Community Forums

profdan · 07-28-2021, 12:17 PM

We are getting toward the end of a long-overdue home renovation project: interior painting, vinyl flooring, and carpeting. (Don't ask how long overdue.). For the past several weeks, we have been living in our trailer, on our driveway.

Yes, it has been cramped (although we eat our meals at our patio table, rather than in the trailer). But the alternative was to move into an extended-stay apartment, located a couple of miles away from the house, which would have been both expensive and inconvenient. (I'm one of those people who likes to hang around the house and annoy the contractors by "supervising" the workers, even though I have no expertise.)

Bottom line: when you are calculating the, well, bottom line cost of a trailer, factor in the likelihood that you may need the trailer as a lifeboat, either during construction or a natural disaster or as a guest bedroom or whatever. It may be difficult to quantify the dollar value of lifeboating, but it is a factor that offsets the gross cost of the trailer.

Now back to "supervising."

Actually, wait. This is a perfect moment to tell my favorite knock-knock joke:

Me: "Knock knock."

You: "Who's there?"

Me: "Control Freak. And now YOU say 'Control Freak Who?'"

Unicorn Driver · 07-28-2021, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by profdan

We are getting toward the end of a long-overdue home renovation project: interior painting, vinyl flooring, and carpeting. (Don't ask how long overdue.). For the past several weeks, we have been living in our trailer, on our driveway.

Yes, it has been cramped (although we eat our meals at our patio table, rather than in the trailer). But the alternative was to move into an extended-stay apartment, located a couple of miles away from the house, which would have been both expensive and inconvenient. (I'm one of those people who likes to hang around the house and annoy the contractors by "supervising" the workers, even though I have no expertise.)

Bottom line: when you are calculating the, well, bottom line cost of a trailer, factor in the likelihood that you may need the trailer as a lifeboat, either during construction or a natural disaster or as a guest bedroom or whatever. It may be difficult to quantify the dollar value of lifeboating, but it is a factor that offsets the gross cost of the trailer.

Now back to "supervising."

Actually, wait. This is a perfect moment to tell my favorite knock-knock joke:

Me: "Knock knock."

You: "Who's there?"

Me: "Control Freak. And now YOU say 'Control Freak Who?'"

We factor our RV as a place to stay if the house is not useable.

SKP Kirk · 08-01-2021, 09:46 AM

I doubt many need that option, but for you it was a good thing.

Steve43 · 08-01-2021, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKP Kirk

I doubt many need that option, but for you it was a good thing.

Actually, it probably is a bigger reason than you might think. We are in a campground waiting for our new home to be finished and will then stay in the RV in the new RV garage while additional work is done. We are not alone. - two others here in this park are in the same boat. Rving til house is complete.

Marine359 · 08-01-2021, 02:20 PM

We live in the mountains where there are normally three or four power outages every year, some lasting as long as 5 days. Before we bought our small TT, we had been contemplating spending bongo bucks to upgrade our home electrical system so we could connect a sizable generator to run the house. Even then we wouldn’t be able to use our well pump. Now, with the TT, we can just move in, grabbing whatever food, supplies and water we need from the house. We can live in the trailer for several days on our existing propane supply, and a small propane generator, even in winter. We do, however, need to purchase a small electric blanket to heat up our battery in winter before using.

KenZ71 · 08-01-2021, 03:56 PM

Same here.

Used our RV while home was under major renovations.

Teen son not liking it but he will deal.

vsheetz · 08-01-2021, 04:49 PM

We have lived in the motorhome through renovations, bug infestation eradication, termite tenting, wildfire evacuations... We keep it stocked and at the ready for lifeboat duty.

tuffr2 · 08-01-2021, 04:52 PM

You really can not have a much better life boat IMHO. As long as you can get gasoline to run the generator you are good to go. I lived in my 5th easy 7 or 8 months and once you do that 12 months is doable.

profdan · 08-01-2021, 04:53 PM

Teen Son might like this story, especially after you move back into the house:

A poor man went to his local wise man -- "O Wise Man, my house is so crowded. It's me, the wife, and the two kids. What to do?"

Wise Man said, "Bring in your in-laws."

The poor man was puzzled but complied.

The next week, he asked the Wise Man, "What to do? It's worse than ever."

Wise Man said, "Bring in your livestock."

A week later, the poor man came back. "I'm going nuts. What to do?"

Wise Man said, "Evict the animals and the in-laws, and come see me in a week."

A week later, the poor man returned, beaming. "It's like living in a palace -- just me and the wife and the kids!"

gazingm42 · 08-02-2021, 03:57 AM

We live in the RV for 8 weeks while inbetween
Homes. Our new build was 3 months delayed.

It was a long with the kids and dog while still working. But it worked.