Lots of starting out questions - fifth wheels, seasonal pitches and travelling, and more!

[blue292]

Hi,

 

This is my first post and have have a lot of questions! Hope some of you may have the answers...

 

We have been talking for quite some time about selling up and full timing, and finally we are getting to the point where we are serious and starting to make the big decisions. The motivation behind the move is so that after we have paid off the loan for the caravan in around 4 years time, we will have a lot more disposable income and can use that to travel, and also my husband could hopefully cut his working hours.

 

We have looked at everything from motorhomes to tiny houses, and we keep coming back to the fifth wheels. We are a family with a young toddler and plan to have another baby in the next few years so space is important. I was put off by their size at first as we want to be able to travel Europe, but from what i have read, it seems possible.

 

We have found 2 that fit our requirements, one is 30ft and the other 35ft. I am thinking that will be too long to travel to most places? For anyone who travels in a fifth wheel, what size do you have and how do you think we will get on with something around the 30ft mark?

 

The plan is to stay on a long term campsite for a few years before travelling, but we are finding it difficult finding a site that is open and usable all year. Does anyone know of any in hampshire / west sussex?

 

I have seen that many people have their own washing machine in a fifth wheel and we would need to do this as my son is allergic to detergent, so a shared machine would not be great. These are the two Ive found - do you think we could squeeze a washing machine in one of these? If you have one did you get after you bought the fifth wheel or before? Can we put one in ourselves?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=fifth+wheel+bunk&_sacat=0&_odkw=bunk+room+fifth+wheel&_osacat=0

 

The other slight technical issue is that we can only get a loan for 20 - 25k so these are obviously out of our budget. Do any older models with the same layout spring to mind? Alternatively, does anyone know the cost/hassle of shipping from usa as they seem to be a lot cheaper over there?

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

[flicka]

Hi Blue292 & welcome to the forum.

 

The 2 main players in the UK for fifth wheel trailers are:-

http://www.calderleisure.co.uk/cgi-bin/sales.pl?v_make=0&v_form=5&action=Find

http://www.5thwheels.co.uk/

 

This (I think) is the layout you are looking for :-

http://www.calderleisure.co.uk/klbunkhouse/specifications

 

With a large domestic Washing Machine they are very heavy due to the concrete surrounding the drum, so will have a big impact on your 5th wheel payload & vehicle towing capacity.

A “twin tub” format may be the way to go. A Caravan model will only take a small volume of washing but may suit your needs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-ACCESSORIES-TWIN-TUB-WASHING-MACHINE-/290483442067?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item43a2299193

 

Up to this at 24kg (empty)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thompson-X11-1-Twin-Washing-Machine/dp/B0014FYAC4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_6

Only used as an example to show what is available, I have no personal experience of any.

 

[flicka]

Hi Blue292 & welcome to the forum.

 

The 2 main players in the UK for fifth wheel trailers are:-

http://www.calderleisure.co.uk/cgi-bin/sales.pl?v_make=0&v_form=5&action=Find

http://www.5thwheels.co.uk/

 

This (I think) is the layout you are looking for :-

http://www.calderleisure.co.uk/klbunkhouse/specifications

 

With a large domestic Washing Machine they are very heavy due to the concrete surrounding the drum, so will have a big impact on your 5th wheel payload & vehicle towing capacity.

A “twin tub” format may be the way to go. A Caravan model will only take a small volume of washing but may suit your needs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-ACCESSORIES-TWIN-TUB-WASHING-MACHINE-/290483442067?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item43a2299193

 

Up to this at 24kg (empty)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thompson-X11-1-Twin-Washing-Machine/dp/B0014FYAC4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_6

Only used as an example to show what is available, I have no personal experience of any.

 

[Mel B]

Hi blue - welcome to the mad house. :-D

 

This is my 'take' on your situation and I have obviously had to make some assumptions, however, please feel free to totally ignore what I've said, it is just my opinion, nothing more, it doesn't mean that I'm right or that you are wrong. :-S

 

I know you say you have been thinking about this for some time, but I suggest you talk to a lot of people who are already full-timing, ideally with very young children, before you make the 'move' as it were. A lot can change in 4 years, especially where children are concerned, and what you think is what you want to do now, may not be the same then, so buying something now and going into serious debt for it, is a little concerning.

 

I would suggest a much better idea is to save the money that you would be paying for the loan, and then when you are definitely ready to make the change, buy a caravan/5th wheeler then, you wouldn't be paying interest to the loan company and would instead be earning interest on your savings.

 

The reason for my urging some caution is that we have 'retired' early and know what it took for us to be able to do this. We don't have children and my hubby left work at 52 (2 and a half years ago) and I left 6 months ago at 48, in order to do this we had been saving and planning for around 8-9 years, we could have left work and done this a few years earlier, but we weren't 'ready' to do so then and financially we are much more 'secure' because we waited.

 

I note that your hubby is working and you are hoping that he can reduce his hours when the time comes, and that you are hoping to have another child in the not too distant future so assume you are youngish and need to think for a much longer term than a lot of those who go full-timing. It is one thing to do it in your 50s, but quite another to do it in your 30s(?).

 

A lot can change in 4 years so I am just suggesting that you don't get too 'carried away' with the idea (everyone would I'm sure!), and take it very slowly - plan, plan and plan again for every eventuality you can think of and then see if it works for all those scenarios.

 

[Keithl]

Hi Blue and again welcome,

 

Another question to ask, do you have the relevant classes on your driving licences to drive a vehicle which will most certainly exceed 3,500kg with the trailer?

I only ask because you are probably still reasonably young (as you are planning on having more children) and if you passed your driving test after 1st Jan 1997 then you will need to take a full HGV test to drive a vehicle of the weight of a 5th wheeler.

 

Keith.

[blue292]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes you are right to guess we are young, not your typical fulltimers I suppose. I agree with your logic, unfortunately we are living right to our means at the moment as my priority is staying home with my baby, so we are only on my husbands income. This means that its an either or situation, we couldn't save to travel or buy anything in our current situation, what with paying the mortgage. I see our being young (27 and 33) as a positive though as if it doesn't work out we still have time to get back on the property ladder or we can rent - many people get started much older than we are now...

 

And no, we both have a basic license, my husband will be doing the test to be able to tow as neither of us are allowed on our current licences. I didn't read anything on the direct gov website about a maximum weight though, it that a new regulation? Would it mean taking two tests?

 

The washing machine suggestions are great - I am glad to see there are other options!

 

Our main issue at the moment is finding somewhere we could put it and live. Any suggestions for sites would be great,

 

Thanks.

[Dave225]

Do not wish to be a party pooper but I suspect your ideas are not realisitc. Many of us at various ages in our lives have longed to just give it all up and 'sail away', but unfortunately there is more to life than that. You have a young family, and plan on increasing the size, so you really should get a base to live in more or less permanently. Babies need support.

 

Also living on campsites is not a cheap option as they have to pay the bills just as you do. You may find that your monthl;y costs are equivalent to staying in ahouse, with a lot less space. Plus you have little security.

 

Do not take pout a large loan for any recreational outfit, as before you have paid it off, the unit will be worth much much less than your debt.

 

Sorry, but been there, thought that, and fortunately did not jump.

[Mel B]

I think you really need to sit down and work through what is important to you, what you can realistically afford and hope to achieve, and what is "pie in the sky".

 

If you are having money difficulties now which, reading between the lines, appears to be part of the reason for you wanting to do this, then perhaps you need to re-think your situation ... I am not preaching but if you are adamant that you are staying at home to look after your baby and money is tight, it simply does not make sense to look to take out a very large loan for something which may/may not meet your 'home' needs. I also appreciate that you want another child, but IMV unless you can sort out your situation now, this should be the last thing on your mind. We all have 'dreams' and ideas of what we want, but being in a position to actually make our dreams come true is a very different thing altogether. Unfortunately life is not fair and just because you want something doesn't always mean you get it or that it is sensible to go after it. :-S