that with a DP lol. Cool rig

[TampaDave]

Since I've been shopping for park models, come to find out there's no real price differential, I guess. In fact FR makes em for the same price.

Advantage of destination trailer, then is
-- Tankage (fresh, black, gray, propane) for off-grid use
-- More beam, you gain about five feet in width in the living room due to slides. Which is pretty durn nice
-- Tows like a (big) travel trailer, doesn't look like it needs a permit

Advantage of park model:
-- More vertical space... cathedral ceilings, clerestory windows, loft
-- Unclear to me if it needs a permit, def. gotta watch vertical clearance if you're moving it
-- Residential AC
-- Looks more like a house than a trailer, if that matters to ya
-- Option for shingle or metal roof

Both are technically RV's, build to the same engineering standards, and both can be plopped down in RV park/resort that's zoned for that sort of thing.

I imagine you have to start looking at tiny house builders like these guys before you start getting to the hand-crafted fit/finish we see in high end class A's. Expect to pay $300/sqft for any tiny house really. I'm not against factory built homes, not at all, but they do all start to look a lot alike after a while.

Here in Fla I'm kinda stuck with 400sqft trailers due to zoning laws etc. If you have a bit more wiggle room in terms of beam or square footage, there are a number of modular home builders who can hook you up, I've spoken with these guys before, sounds like a sharp operation. Price is right but don't forget site prep, they need a foundation of some sort.

Don't mean to talk your ear off, I did kind of a deep dive into the tiny house vs. RV (vs. container home!) thing about a year ago as I was thinking about developing a 5ac lot in New Mexico. Whose zoning laws will eat ya alive. Too bad, it was pretty awesome property, south-facing hillside up in the pinyon/juniper forest about 10 miles from Santa Fe. So many good options available if the govt would just get off our backs