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Home » Blog » Cost Breakdown for Renovating a Camper

Cost Breakdown for Renovating a Camper

 April 30, 2019     Sarah Lemp    23 Comments   This post contains affiliate links

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The Cost of Renovating a Camper

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “what was the total cost to renovate your camper?”

Well, I’ve gone into this a little bit in previous posts, but I thought I’d do a super basic breakdown of the cost involved in a couple different example scenarios. With each camping trailer or RV we have renovated, there have been several factors involved in the decision to purchase and how much we’ve been willing to pay. The shape of the camper you are considering or the extent of the damage will impact how much you should spend initially on the purchase price. We try to do a very quick but thorough assessment of the repairs we will need to do and communicate that with the seller.

Check-List of What to Look For

When inspecting a trailer and considering a purchase, there are quite a few things we look for while visualizing price tags in our mind! Here is a checklist of things to look at.


Major/High Price

  • Engine problems (RV)
    • How many miles does the engine have?
    • Listen and inspect belts, oil level, exhaust, look underneath, look for damage, etc.
    • Ask questions about the history of maintenance. Was it driven frequently or did it sit for a long time?
    • Take it to a mechanic or have a friend that knows a lot about cars come along to inspect!
  • Water damage
    • Do you see visible cracks or holes in the siding or roof?
    • Do you see ripples in the wallpaper or ceiling?
    • Inspect all interior walls and ceiling, be sure to open cabinet doors and look inside!
    • Water damage can travel! It may be hard to tell how far it has spread, but if there is a clear source of the damage it might be easier to fix.
  • Cushions, Mattress, Couch
    • These are things that can really add up in price!
    • Do they smell? Can they be cleaned?
    • Can they be recovered or will you need to buy new?
  • Frame damage
    • Is it rusty or cracked? A damaged frame can get incredibly costly and sometimes impossible to repair
  • Windows
    • Are they in working order? Are they intact?
    • Check skylights and vent coverings too!
    • Are screens in place?
  • Appliances
    • Appliances can be quite costly to replace! Do they all work? Check them!
    • Fridge
    • Hot water heater
    • Stove
    • Microwave
    • AC
    • Heater
  • Tires – Tires can be quite costly depending on the size of your camper, but you want them to be in great shape!
  • Electrical – Do all exterior and interior lights work? A problem with lighting can either be a quick fix, or a sign of something more complicated

Minor/Low Price

  • Outdated decor – Nothing a little paint can’t help!
  • Ugly wallpaper – Easy, paint over it!
  • Old/outdated toilet or faucet – Not that expensive to replace and fairly simple to do
  • Flooring – Flooring can be ripped out and painted or replaced pretty inexpensively
  • Lights – lights can be painted or replaced rather inexpensively
  • Smoke detectors
  • LP gas/Carbon monoxide detectors
  • Pipes and tanks – Annoying to fix, but not the most expensive thing
  • Gas tanks
  • Sewage hoses

Disclaimer

Before I go on, I should note that every situation has been so different. You’ll never be able to predict what will or won’t go wrong. One of the ways we have saved money is by owning all the tools and most of the supplies already. Power tools and saws will obviously be an extra cost if you don’t already have them on hand. We also had a lot of the nails, screws and lumber left over from other projects. All these things add up!

 

Our 1990’s RV Remodel

In the example of our 90’s RV, the purchase price was $3,200 with the cost of repairs coming to about $2,370. The larges expense was the price of tires which was $1,300 right away. If you can find an RV with new tires that are in great shape, you win! We have 5 kids, so safety is very important to us and having a quality tire that’s in good shape is a must.

Here is the approximate breakdown of the repairs we did:

  • Tires – $1300
  • Caulk – $50
  • Paint – $300
  • Flooring – $30
  • Couch (Facebook Marketplace) – $100
  • Mattress – Already had
  • Dinette Cushions (RV surplus store) – $40
  • Engine Tune-Up and Minor Repair – $200
  • Microwave – $190
  • New Sewage Hoses $40
  • Decor $20
  • Window Coverings – $100

Cost of Repairs = 2,370
Purchase Price = $3,200
Total Price = $5,570

Selling Price = $12,500
Profit = $6,930

*Additional costs include license and registration, additional decor and bedding, extra camping gear, etc.

Read: Our 90’s RV Renovation

1980’s Trailer Remodel

In the example of our 1980’s trailer renovation, we bought it specifically to resell, so this impacted a lot of the decision making process. We wanted to keep the cost low and not spend a lot of money on specific features that may or may not be important to the next owner. The tires were in pretty good shape, so there was no immediate need to buy new ones. There was a section of the frame that needed to be repaired, but not a lot of damage. All appliances were in working order. Because it was so large, the biggest expense was paint.

Here is the proximate breakdown of the repairs:

  • Paint – $500
  • Couch (Futon Bed) – $100
  • Cushions/Pillows (recovered original with fabric on-hand) – $25
  • Caulk – $50
  • Decor – $50
  • Shades – $150
  • Lumber $50

Cost for Repairs = $925
Purchase Price = $1,000
Total Cost = $1,925

Selling Price = $8,000
Profit = $6,075

*Additional costs include license and registration, additional decor and bedding, extra camping gear, etc.

Read: Our 1980’s Trailer

 

Our Camping Setup & Favorite Gadgets 1

Vintage Trailer Renovation: Before! 15Gidget the Vintage Trailer: Come on In!

1950’s Vintage Trailer Renovation

Our vintage, 1950’s trailer renovation was the very first camper I remodeled. She was my dream come true! I had always wanted to own a vintage camper and the dream became a reality when we found “Gidget” as we affectionately named her. The damage was extensive, and I learned a lot about water damage and running new electrical. It was a lot of trial and error, but it was a fun experience! Read more here: Gidget the Vintage Trailer

Here is the breakdown of costs involved in remodeling Gidget:

  • Frame/Welding Repair – $1200
  • Tires – $500
  • Lumber – $500
  • Paint – $300
  • Caulk – $50
  • Cushions and Fabric – $200
  • Mini Fridge – $100
  • Microwave – $40
  • Decor – $50
  • Electrical panel and converter – Stripped out of my parent’s old pop-up camper
  • Electrical wire – left over from a past project (this could possibly be a big expense)
  • Mini space heater – Already had

Cost for Repairs = $2,940
Purchase Price = $1,700
Total Cost = $4,640

Selling Price = $8,900
Profit = $4,260

*Additional costs include license and registration, additional decor and bedding, lights, extra camping gear, etc.

Read: Our Vintage Trailer Before and After

 

I hope this has been helpful!
Please let me know if you have any other questions!

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Category: Camper RenovatingTag: featured camper renovations

About Sarah Lemp

Sarah is a second generation homeschooling mom. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband Jay, 5 kids and dog, Edison. They love staying active as a family and going on trips in their renovated RV's. Sarah loves to sing, make pretty things and eat pizza.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yovana Garcia

    December 27, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    Hello i would like to know how much you will charge me to repair n remodle my driveable rv?

    Reply
  2. edwina Cook

    November 15, 2020 at 7:48 am

    i would love to know how you replaced flooring with vinyl, for $30? i am remodelingmy RV,I am a bargain shopperand finding to cost much more than the numbers you are reflecting.i would love some pointers. Yours is adorable!

    Reply
  3. Kate

    August 18, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    We bought a 1983 Ford Shasta last year. Unfortunately, this RV had quite a bit of water damage, but didn’t realize just how much until we bought it. We weren’t able to work on it consistently, so we bought a RV cover. Again, unfortunately, the cover did not hold up and the RV has sustained even more water damage to the point where the floor, along with the walls, ceiling and insulation will have to be replaced. At this point we are looking at just scrapping it and seeing what we can get for the metal and selling the parts that are still in working order.

    What would your advice be for something like this?

    Reply
    • Theresa

      October 22, 2020 at 11:45 am

      If u haven’t scrapped it yet…keep going with it. My bf & I picked up a 1995 Coachman Travel Trailer for free from the Freebies/Offer Up sites. Even though neither of us have ever fixed up & flipped anything, let alone a RV. We we’re so excited that it was free & didn’t know at the time we picked it up exactly what we were going to do, keep it, flip & sell and then keep our 2nd one or continue to buy/flip. I love a challenge w/ exterior/interior decorating, painting, woodworking, etc. Once we realized how much/bad the water damage is we were ready to scrap ours. The entire bedroom area walls, floor & ceiling are ripped down to the bones (there is water damage the entire length of the travel trailer but nothing like the bedroom, is was kept to about a foot in of the ceiling on the left side trailer). We haven’t started the work yet but we just finished gathering supplies to rebuild the room & we spent $65 – believe me, we are in no financial shape to buy all the stuff needed. Over a 2 wk period we got all the the supplies we needed for the rebuild, including flooring, paint & calk just driving around each day on trash days in several local towns/cities. It sound gross but when it comes to wood & other building supplies people through out brand new (extras) or almost new items. Ur not rummaging through trash cans, these items are on the curbs. Ex: I’m currently making a breakfast bar out of a thrown out coffee table, only using the top of table which is in great condition. If you see a home or a business that’s obviously being renovated and they have a dumpster outside don’t be afraid to go inside and ask if they mind if you take the wood or anything else you may like, they’ve always say yes I’ve never had anyone say no. Now the only thing you need to keep in mind is the weight of EVERYTHING (you may or may not know this) so you want to make sure you get things like press board, old paneling is great for the ceiling just paint it or you can get peel & stick EVERYTHING & it looks great ( we are doing peel & stick shiplap over paneling as our ceilings – be sure to spray Skills over any wood u find) items like say if you’re going to use a tabletop or things like the vinyl stick & peel flooring good for 3 reasons the weight, cost and the fact that the RV moves so you want something that’s a little flexible. It may sound like I’ve done this before, Ive done nothing like it (also keep in mind you and ur other half WILL want to choke each other at times but just like any circumstance you’re with this person cause you push through it together) Over the past month I’ve done more research than you can possibly imagine and Pinterest has been a huge help, never used it before until now. So good luck with your RV if you kept it, if not take another shot….I know I’m waiting for the fun part, the design/decor of the inside!
      Theresa

      Reply
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Sarah LempSarah is a second generation homeschooling mom. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband Jay, 5 kids and dog, Edison. They love staying active as a family and going on trips in their renovated camper. Sarah loves to sing, make pretty things and eat pizza.

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All content on this site is copyright Sarah Lemp. Many of my posts contain affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and buy something, I may receive a small commission. Read more on my disclosure page.

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