Living in a camper long term

[fairfarmhand]

My oldest dd, her dh and their baby are strongly considering buying a used camper, dropping it on our property and living in it from 1-2 years. 
 

rent is insane here, and they can’t pay rent and save up any kind of down payment for a house. Rents also going up still. 
 

we’ve never owned a camper, so tell us what we need to know.

[GoVanGogh]

I can’t imagine doing that, but our former neighbor girl did that with her husband and their toddler. They loved it. (Neighbor girl babysat for us, when she was younger and lived at home. I still can’t think of her as all grown up. LOL) I think for someone younger it is likely a good way to get affordable housing right now. 

[Lecka]

Not firsthand experience, but my husband has had friends do this.  They have stayed in campgrounds, though.  
 

They have had very positive things to say about summer.  It is light longer and they fish at the campgrounds, and there are more people around in the campgrounds.

 

In the winter it is more cold and less pleasant to be outside.  They are lonelier and feel sad to be in a campground in the winter.  It also gets dark earlier which makes it less pleasant for them.

 

For people I have known less well, I have an impression that it’s surprisingly expensive to heat a camper in the winter.  But we lived somewhere with harsh winters, when I was hearing that.  
 

I think everyone I know has stayed somewhere they had electric hookups.  If they don’t have sewer hookups they have a chore to go somewhere to dump their sewage.  I don’t think it has been a big deal?  The people who might move their camper to dump sewage had big trucks and I don’t think they needed to go far.  
 

I don’t know how that works when someone is living on someone’s property.  
 

To me being a little family would be nicer than being someone who lived apart from their family for some logistical reason, or someone who was a widow.  I think being young and moving towards a goal would also be better psychologically.

 

For my husband’s friends if they have to do it in the winter it’s sad, but they like it in nice weather.  If they’re making good money that mitigates the winter part, but it’s still not ideal.  One of his friends has a job where he sometimes lives somewhere for a few months, and he prefers a camper to a hotel or apartment — which are not even good options.  But he tries to not be doing this if it means going somewhere when it will be cold and dark.  But sometimes the job is worth it.  

[Shoeless]

Haven't done it, but it seems like a used mobile home might be worth considering? There's more room and it feels more like a home than a camper.

[Melissa in Australia]

I lived in a pop up camper for a year. It had canvas sides and the floor spaces was so small that only one person could  stand at a time. We didn't have any children at the time

[fairfarmhand]

16 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Haven't done it, but it seems like a used mobile home might be worth considering? There's more room and it feels more like a home than a camper.

They’re wanting something very cheap and temporary;  mobile home would require water hookups, septic tank, and setting an electrical pole. Probably permits too. 

[fairfarmhand]

39 minutes ago, Lecka said:

Not firsthand experience, but my husband has had friends do this.  They have stayed in campgrounds, though.  
 

They have had very positive things to say about summer.  It is light longer and they fish at the campgrounds, and there are more people around in the campgrounds.

 

In the winter it is more cold and less pleasant to be outside.  They are lonelier and feel sad to be in a campground in the winter.  It also gets dark earlier which makes it less pleasant for them.

 

For people I have known less well, I have an impression that it’s surprisingly expensive to heat a camper in the winter.  But we lived somewhere with harsh winters, when I was hearing that.  
 

I think everyone I know has stayed somewhere they had electric hookups.  If they don’t have sewer hookups they have a chore to go somewhere to dump their sewage.  I don’t think it has been a big deal?  The people who might move their camper to dump sewage had big trucks and I don’t think they needed to go far.  
 

I don’t know how that works when someone is living on someone’s property.  
 

To me being a little family would be nicer than being someone who lived apart from their family for some logistical reason, or someone who was a widow.  I think being young and moving towards a goal would also be better psychologically.

 

For my husband’s friends if they have to do it in the winter it’s sad, but they like it in nice weather.  If they’re making good money that mitigates the winter part, but it’s still not ideal.  One of his friends has a job where he sometimes lives somewhere for a few months, and he prefers a camper to a hotel or apartment — which are not even good options.  But he tries to not be doing this if it means going somewhere when it will be cold and dark.  But sometimes the job is worth it.  

We live in middle tn so winter isn’t too terrible and long. 
 

my dh will rewire one of our outdoor plugs to make that work. 
 

they’ll be right in our backyard so they will have options to get out in winter. 

[Lecka]

I think lighting would make a big difference, too.  And being able to go inside a house.

They won’t have that sense of — getting off work in the winter and driving somewhere that is totally dark.  

[Lecka]

Overall I would say I haven’t heard complaints about the camper part, but about being isolated, and they wouldn’t be isolated.  
 

We have only known people living alone, for various reasons.

 

[fairfarmhand]

My sil is currently driving an hour each way to work so this will also save on gas and car maintenance as well as improving life for their family. This will cut his commute in half. 
 

dd thinks they can get an older ugly model for 5-6k and that would be less than half the rent for a year .

i hate how hard things are for young people right now. Another young couple we know is living in a hunting cabin with no electricity or running water to try to pay down debt and save for a house.

[Shoeless]

1 hour ago, fairfarmhand said:

They’re wanting something very cheap and temporary;  mobile home would require water hookups, septic tank, and setting an electrical pole. Probably permits too. 

Are you ok with them potentially spending a lot of time at your place? I'm thinking about how cramped a camper is and how much comfier your home would be.  Personally, I would live in a camper for a year or two and think of it as an adventure but doing that with a baby is really unappealing. 

Is it a possibility they could bunk with you at your place for a year? 

Just spit-balling ideas; not saying you should or should not let them live with you. 

[Shoeless]

45 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

i hate how hard things are for young people right now. Another young couple we know is living in a hunting cabin with no electricity or running water to try to pay down debt and save for a house.

This is why I am really keen to buy enough acreage so DS and a future spouse can have a place to live for cheap. Maybe they won't want to, but the option is there if needed. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Depending on your temperature- an arctic package is fantastic at helping keep the heat in.  We have that in ours.  
 

Campers sold cheap usually have something wrong with them ( leaks/water damage, broken fridge/heater/ac/tanks).  Inspect the roof like mad for soft spots.  
What is the plan for pumping out the tanks? For power?  We have one and they do require regular maintenance. Honestly, living in it full time would not be my thing but I am fine for a few weeks ar a time and weekends. 

Edited October 14, 2022 by itsheresomewhere

[rebcoola]

My parents lived in a camper in Wyoming for a year on my sister's property while they figured things out.  It worked fine.  We had friends that lived in 40p sq foot carriage house on their parents property until they were pregnant with their 3rd and liked it. I think as long as power/sewer aren't a problem it will be fine for a couple years.

[Melissa in Australia]

5 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

.

i hate how hard things are for young people right now. Another young couple we know is living in a hunting cabin with no electricity or running water to try to pay down debt and save for a house.

I am not sure I understand. that is was way it was forever.  it is a very very recent thing that young people think they have to have everything that their parents took 30 years to get when they set up house. People once use to live very simply for the first few years after getting married, and save .

 That is what I did. We lived for 1 year in a pop up caravan with no facilities at all on the land that Dh had bought before we got married. We then rented a falling down house with hardly any furniture while dh both worked  full time and built a cottage  on the land,. Then we shifted into the cottage and lived without electricity for another 18 months while we saved like mad. We slowly added on to the house  as our family grew and sourced  things for the house. We were able to do all this  mostly DEBT FREE, but with living very simply . Now 30 years later people look at our large house and everything and think  we have it all ....well who knows what they think 

 

This is how my Dh and I were brought up (incompletely different sides of the world), how we brought our children up and how they are choosing to live their lives. living very simply and slowly accumulating things. no living with huge debt

 

I think it very wise of your dd and husband to chose this way of living. very wise indeed

[Slache]

The only person I know who has done this pays $1,000/mo in electric.

[J-rap]

If you're okay with them sharing your home with you at times, I don't see a problem with giving it a try.  I'd anticipate them being in your home more often when the weather turns cold.  If everyone's okay with that, why not?

 

[KungFuPanda]

I’m currently trying to con my Dd and SIL into moving in with us so they can save money because rent here is expensive. Also because I want access to that baby that’s on the way. 😬 Thus far my campaign has been unsuccessful.

[Pawz4me]

Unless your weather is mild enough that you rarely or never need heat or AC then it will probably cost a lot in electricity and/or propane (most RV furnaces run on propane). Most campers have lots of windows and almost no insulation, and often there are small gaps around walls. Many leak air like sieves. In some the AC and furnaces can be loud enough to inhibit conversation. I'd be a little concerned about keeping the baby warm in the winter.

They'll either need a place to dump their sewage or will need to pull it regularly to a dump station. If they're taking showers and doing much cooking it will need dumping at least every few days. If they go into your house for showers they can stretch it out more. Many campgrounds and Camping Worlds/other RV places have dump stations. Most charge a fee to dump. If you have a Camping World membership it's free, but I've forgotten how much the annual membership costs. We've been through a small handful of states that had free dump stations at interstate rest areas.

If it gets much below freezing they'll have to be very careful to keep their water lines from freezing. In most campers just running the heat to a decent temperature will keep that from happening, but a lot depends on the model and where the lines run. As @itsheresomewheresaid, an arctic package can help with that and will have more insulation/make heating (and probably cooling, too) easier and less expensive.

I think it's do-able, they'll just need to do a good bit of planning, and (like with most things) there'll be a learning curve.

[catz]

I’d also think in terms of how your relationship with up this young couple is, how it may affect your kids at home.  I do know a couple friends who let an adult young couple moved in and  it led to a butting heads, inconsistent boundaries, marital conflict on both sides, etc.  Is it ok if they end up your home?   Is it ok if it’s is end date is unknown?   Can they use your groceries?  Are there any firm boundaries that are important to you?   

My parents traveled with a trailer for years and had a permanent plot down south for a while.   I’d also worry about heat/electric  pricing.   Also, taking care of sewage if it’s a camper with a bathroom, they plan on using their kitchen, etc.   If it isn’t well thought out they may quickly just end up in your home.  Which is fine if you are ok with it but may not be great if they’re sinking money into something they will be miserable in.  

Edited October 14, 2022 by catz

[Melissa in Australia]

12 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

Unless your weather is mild enough that you rarely or never need heat or AC then it will probably cost a lot in electricity and/or propane (most RV furnaces run on propane). Most campers have lots of windows and almost no insulation, and often there are small gaps around walls. Many leak air like sieves. In some the AC and furnaces can be loud enough to inhibit conversation. I'd be a little concerned about keeping the baby warm in the winter.

They'll either need a place to dump their sewage or will need to pull it regularly to a dump station. If they're taking showers and doing much cooking it will need dumping at least every few days. If they go into your house for showers they can stretch it out more. Many campgrounds and Camping Worlds/other RV places have dump stations. Most charge a fee to dump. If you have a Camping World membership it's free, but I've forgotten how much the annual membership costs. We've been through a small handful of states that had free dump stations at interstate rest areas.

If it gets much below freezing they'll have to be very careful to keep their water lines from freezing. In most campers just running the heat to a decent temperature will keep that from happening, but a lot depends on the model and where the lines run. As @itsheresomewheresaid, an arctic package can help with that and will have more insulation/make heating (and probably cooling, too) easier and less expensive.

I think it's do-able, they'll just need to do a good bit of planning, and (like with most things) there'll be a learning curve.

wouldn't they just go into the house for shower and toilet? that is what people here in Australia do if they have a caravan at someone's place. that way they wouldn't have any of those problems at all

My ds was renting a converted carport last year and used the landlords bathroom inside the house. it is very common

[Pawz4me]

34 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

wouldn't they just go into the house for shower and toilet? that is what people here in Australia do if they have a caravan at someone's place. that way they wouldn't have any of those problems at all

My ds was renting a converted carport last year and used the landlords bathroom inside the house. it is very common

No, I don't think that would necessarily be how it would be done. It would of course depend on the individual situation, though, and what arrangements were acceptable to each party. I absolutely would not want to be in a situation where I had to leave my home (the camper) every time I needed to use the bathroom or wanted to take a shower. 

[Carrie12345]

Assuming the important things are handled - water, waste water, electric, moderate climate control needs, and zoning allowances, I’d be all for it.

We didn’t do “full time”, so it wasn’t the same at all, but my family spent our entire summer vacations in a camper, plus many weekends and breaks through the years.

Ours had a tiny bunk room in the back, and our parents slept on the fold down dinette. We did that until we 3 kids were 16, 13, and 9.

I wouldn’t want that to have been our primary home with all 5 of us, but 2 adults and a baby? No sweat.

[LMD]

We lived in a converted shipping container for a few years, with 4 children, while we built our house. We couldn't afford rent + building costs. We installed a wood stove for heating, solar for refrigeration/lighting. It is our own land though.

I agree that you would need to make sure your boundaries & expectations about coming into your house/use of land/paying for electricity etc are clear. But yeah, especially while the baby is young, I'd do it.

[Katy]

I have watched a few families on YouTube do that while building a house. I think both had major leaks & mold in less than a year. So I’d be very careful about water damage in the RV. And I’m not at all sure paying for mobile home hookups wouldn’t be cheaper over the course of a year. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Just to give you an idea on the cost of a pump out service and cost.  My mother lives in an rv that should have never been bought but she thought it would be cheaper than rent as she could live on my brother’s property.

 The cheap rv has cost-2000 for electrical service to bring power to the rv, 1500 in a new ac unit ( mandatory for Florida), 200 a month for a pump out service that comes weekly, new fridge is a residential fridge as the rv one went out and was twice as expensive, many roof leaks that the roof needs to be replaced but that is anywhere from 10-15k, and she has a mold issue.  This is in the 1.5 years of ownership.

[skimomma]

In a mild climate and with water/sewer worked out, why not?  I am sure they know the basics...that it will be small, might be chilly, etc....  I find cooking in an RV to be challenging just due to space and compromised sink geometry so if they are foodies or not into simple meals, you might have some company in your kitchen frequently.  I would say the biggest question is your own comfort level having them that close.  If that is not an issue, it might be a great way to save up.

[historically accurate]

We lived in a tent/camper 2x while I was growing up.

We had a couple of tents for a summer in a friend's backyard - obviously we used their facilities, but it was hard (I knew this even though I was about 7 years old). Then, we lived in a camper when I was 12 for about 6-8 months - we're in Northern IL and we lived through a bitterly cold winter in it. My sheets and covers used to freeze to the side of the camper, our water froze every morning (meaning no water - it was my brother's job to go break the ice every morning), winter clothes just take up a lot more space so we were really crowded. Propane tanks were hard to find here since the sizing was a little weird on that camper - I remember we didn't have heat for a few days one time while my father sourced propane. 

Years later, my aunt and uncle bought a old camper to live in while building their house. They lived in theirs over the summer - they had a bug infestation that caused my aunt to end up in the hospital for allergic reactions to the bug bites. I remember their fridge went out (RV fridges can be touchy since they are designed to switch between power sources). 

My mom lived in a big RV following her retirement. She traveled and didn't park it for more than a month or two. She had problems with the RV leaking and breaking down a lot due to the fact that they just aren't made to live in full time. The fridge also died within 2 years, as did one of her slides. RV's can be lived in, but they really aren't designed/built to withstand full-time living, so they tend to break with full-time use.

Overall, it can be done, but it can be difficult. But if the alternative is difficult, it's kind of a "Choose your difficult." I'd make sure they know the costs and hassles - sewer (they'll have to pull it to dump somewhere, campgrounds may charge for the service), grey water dumping would need to be done often for a family, propane is pricey, may have to set up/tear down beds/dinettes/chairs every single day depending on floor plan. Make sure the rules are set out up front - facility use in the "big house", when/how often can they hang out inside, if the camper becomes unusable, can they move in?, etc.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

We haven’t lived in the camper but we spend weeks at a time in it.

I would never buy a 5-6K used camper.  Our first two campers were used and while suitable, the cheaper the camper is the more problems it’s going to have. Campers tend to hold their value, at least the later model ones, so I’d be expecting anything that cheap to have mold and water issues along with the roof(unless you’re talking a very small pop up).

I don’t know how cold it gets in Tennessee, but anything under an ambient temperature of 60 is going to be chilly. Campers leak air and aren’t well insulated.  We wind up turning the heat on at night during the summer if it dips below 65 outside. And my husband hates turning heat on.  An Arctic package will help with that, because then at least it’s sealed and insulated, but you’re going to need to buy new.

Electric will be expensive.  I don’t know why it’s more expensive in a camper but we spend way more in electric on a metered seasonal site than we do during the winter in our home. Propane can also be pricy.  These are all costs I’d factor in.     
 

[lmrich]

Is it possible for them to build on your property? Just wondering if this a possibility down the road. I know couples who built a house bit by bit and lived in it as they went. They started in a shed and lived there until they could save enough to get a loan to attach a small house to it. 

Living in a camper would be difficult; it could be done. I might consider building an extra roof over the camper or at least keep a tarp or two over the roof. 

[DawnM]

My friend allowed her brother to live in a camper on her property.   She actually paid to have electricity, sewer and water hooked up near the back of her property and said it ran about $2,000.   She says she would strongly suggest that for anyone staying in a camper long term.   

If they help pay for the line and then water and electricity, it would still be MUCH cheaper than rent.   

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, lmrich said:

Is it possible for them to build on your property? Just wondering if this a possibility down the road. I know couples who built a house bit by bit and lived in it as they went. They started in a shed and lived there until they could save enough to get a loan to attach a small house to it. 

Living in a camper would be difficult; it could be done. I might consider building an extra roof over the camper or at least keep a tarp or two over the roof. 

THat is what we plan to do for our ASD son in a few years.   Either a small house or a tiny house of some sort.   

[happi duck]

The four of us spent six months in my childhood bedroom when we moved back from out of state.  This was also to save up because rent was so high.  My dad remarried after my mom died and his wifr didn't like me so we had to stay out of her way.  Even with that issue we had a nice time with my dad and saved a ton.  If dh had also a shorter commute we would've saved even more.

The cost of a cheap camper and repairs would eat up a big chunk of what they'd save....maybe a shorter stay inside the house would yield the same savings as longer in the camper?  

[Dianthus]

I'd be sure they have smoke and CO detectors. Those things are fire traps.

[itsheresomewhere]

20 minutes ago, Dianthus said:

I'd be sure they have smoke and CO detectors. Those things are fire traps.

All campers past 1990 should come with a smoke detector, CO detector and a propane alarm.  

 

 

[Soror]

1 hour ago, happi duck said:

The four of us spent six months in my childhood bedroom when we moved back from out of state.  This was also to save up because rent was so high.  My dad remarried after my mom died and his wifr didn't like me so we had to stay out of her way.  Even with that issue we had a nice time with my dad and saved a ton.  If dh had also a shorter commute we would've saved even more.

The cost of a cheap camper and repairs would eat up a big chunk of what they'd save....maybe a shorter stay inside the house would yield the same savings as longer in the camper?  

My brother, wife and 2 kids lived at my parents for a year or so while he built their house. They lived in the one bedroom with 2 beds. I know there was some hard feelings on my parent's part because there was no help with all the bills they increased and a lot of taking advantage. But they survived with their relationship in tact and still live close to each other.

On the other hand , after our house fire we lasted 2 weeks bouncing between our parents' places and about lost our mind. I've often said I'd wished we'd bought a little camper to stay on site so we didn't have to be separated so much. However, we live in a mild climate and it was only about 5 months. I'd not want to do it 2 yrs.

I know several people that have built houses on their own. Lots moved in with it partially finished.That's what we did with both our builds. Moved in without kitchen cabinets, any finish work done, only one bedroom semi-ready. I didn't love it but preferred it to renting a place while waiting.  Basements are common here so people will move in once it's under roof and there's running water and live like they are camping, not ideal, but camper living isn't either. Or other people build a shop to live in and then build a house. Of course shops can be quite expensive themselves (building one now ourselves).

My parents just sold their camper. It had a ton of repairs and was worth about half the cost of getting them done. I know I've seen in places where people live in them they put them under a roof as leaking is so common.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Soror

[kbutton]

6 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I am not sure I understand. that is was way it was forever.  it is a very very recent thing that young people think they have to have everything that their parents took 30 years to get when they set up house. People once use to live very simply for the first few years after getting married, and save .

 That is what I did. We lived for 1 year in a pop up caravan with no facilities at all on the land that Dh had bought before we got married. We then rented a falling down house with hardly any furniture while dh both worked  full time and built a cottage  on the land,. Then we shifted into the cottage and lived without electricity for another 18 months while we saved like mad. We slowly added on to the house  as our family grew and sourced  things for the house. We were able to do all this  mostly DEBT FREE, but with living very simply . Now 30 years later people look at our large house and everything and think  we have it all ....well who knows what they think 

I was brought up to do things slowly and affordably, but it's harder to do that with the popularity in flipping houses. The houses that would work for this get snatched up quickly. Attitudes about living in a camper or trailer vary a lot by region. Trailers are uncommon here but common where I grew up. I think zoning makes it more difficult where I live now.

2 hours ago, lmrich said:

Is it possible for them to build on your property? Just wondering if this a possibility down the road. I know couples who built a house bit by bit and lived in it as they went. They started in a shed and lived there until they could save enough to get a loan to attach a small house to it. 

Living in a camper would be difficult; it could be done. I might consider building an extra roof over the camper or at least keep a tarp or two over the roof. 

I have known people that built the frame/roof/walls of the house and put in electric, plumbing, heat, etc., but lived in the basement while finishing the drywall, etc. in the rest of the house. It's not uncommon where I am from.

There is no way that DH and I would've been able to manage our first baby in a camper, and it had everything to do with who is he and was at that age. None. He was challenging in many ways. Child-proofing a normal house was impossible, and a camper would've been disastrous (he could roll over at two weeks and was highly mobile by rolling in a couple of months, and he could all kinds of things that he "shouldn't" have been able to do, like tell us in great detail how to build a fire in the woodstove by 18 months or so!). A trailer would've probably worked.

[Jaybee]

I wonder if a yurt would work, and would give them more space.

[bibiche]

1 minute ago, Jaybee said:

I wonder if a yurt would work, and would give them more space.

Yurts are expensive. 

[DawnM]

12 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

I wonder if a yurt would work, and would give them more space.

I am always curious why people suggest yurts.   Why would you suggest this over a trailer/camper?

[Wheres Toto]

I don't know if you are in any kind of seasonal resort area but down by the Jersey shore, there are people who live in campgrounds for the Spring/Summer season (April/May to September/October) then move into the shore towns for the winter when rents there get super cheap.   

[Katy]

I’d think a small guest cabin would be both cheaper and better over medium to long term for everyone. Assuming you can build it yourselves. 

[catz]

23 minutes ago, Katy said:

I’d think a small guest cabin would be both cheaper and better over medium to long term for everyone. Assuming you can build it yourselves. 

My husband is building a fence this fall and I'm stunned at how much it costs for this small project.  Like how can someone do this cheaply?  Like something that would accommodate a small family comfortably year round.   I feel like if they're going to be in your kitchen and bathrooms all the time, why bother?  Even if you are doing your own work, building supplies are SO expensive.  

The other thing is I would be hesitant to allow one kid to build on my property if I didn't in theory have the ability to do it for all my kids as young adults.  Obviously life happens and things are beyond control at times.  If OP wanted to invest in guest accommodations, you could give each young adult a year or 2 in it and it might bring up your property value if it was well done.  But that assumes you have the money to do so and the time to build something and/or hire contractors, etc.  Which is not a small thing and a lot different than just saying, sure park your RV on property for a year.  

Do they own a vehicle to haul an RV?   The other thing for RV consideration is having a stable flat space for them to park.  Some people pour a concrete slab and run hook ups out to it.  

 

 

[fairfarmhand]

15 minutes ago, catz said:

My husband is building a fence this fall and I'm stunned at how much it costs for this small project.  Like how can someone do this cheaply?  Like something that would accommodate a small family comfortably year round.   I feel like if they're going to be in your kitchen and bathrooms all the time, why bother?  Even if you are doing your own work, building supplies are SO expensive.  

The other thing is I would be hesitant to allow one kid to build on my property if I didn't in theory have the ability to do it for all my kids as young adults.  Obviously life happens and things are beyond control at times.  If OP wanted to invest in guest accommodations, you could give each young adult a year or 2 in it and it might bring up your property value if it was well done.  But that assumes you have the money to do so and the time to build something and/or hire contractors, etc.  Which is not a small thing and a lot different than just saying, sure park your RV on property for a year.  

Do they own a vehicle to haul an RV?   The other thing for RV consideration is having a stable flat space for them to park.  Some people pour a concrete slab and run hook ups out to it.  

 

 

If we built it, we'd pay for it and use it as temporary housing for all our kids. There are 3-4 years between kids, so it could work in theory. 

But yeah, the "park you camper on our land" is definitely less complicated as far as family dynamics and future stuff goes. 

MY dh owns the vehicle for hauling the camper.

50 minutes ago, Katy said:

I’d think a small guest cabin would be both cheaper and better over medium to long term for everyone. Assuming you can build it yourselves. 

Actually, you'd be surprised.

Materials are insane right now. We don't have sewer out here, so that would mean digging a whole new septic system. Water is fine, we have a well. We live so far off the road that running the power is pricey. 

Plus, the big thing is that with so many homes being built right now, getting contractors to work on your project is so very difficult. 

We even priced a pre-fab 450 square foot guest cabin and it was crazy how quickly the costs added up. Not that I'm entirely opposed to building one, but it won't happen fast enough. Their lease is up in November.

Edited October 14, 2022 by fairfarmhand

[EmilyGF]

We lived with my grandparents for 9 months when my parents were victims of theft. I was 3, my sister was 1. It was a small house in a moderate climate and my mom worked on having us outside as much as possible. My grandmother could not stand toys on the floor, so she worked very hard to clean up immediately after any movement. 

This would be completely normal in many societies.

Good for you guys trying to figure out ways to help.

Emily

[fairfarmhand]

5 hours ago, happi duck said:

The four of us spent six months in my childhood bedroom when we moved back from out of state.  This was also to save up because rent was so high.  My dad remarried after my mom died and his wifr didn't like me so we had to stay out of her way.  Even with that issue we had a nice time with my dad and saved a ton.  If dh had also a shorter commute we would've saved even more.

The cost of a cheap camper and repairs would eat up a big chunk of what they'd save....maybe a shorter stay inside the house would yield the same savings as longer in the camper?  

 

10 hours ago, catz said:

I’d also think in terms of how your relationship with up this young couple is, how it may affect your kids at home.  I do know a couple friends who let an adult young couple moved in and  it led to a butting heads, inconsistent boundaries, marital conflict on both sides, etc.  Is it ok if they end up your home?   Is it ok if it’s is end date is unknown?   Can they use your groceries?  Are there any firm boundaries that are important to you?   Is the relationship with this couple positive now?   Sorry if I’m remembering wrong, I thought this young adult may have been a bit prickly?  
 

My parents traveled with a trailer for years and had a permanent plot down south for a while.   I’d also worry about heat/electric  pricing.   Also, taking care of sewage if it’s a camper with a bathroom, they plan on using their kitchen, etc.   If it isn’t well thought out they may quickly just end up in your home.  Which is fine if you are ok with it but may not be great if they’re sinking money into something they will be miserable in.  

I think we'll need to flesh things out as far as what good boundaries will look like. 

16 hours ago, MissLemon said:

Are you ok with them potentially spending a lot of time at your place? I'm thinking about how cramped a camper is and how much comfier your home would be.  Personally, I would live in a camper for a year or two and think of it as an adventure but doing that with a baby is really unappealing. 

Is it a possibility they could bunk with you at your place for a year? 

Just spit-balling ideas; not saying you should or should not let them live with you. 

For a lot of reasons, it would be better for my dd and sil to have at least a small place for them to have their own space (The bathroom situation would be challenging since there are 5 adultish people in my house, and adding 2 more and a baby would be ...wow.) . Not that I don't expect her and the baby especially to be over here in my house quite a bit, but she and I both need our own kitchens. 🙂 And she's a pretty high energy person and that makes me tired. I do think we can communicate well enough to avoid resentments. This dd and we have had some issues in the past, but we've all learned some good tools to hopefully head things off if it starts getting complicated. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Perhaps, take a look at sheds that can be turned into homes.  These are very nice with fully functioning windows think she shed type.  That is one way that can be cheaper.  Someone I follow just did that along with redoing it with stuff from facebook/Craigslist/habitat stores and it was about 10000.  Really nice with a kitchen, bathroom, wood stove, split unit for ac/heat and it was something later as they finish their house that can be a guest home Another is look around and see if any campgrounds are upgrading their cabins.  Some will sell the old cabin cheap or free just pay to move it.  Redo it and it would be another cheaper way. 

[fairfarmhand]

6 hours ago, lmrich said:

Is it possible for them to build on your property? Just wondering if this a possibility down the road. I know couples who built a house bit by bit and lived in it as they went. They started in a shed and lived there until they could save enough to get a loan to attach a small house to it. 

Living in a camper would be difficult; it could be done. I might consider building an extra roof over the camper or at least keep a tarp or two over the roof. 

This is a consideration in the future. We'll see. Currently, they can't save up for a down payment because costs have risen so much in the last 2 years.

[fairfarmhand]

1 minute ago, itsheresomewhere said:

Perhaps, take a look at sheds that can be turned into homes.  These are very nice with fully functioning windows think she shed type.  That is one way that can be cheaper.  Someone I follow just did that along with redoing it with stuff from facebook/Craigslist/habitat stores and it was about 10000.  Really nice with a kitchen, bathroom, wood stove, split unit for ac/heat and it was something later as they finish their house that can be a guest home Another is look around and see if any campgrounds are upgrading their cabins.  Some will sell the old cabin cheap or free just pay to move it.  Redo it and it would be another cheaper way. 

ooo. that is a good idea! The challenge we're hitting is getting something done before their lease expires. That and the septic are the two biggest hurdles. My dh is DYING to build a tiny off grid cabin and playing with solar and batteries and such. But the time is what our limiting factor is. If we didn't have the time issue, we'd jump in on the cabin idea.

[fairfarmhand]

7 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said:

We haven’t lived in the camper but we spend weeks at a time in it.

I would never buy a 5-6K used camper.  Our first two campers were used and while suitable, the cheaper the camper is the more problems it’s going to have. Campers tend to hold their value, at least the later model ones, so I’d be expecting anything that cheap to have mold and water issues along with the roof(unless you’re talking a very small pop up).

I don’t know how cold it gets in Tennessee, but anything under an ambient temperature of 60 is going to be chilly. Campers leak air and aren’t well insulated.  We wind up turning the heat on at night during the summer if it dips below 65 outside. And my husband hates turning heat on.  An Arctic package will help with that, because then at least it’s sealed and insulated, but you’re going to need to buy new.

Electric will be expensive.  I don’t know why it’s more expensive in a camper but we spend way more in electric on a metered seasonal site than we do during the winter in our home. Propane can also be pricy.  These are all costs I’d factor in.     
 

Thanks for these thoughts.