Making Memories-The RV Remodel

We just purchased a 1985 Fleetwood Resort 28' Travel Trailer.  I knew it was going to need some work.  I could see water damage above the rear bed and along the front corners.  As with any project it will always take twice as long and cost twice as much as what you think it should.

I have always wanted to gut out and redo a RV.  I'm not too sure my dear husband was on the same page as me but he's a good sport and dove right in too.

We bought the trailer from an elderly woman for $500.  At the time I think it was a good deal, put once we started looking for leaks, I think it should have been more like $200.  Once we got it home we started taking off the paneling, and pulling the insulation away to look for wet spots.  Demolition is like a sick drug, once you start taking it apart you just want to keep taking it apart!  I love Demolition! 

The trailer was not bug infested or stinky but I'm glad we gutted it because there was alot more going on than we first thought.

Vent above the bed had leaked.  Rotten roof rafters.  Windows in good condition.  This is above our bed.  We are going to remove the vent and patch the roof.  I do not want it leaking onto the bed.

Once you start looking for leaks you just never know what you're going to find.  The hunt started with just pulling off a panel of the paneling here and there, then looking under the insulation.

The running lights along the rear leaked, along with the corners.

The front living area of the trailer.  It came with a full size bed that we decided to keep since it looked brand new.  The refrigerator doors on the right.  I HATE wood paneling!  Water damage on the front right area.  Multiple pieces of paneling over water damage and rot.

The kitchen area.  The wallpaper is held up by tacks.  The wood behind was black with rot.  I HATE wood paneling.  The window above the sink was held up by one screw! You could push the whole wall out away from the floor.

The micro bathtub!  I really mean MICRO bathrub, it was 16"x23".  Includes two free rolls of TP!  This is a beautiful shade of harvest yellow.  I think this bathroom is so small that if I were to sit on the toilet I might get splinters in my butt from the fake paneling!

The only decent wall.  The dinette before the demo!

The refrigerator before the demo. It went to the trash too! 

Looking down the hall from the bedroom.  I really like the setup they had bathroom and dinette on the left and kitchen and storage on the right. I really hate fake wood paneling.

More demo in the kitchen, pantry and wardrobe.

Another picture of the micro bathroom before demo.

 

Demo and water damage to the kitchen wall.

Kitchen demo.  Counters gone, sink gone, oven gone.  Water damage along the whole wall.

Dear hubby taking down the pantry. 

Another shelf stapled, nailed, glued and screwed in.

Demo along the left wall.  Dear hubby working on the wardrobe and Boy F breaking wood.

Looking down the hallway from the living area.  Entire left side demolished. 

Left wheelwell where refrigerator and furnace went. 

Another look at the bathroom  The counter top has water damage and the cabinets fall apart in your hands.

 

Boy F. taking the dinette apart.  He says all the screws were stripped.  He's going to need Dad's help.

Hallway wall to bathroom gone! More room to work.

Why would you lift the lid?

 

We found a vent above the bathtub.  Didn't know it was there.  It's going to go too.  We think since there is a nice size window in the bathroom already we don't need another possible leaky area in the roof.

Still working on the dinette.  There in a converter box under the dinette seat. 

More fake wood paneling.  Boy F. says that the vent pipe behind him is our stripper pole.....?  Boys!

The AC!  The only thing that still works!  We used it for a while since we live in Florida and it only a million degrees here.  But it melted the plug in at the barn so we had to resort to fans.

The guys looking into the bathroom to see what the sledgehammer next.

Counters gone in the bathroom.  Toilet out and the tub is next!

Sweet girl M, coming to see if Dad and Brother need a glass of iced tea!

Boy F. working on demo in the bathroom.

 

Looking down the demo hallway from the bedroom to the living area.  Kitchen on the right, dinette and bathroom on the left.

Bathroom floor.

I have orded a total of 5 rolls of butyl tape for windows, doors, exterior lights, and anything else we put a screw in.  I think they got alot of work done.  But I do know there is alot more to go.  I will post more demo and repair pictures soon.

Until next time......

Bonnie