Static caravan advice required
Discussion
I’ve always fancied a static to get away from it all, or an alternative option for WFH.
The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
A suggestion that you may find useful:
Over winter you probably need to drain down the water system every time you leave. Water drain cocks tend to be randomly placed under the van and awkward to reach, so you forget or cant be @rsed to drain and then have to fix frost damage. If you are handy with plumbing, especially the easy push-fit stuff, then remove all the drain cocks and extend them back to one place, ideally near the water stop cock. Fit washing machine quarter turn valves and now draining off when you leave the van is quick and easy. All taps on, especially the shower mixer, water stop cock off, drain valves open, job done. And of course switching it all back on when you arrive in the dark is easy too.
Over winter you probably need to drain down the water system every time you leave. Water drain cocks tend to be randomly placed under the van and awkward to reach, so you forget or cant be @rsed to drain and then have to fix frost damage. If you are handy with plumbing, especially the easy push-fit stuff, then remove all the drain cocks and extend them back to one place, ideally near the water stop cock. Fit washing machine quarter turn valves and now draining off when you leave the van is quick and easy. All taps on, especially the shower mixer, water stop cock off, drain valves open, job done. And of course switching it all back on when you arrive in the dark is easy too.
You also need to suck the water from the toilets. We also put bowls of salt everywhere to absorb the winter moisture - 4.5 years in not a hint of damp thankfully
We just pay out site owner to do the drain down for us as getting kids out the caravan at the end and packing up leaves little time
I really should do it myself this year
Our site closes for November and also February. We tend to go for new year so those timings work out well
We just pay out site owner to do the drain down for us as getting kids out the caravan at the end and packing up leaves little time
I really should do it myself this year
Our site closes for November and also February. We tend to go for new year so those timings work out well
Richtea1970 said:
I’ve always fancied a static to get away from it all, or an alternative option for WFH.
The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
This post resonates with me quite a lot. I was going to post something similar then refrained, as I wasn't sure if it was me just being silly.The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
When it comes to property in general, have we in the UK become a bit too entrenched in the idea of property being an investment? People across Europe are much more likely to rent for their entire lives with 'nothing to show for it' but it doesn't seem to bother them.
But I ask myself, do I need to have something to show for it? Its pretty certain that my £35k purchase eventually will be valued at zero but if I look at it from a rental point of view, maybe the cost isn't so bad. I'm going to get lots of fun and happiness for that £35k, that's for sure (I hope!)
I'm getting a nice holiday bolthole in a great location with good facilities and there are staff around who are doing all the work. Cutting the grass, trimming the shrubbery, mending paths, roads and keeping the mooring for my boat in tip top shape. I just turn up with the family and enjoy ourselves.
I looked at one of those large lodges and if ever you want a front row van, you're going to need to buy a brand new premium one from the site owners. 800/900 sqft premium lodge is going to set you back £150k. £150k of dead money after say 20 years.
However, if we use our retirement money, 20 years is most of our retired life with a pretty amazing accomodation right on the edge of the water with panoramic vistas. Is that worth ,£150k? Its hard to justify but in the same breath, a bricks and motor property in that area with a panoramic view is going to set you back £0.5m.
And for your £0.5m, you still won't have your boat berth at your doorstep and you don't get groundskeepers and a maintenance team when you buy a house. Plus, we would need to work for much longer to find a spare £0.5m
So when you weight up the benefits of holiday lodge on a park versus bricks and motor holiday home private residence, the pros and cons are quite different
You only live once and playing devils advocate, is it not just as crazy to make yourself work for longer to be able to afford a holiday home versus retiring earlier, spending your money on a holiday lodge in a park which gives you much more time to actually enjoy life?
Its a tough call but just stepping down this path for the 1st time I feel it's opened my mind a little bit in terms of how I actually interpret the value of money and depreciating assets.
Yeah. Read up on the winterising stuff. With running a powered boat, similar issues if you don't winterise properly - cracked engine block is very common if it's not done right so it's not something I'll forget.
Just a bit of a pain if you want to use the van at Christmas as I'll need to winterise it after Halloween and then do it all over again if we visit at Christmas.
Just a bit of a pain if you want to use the van at Christmas as I'll need to winterise it after Halloween and then do it all over again if we visit at Christmas.
soupdragon1 said:
Richtea1970 said:
I’ve always fancied a static to get away from it all, or an alternative option for WFH.
The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
This post resonates with me quite a lot. I was going to post something similar then refrained, as I wasn't sure if it was me just being silly.The sensible advice was always ‘they’re a money pit’, ‘a waste’, ‘buy bricks and mortar’ but I must admit as I’ve got older I’m thinking more and more about it as you can’t take your money with you and I’m sure my kids and grand kids would love to have somewhere they could use by the coast.
When it comes to property in general, have we in the UK become a bit too entrenched in the idea of property being an investment? People across Europe are much more likely to rent for their entire lives with 'nothing to show for it' but it doesn't seem to bother them.
But I ask myself, do I need to have something to show for it? Its pretty certain that my £35k purchase eventually will be valued at zero but if I look at it from a rental point of view, maybe the cost isn't so bad. I'm going to get lots of fun and happiness for that £35k, that's for sure (I hope!)
I'm getting a nice holiday bolthole in a great location with good facilities and there are staff around who are doing all the work. Cutting the grass, trimming the shrubbery, mending paths, roads and keeping the mooring for my boat in tip top shape. I just turn up with the family and enjoy ourselves.
I looked at one of those large lodges and if ever you want a front row van, you're going to need to buy a brand new premium one from the site owners. 800/900 sqft premium lodge is going to set you back £150k. £150k of dead money after say 20 years.
However, if we use our retirement money, 20 years is most of our retired life with a pretty amazing accomodation right on the edge of the water with panoramic vistas. Is that worth ,£150k? Its hard to justify but in the same breath, a bricks and motor property in that area with a panoramic view is going to set you back £0.5m.
And for your £0.5m, you still won't have your boat berth at your doorstep and you don't get groundskeepers and a maintenance team when you buy a house. Plus, we would need to work for much longer to find a spare £0.5m
So when you weight up the benefits of holiday lodge on a park versus bricks and motor holiday home private residence, the pros and cons are quite different
You only live once and playing devils advocate, is it not just as crazy to make yourself work for longer to be able to afford a holiday home versus retiring earlier, spending your money on a holiday lodge in a park which gives you much more time to actually enjoy life?
Its a tough call but just stepping down this path for the 1st time I feel it's opened my mind a little bit in terms of how I actually interpret the value of money and depreciating assets.
So, if its something you want to do, go for it as the memories you make will be worth it I'm sure, it looks like a great location
Draining down; the idea was to make it so quick that it was easy to do. If you dont intend to use it for 4 months its not such an issue. We used to go for random winter weekends so never knew which one would be the last before a frost. Especially if work suddenly dictated no visits for a few weeks.
We used to tip dishwasher salt into plugholes and toilet too. No need to salt the cistern if you do a last flush before draining so its almost empty.
And prop open the fridge door too, to stop mould.
We used to tip dishwasher salt into plugholes and toilet too. No need to salt the cistern if you do a last flush before draining so its almost empty.
And prop open the fridge door too, to stop mould.
nebpor said:
TBH it takes 20 mins so shouldn’t stop you using it for a weekend then draining down again!
Ah, well that's good to know, thanks. I can see us heading for a few days after Christmas day, maybe for new year or something so it's good to know its not a long drawn out process Richtea1970 said:
Not silly at all and I think as you get older the experiences become more important than the money. Without wanting to de-rail the thread, I think my change in mindset came with my mother in law who, on paper, had quite a valuable estate. She went downhill fairly quickly and went into a care home which she had to fund. Thanks to modern medicine keeping her alive (albeit in a pretty much vegatative state) for over 10 years, her £750k was basically burnt through to nothing. For what? to sit in the same chair everyday for 10 years, not recognising those who come to visit you.
So, if its something you want to do, go for it as the memories you make will be worth it I'm sure, it looks like a great location
It's an all too familiar story isn't it, care home fees being as expensive as they are. With the pressure on public finances, nothing is sacred when it comes to inheritance either and who knows what the landscape will be like in a decade or two.So, if its something you want to do, go for it as the memories you make will be worth it I'm sure, it looks like a great location
I posted in another thread about 'forever home' and to summarise, we sold our really lovely but expensive home 9 years ago and found a good house at 2/3 of the price, which opened the door for more family holidays, better balanced lifestyle. Like you mention, life experiences have great value, despite being worth zero after the event!
No regrets at all. We simply addressed an imbalance to how we were going about our lives and made sure it wasn't the old phrase 'all work and no play'
Any thoughts on insurance? I got some quotes from go compare £35k van and no contents insurance for £100ish but not familiar with the companies - not anyone I'm familiar with
The park offered insurance with contents (but only £1k) for £450 ish
Not paying £350 extra a year to insure £1k contents!
The park offered insurance with contents (but only £1k) for £450 ish
Not paying £350 extra a year to insure £1k contents!
soupdragon1 said:
Any thoughts on insurance? I got some quotes from go compare £35k van and no contents insurance for £100ish but not familiar with the companies - not anyone I'm familiar with
The park offered insurance with contents (but only £1k) for £450 ish
Not paying £350 extra a year to insure £1k contents!
It was 120 quid, replacing caravan and deck new for old.The park offered insurance with contents (but only £1k) for £450 ish
Not paying £350 extra a year to insure £1k contents!
Not sure on the contents but TBH there's never much left in ours to insure.
So it's all official now, got the keys and no turning back now.
Handover yesterday and they brought in 5 new mattresses as well as fitting a new outdoor electrical box. Previous owner had new carpets installed as well as a new floors in the bathroom and ensuite (toilet and sink, no shower in ensuite though, as it's the 3 bedroom model) and wooden blinds were done on all the windows. New sofa as well. Outside of that, it's pretty much stock from when it left the factory.
A bit dated I guess in that respect. I might see about getting new worktops fitted at some point to improve cosmetics.
I thought it was a 40ft van but it's a 42ft so quite a good size and the layout is pretty good considering the space constraints.
Was over the moon when I found out my boat berth. Its literally right at the edge, close to the caravan and at the waterside rather than land side. Means if I reverse it in, we can sit on the boat, cook some food, have some drinks and have panoramic views over the water. Sun set is that direction too so it should be lovely
Some pics of the van
Only 50 yards from the waters edge.
Another bonus is a big shed from the previous owner. Shelving and stuff installed, loads of space for storing our paddleboarding gear and kayaks, room for bikes and a rail for hanging out wetsuits. One less job to do and one less expense to consider too which helps
I like the fact that there is sliding doors between kitchen and living room but I guess it's pros and cons v open plan, which is a more typical layout.
The kitchen has copious amounts of worktop space for a caravan. I guess the trade-off is the dining area space then gets compromised. We've went for a double drop leaf table with folding chair set up. A bit like this.
Found a set on gumtree for £50
Kitchen. Table and chairs is by the entrance, where I'm standing taking the photo
Master
Ensuite
The other 2 bedrooms are pretty much identical
Bathroom
So that's our willerby vogue
At the start of the thread, I was baulking at the price a bit but I've come to realise it's just the price of entry. One one hand, the van shows its age a bit on the interior decor but on the other hand, to buy a van of that 42ft lodge spec brand new would set you back a 6 figure sum. So it feels good value in some respects as well.
I've garden furniture to bring down as well as my gas fire pit and my BBQ, and I'm looking forward to sitting on the deck with a beer. No panoramic views of the water for £35k unfortunately but there is good spacing between the vans in front of me, so I still get really nice sightlines onto the water from the deck. An added bonus is the boat mooring. I literally couldn't have picked a better mooring.
We're heading down on Good Friday and with it being masters weekend, I think I'll head down to the boat with my tablet and a few beers and watch the tournament conclusion. That'll be bliss, especially if the like of Rory, Rahm or Fleetwood are in contention
Handover yesterday and they brought in 5 new mattresses as well as fitting a new outdoor electrical box. Previous owner had new carpets installed as well as a new floors in the bathroom and ensuite (toilet and sink, no shower in ensuite though, as it's the 3 bedroom model) and wooden blinds were done on all the windows. New sofa as well. Outside of that, it's pretty much stock from when it left the factory.
A bit dated I guess in that respect. I might see about getting new worktops fitted at some point to improve cosmetics.
I thought it was a 40ft van but it's a 42ft so quite a good size and the layout is pretty good considering the space constraints.
Was over the moon when I found out my boat berth. Its literally right at the edge, close to the caravan and at the waterside rather than land side. Means if I reverse it in, we can sit on the boat, cook some food, have some drinks and have panoramic views over the water. Sun set is that direction too so it should be lovely
Some pics of the van
Only 50 yards from the waters edge.
Another bonus is a big shed from the previous owner. Shelving and stuff installed, loads of space for storing our paddleboarding gear and kayaks, room for bikes and a rail for hanging out wetsuits. One less job to do and one less expense to consider too which helps
I like the fact that there is sliding doors between kitchen and living room but I guess it's pros and cons v open plan, which is a more typical layout.
The kitchen has copious amounts of worktop space for a caravan. I guess the trade-off is the dining area space then gets compromised. We've went for a double drop leaf table with folding chair set up. A bit like this.
Found a set on gumtree for £50
Kitchen. Table and chairs is by the entrance, where I'm standing taking the photo
Master
Ensuite
The other 2 bedrooms are pretty much identical
Bathroom
So that's our willerby vogue
At the start of the thread, I was baulking at the price a bit but I've come to realise it's just the price of entry. One one hand, the van shows its age a bit on the interior decor but on the other hand, to buy a van of that 42ft lodge spec brand new would set you back a 6 figure sum. So it feels good value in some respects as well.
I've garden furniture to bring down as well as my gas fire pit and my BBQ, and I'm looking forward to sitting on the deck with a beer. No panoramic views of the water for £35k unfortunately but there is good spacing between the vans in front of me, so I still get really nice sightlines onto the water from the deck. An added bonus is the boat mooring. I literally couldn't have picked a better mooring.
We're heading down on Good Friday and with it being masters weekend, I think I'll head down to the boat with my tablet and a few beers and watch the tournament conclusion. That'll be bliss, especially if the like of Rory, Rahm or Fleetwood are in contention
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