View Single Post
Old 03-26-2011, 03:31 PM   #2
hot rod
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 527
Default

More than you think. BlizzardND spent $90,000 on his truck. I saw a detailed school bus build thread on another site that spent $20,000 for a job like you are talking about and it was not fancy.

Here's an idea. Go to Home Depot or Lowes or Menards. All of them have free project centers and help to estimate a project. Tell them you have a "house" you are remodeling that is completely gutted. Needs everything except a roof and the outer walls. Sounds a lot like your trailer, right? Tell them you need a complete bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. You need wall studs, insulation, wiring, plumbing, appliances, fixtures, sink, shower, wall covering, floor covering, wood ceiling, lighting, cupboards, countertop and trim. They should be able to get you in the ballpark on that stuff. Then go online to an rv surplus, there are several online that have stores in the Elkhart area plus ebay. Add up the rv specific things you need: furnace, hot water, fresh water tank, gray water tank, black water tank, toilet, water pump, inverter/charger, 12v lighting, air conditioner, windows, dinette, doors, refrigerator, vents, batteries, propane tank and regulator. Then add about $3000 for all the small items that add up real fast at the hardware store like screws and glue and caulking wire. Then add about $3000 for all the stuff you forgot to figure in. Then add the whole thing together and add 20% to the total. Should be pretty close. No matter what you think it will cost, it will end up being way more.

Despite all that, I'm going into a project myself, against the advice of some of the other posters on this site, but I do know at least $$ wise what I'm getting into.

Hey Blizz- you want to post "the accountant's" breakdown on costs again to scare us newbies properly?

Good Luck
hot rod is offline   Reply With Quote