A lot of you have probably come to the conclusion that you want something a little different for your floor plan or design after using your camper for a while. For us, it was the bed location. We had camped with The Chateau a few times and decided we no longer wanted to climb up a ladder and over each other to get in and out of bed.
We started looking around and found a slightly newer Toy Hauler Ragen from 2007.
At first glance, it didn't look like it needed a ton of work other than a cosmetic renovation but as soon as we got started we realized the previous owner had cleverly covered up and failed to mention quite a few things that needed attention. It is a good idea to have a lot of time to go through the camper you are interested in and have the seller go through all the systems and show you that they work before purchase.
The previous owner had also attempted to start a renovation....and they had clearly gotten in over their heads, there was painting started here and there, other places they started taking the wallpaper off but stopped mid-wall etc.
And since the projects kept adding on the to-do-list this camper got the fitting name "The Projects"
As you can see for yourself we had quite a few projects to complete before we were camping ready, our goal was to finish it before my birthday in March so we could do a Paso Robles trip. We had about 2 months of weekends and evenings after work to get it ready for our trip.
The dirt we scrubbed out of the camper was a rare collection dating back to 2007, dirt was caked on everything, the windows barely opened for all the gunk in the window tracks. The upholstery also left a lot to be desired, and the speckled cabinets were quite an interesting design choice. But then again as we all know the people designing RV's clearly leaves a lot to be desired in the color and trim department.
Once we had a general design plan we got started on the demo, the fun part!
Our general design plan included,
New commercial grade upholstery on jack knife sofa and dinette seats
Remove some cabinets
Rebuild and reconfigure some of the kitchen cabinetry
New base and trim pieces
New Formica countertops in the kitchen area and for the tables
New tile backsplash
Paint cabinetry
Paint walls
Wallpaper on some of the walls
New flooring
New stove
New microwave
Update to LED bulbs in some fixtures and replace other light fixtures
New plumbing fixtures kitchen and bath faucet
Rebuild bath vanity cabinet
New bath vanity sink
Update electrical
Replace window valances with new roller shades
New shower surround and fixtures
Our general design plan did not list the repairs we had to do but gave us a good overview of the cost and budget for the material we needed to get The Projects camping ready for my birthday trip.
Upkeep and maintenance list,
New tires
Install new awning
Electrical check-up for safety
Generator maintenance
AC repairs
Seal visible cracks
Replace back ramp springs
Repair exterior dents
Lists and research are your friends! If you are reading this to get inspiration and advice for your own remodel we highly recommend drafting a plan and budget for your remodel before you get started, it can be hard to do if you don't have the experience but take your time to research material you would like to use and see if you have it in your budget to purchase them.
It's important to cover all the areas and not go broke on buying only a few things, the quality and durability of the materials is another super important thing to consider. Think about the areas that get the most use and don't skimp on the durability or you will have unnecessary upkeep or in the worst case you have to replace or redo and that is never fun.
Find part 2 of this reno in " Toy Hauler Renovation part 2 - renovation process!"