Caravan Homestead Home

[hullds73]

Hello everyone! Firstly new to this apologies if this is in the wrong place. However! I want to give you a scenario / Hypertherical set up (at present). I hope you will be able to help us with some basic questions.

We are seeking to buy some land and eventually build a home on this land. We are currently going through the processes of unseeing what is needed to live comfortable as possible while this process takes place. I’m sure we will be back with more questions as we go but will start with the following and if anyone can help for us getting our heads around some of the process that would be great.

We are not looking to the be “permanent” but long enough to go through planning permission stages and the build itself. Could be 12 months or 5 years. But there is an end goal but we want to make sure it’s comfortable enough to live in for a large period of time.

Please answer questions you have either experience or knowledge it’s greatly appreciated.

Base

• Could the caravan be set on anything, or is there a usual practice such as gravel, pavers, concrete for any specific reason?
• (Novice question) how are static caravans balanced with the bases usually have supports built into the frame? Or would something like breeze block suffice as part of the balance?

Wallpaper & Painting

• If we was to re wallpaper the interior to make it suitable to my taste is this easy to do? Similar to a house or similar to paint over the paper / wall?
• Are all walls got wall paper or do they have some plastic walls without wall paper?
• If we paint the interior wood would this devalue the caravan if it was done to a high standard, and decided to sell it in the future?
• Painting the exterior, is this something that’s fairly simple to do once thoroughly cleaned?
• Should you paint under the caravan and roof at all to help protect from any type of rust or rot?

Shower (Hot Water)

• What methods are used in a static caravan for heating water for a shower or hot tap in the kitchen area? Is this usually done with a mini boiler or water storage that’s heated to a temperature?
• Do caravans usually use electric showers or showers which are tap controlled (hot and cold mixed).

Solar Panels / Wind

• Has anyone ever installed solar panels on the top of the caravan itself, is this safe to do, any tricks or videos out their anyone is aware of that covers static caravans?
• Can you connect solar system into the caravan itself and is it simple to do?

Stove Fire / Heating

• Has anyone had experience of having one in a caravan and this does work well across the whole caravan or only great for the living room area?

Cleaning

• Is there any tricks to cleaning the upvc or plastics that have discoloured for example from white to cream/yellow over time?

Spares / Repairs

• Baring the obvious eBay and Amazon, is their any websites which sell spares or items from old caravans?

General recommendations I welcome any information from owning a caravan you would recommend this could be tricks to keeping it clean, warm to smelling fresh.

Thanks for reading and hope you can help.

 

[Parksy]

From what you've written it looks as though you are hoping to site a static caravan while your building work is completed.
This forum deals primarily with touring caravans and motorhomes.
You might receive one or two useful replies, but really you'll be better off asking your questions on a static caravan website.

 

[Mr Plodd]

From the number, and content of your questions I woukd guess this is just tge start if your possibke "journey"?

Just be aware that a solar panel will only give you 12 volts unless you fit a large number (to give you 230 volts) and they need a fair bit if space (I have 15 on my house, and they fill one side of the roof) probably more than a static vans roof, and then you will need some form of battery storage (total cost of domestic solar plus battery will be in the region of £10-15k)

Any solar panels and battery storage could of course be transferred across onto your new home.

I think one of the biggest hurdles you might face is planning! They may take a dim view on any long term use of a static. Best you contact your local planning dept at the earliest possible stage just to see if its possible or not.

Don't forget you will need to connect to mains water, sewerage and electricity. Heating and cooking could be done by gas (large Calor type Propane cylinder, or even a storage tank to be used once the house is built?,)

Static caravans are not the easiest things to transport or manoeuvre onto a building site, and don't forget to make provision for its eventual removal, and any base its sat on (that could be the base for a garage perhaps??)

Good luck and I wish you well! but you have a lot of research to do I am afraid.

 

[Sam Vimes]

We went through this process a few years ago and it sounds like your requirements are different from ours. This may be due to personal preference but also size of family, pets etc, if any, and circumstances.

Out site wasn't suitable for a static caravan not that we needed one.

In our case - for just the two of us - we lived in a small two birth Motorhome which we had, for about 12mths. No awning but did have an electrical hookup. No running water or waste so this had to be attended to manualy every couple of days.

Sometime we spent on a local caravan site, sometime we wild camped but not often, and in the end someone local allowed us to park on their driveway. As time went on and as is usual the builders took longer, a friend we'd made let us use their holiday cottage over the winter months as it wasn't booked.

No mobile phone signal or internet connection so we had to drive somewhere, where we could access this. Used a local phone box for our family to ring us at prearranged times.

Pays your money and takes your choice.

Good luck with your build project

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Hullds

Welcome to the forum. As Parksy has already pointed out this Forum is predominantly about touring caravans, but from time to time there are static questions where we can offer some advice.

Unfortunately your list is very long and whilst well thought out, its far to open ended to be able to answer some of the more specific questions you have posed.

In many cases your points will have to be guided by the land you acquire and or the caravan you might choose to get.

Again I reiterate what Parksy has pointed out about checking with the planning authority, as what is permitted is decided locally , and that could make a major difference to your approach.

What I will say is that what is described as a "static caravan" is usually only designed to be used as a three season holiday accommodation and its not usually suited to winter time use. "Park or Mobile Homes" are sold for full time accommodation and have better insulation, but whether that is an option for you I don't know.

Just a lateral thought, if as part of your masterplan you could include the idea of having a mobile home sited on your property which after the build could be used as a holiday let, it might provide a way to sort your initial accommodation and subsequently a small income. But it would be down to the local planning authorities to decide if it were to be allowed

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

What I will say is that what is described as a "static caravan" is usually only designed to be used as a three season holiday accommodation and its not usually suited to winter time use. "Park or Mobile Homes" are sold for full time accommodation and have better insulation, but whether that is an option for you I don't know.

Many modern statics have park home levels of insulation.