Home away from home

[anm8rbil]

Hi there! New to the site, new trailer owner. We just bought a 2019 Hampton HP371FKL destination trailer, and have it parked on our property, for when we want an occasional weekend getaway. Anyone else here visit their trailer on the odd weekend, not to travel with but as a 2nd home? We're contemplating all the necessary to-do items that long-term camping might entail: putting it up on blocks, trenching in a hard-piped sewer line, etc. Would love to hear from anyone else with similar experiences! Thanks!

[dagst1]

Hello and welcome .
At the present we use ours to travel in but i am sure there are some on here that have theirs set on a lot. Enjoy your new vacation home and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by anm8rbil

Hi there! New to the site, new trailer owner. We just bought a 2019 Hampton HP371FKL destination trailer, and have it parked on our property, for when we want an occasional weekend getaway. Anyone else here visit their trailer on the odd weekend, not to travel with but as a 2nd home? We're contemplating all the necessary to-do items that long-term camping might entail: putting it up on blocks, trenching in a hard-piped sewer line, etc. Would love to hear from anyone else with similar experiences! Thanks!

Not familiar with the destination RVs. Do they have waste holding tanks? If so you should not leave the black, toilet, tank open continuously, this will create the dreaded "poop pryamid" in the tank just below the toilet, fill the tank then dump. If no holding tank, you're good to go, pardon the pun.

[anm8rbil]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Not familiar with the destination RVs. Do they have waste holding tanks? If so you should not leave the black, toilet, tank open continuously, this will create the dreaded "poop pryamid" in the tank just below the toilet, fill the tank then dump. If no holding tank, you're good to go, pardon the pun.

Thanks, that's one of the things we learned almost too late! We have black- and gray-water tanks, and I've read we should empty the black tank first, then the gray tank. I just bought a Y-connector so that they can share the same sewer hose.

[DavisK]

Welcome to the forum!

[Papa-T]

Welcome to the forum from NC.

[xltjim]

Welcome. I own a 12 acre lot in central wisconsin. We typically store the trailer at home but bring it up and leave it on the lot for most of the summer. If we decide we want to go travel somewhere we will go up there, spend the night, and haul it out for the trip. We don't use the toilet while its there unless we spend a week or so. Then I will just pull it to a local campground that charges 15 dollars for a dump. Otherwise, for just an over nighter, I have a porta pot that we use and I dump it when I get home. I haul up 38 gallons of water when we go up there and pump it into the tank for showers/dishes with a small 12 volt pump I got from Harbor freight. I do, however, dump the grey water on the ground when we leave. Next year I was thinking of getting a well and septic installed, power is already run. Not sure what I am going to do with the property but figure well/septic/power should add to the value if I build or eventually sell it. Couple weeks ago we brought it home and have a couple short jaunts planned to local state parks. Having it home gives me a chance to do the maintenance on it (washing, checking roof, and what not). It stays in my driveway for winter.

[Dallasrules]

We have a 5th wheel we travel with, but over the summer we bought an older 5th wheel to fix up for my son to live in on our property. He is almost 18 and high functioning autistic. It will give him some independence, but still allow him to be close to us. We will put on blocks, run power to a pedestal, fill water tanks from a hose. But the septic will have to be dumped with a dump tank into the house septic. Also, I will probably build a roof over it as the roof already needs to be patched.

[anm8rbil]

Will you put it on blocks yourself, or hire someone to do it? My GF is afraid if we do it ourselves, something could go wrong and it'll come crashing down. When you consider the investment, that's a valid point!

[dagst1]

I would suggest that if you put it on blocks to pour piers to set the blocks on to prevent movement and the blocks sinking into the ground. Or at least dig down below the frost line if you have freezing weather and fill it with gravel and compact it then stack the blocks. Putting it up on blocks is not hard but if you are not comfortable doing it yourself any place that sets mobile homes can set and tie it down for you. They have tie down straps that go over the frame. Do not use the tie downs that go over the roof. Your rubber roof will not do good.

[anm8rbil]

Originally Posted by dagst1

I would suggest that if you put it on blocks to pour piers to set the blocks on to prevent movement and the blocks sinking into the ground. Or at least dig down below the frost line if you have freezing weather and fill it with gravel and compact it then stack the blocks. Putting it up on blocks is not hard but if you are not comfortable doing it yourself any place that sets mobile homes can set and tie it down for you. They have tie down straps that go over the frame. Do not use the tie downs that go over the roof. Your rubber roof will not do good.

Thank you. Any idea how much they would charge, on average?

[dagst1]

I am in Mo so prices here would be different than there. I would just call and get a quote or two.

[Sprink Fitter]

Originally Posted by xltjim

Welcome. I own a 12 acre lot in central wisconsin. We typically store the trailer at home but bring it up and leave it on the lot for most of the summer. If we decide we want to go travel somewhere we will go up there, spend the night, and haul it out for the trip. We don't use the toilet while its there unless we spend a week or so. Then I will just pull it to a local campground that charges 15 dollars for a dump. Otherwise, for just an over nighter, I have a porta pot that we use and I dump it when I get home. I haul up 38 gallons of water when we go up there and pump it into the tank for showers/dishes with a small 12 volt pump I got from Harbor freight. I do, however, dump the grey water on the ground when we leave. Next year I was thinking of getting a well and septic installed, power is already run. Not sure what I am going to do with the property but figure well/septic/power should add to the value if I build or eventually sell it. Couple weeks ago we brought it home and have a couple short jaunts planned to local state parks. Having it home gives me a chance to do the maintenance on it (washing, checking roof, and what not). It stays in my driveway for winter.

A septic would only add value if sized for the size house someone would build on the land, around here they are sized by the number of bedrooms.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Sprink Fitter

A septic would only add value if sized for the size house someone would build on the land, around here they are sized by the number of bedrooms.

That is the way it works here also.