Cost Breakdown for Renovating a Camper

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

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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