RV Garage Home

Hi all,

We'll be retiring soon, and getting a new PC 2552 or 2910.  When we do, we'll also be relocating.  I want to protect my investment (the PC) so I'm thinking about a home with a garage big enough for an RV.  By researching the internet, I've discovered that there are RV Garage communities in TX, CA, AZ, FL and TN.  Some of them are nice, but more than we want to pay.  We're thinking about possibly TN. So my question is, has anyone added an RV garage to their home or converted an existing garage into one large enough to house an RV?  If so, please share your experience and wisdom on this subject. I'd be looking in areas where zoning/ HOA wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks...  RonJ

Ron,

We live in an HOA subdivision but we were able to raise the roof on our existing garage.  They now use our house as an example of what can be done.  See our old post

https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=574.msg3634#msg3634

My solution was to build a pole barn.  You get room for your RV, but also a workshop and all your toys.  Of course, you have to have the space and no HOA restrictions that would prohibit it, but since you're moving anyway, that's under your control.  You will be amazed at how cheaply you can build a beautiful building this way.  I built our 40x30 about 5 years ago for under $30K, including the slab and labor.  I used a kit purchased from Hansen, and found a local crew to erect it.

Bary and Sue,  Wow, that's very helpful with the photos. Thanks!

Thanks BlueBlaze.  I haven't heard of a "pole barn" before.  That seems like a good option.

RonJ

We designed and built our house 19 years before buying our PC.  Designing the house in 1987, I thought the size of the garage offered plenty of RV options for the future.  It turned out it barely accommodates our PC-2350.  We got exceptionally lucky.

My advice is to "Think Bigger"....."Much Bigger" if your situation can handle it.

Ron-

I've thought it might be best to make it big enough for a class A for resale value.  I would think a home with a garage big enough for a class A would really beef up the resale value. Especially since I'm having such a hard time finding them (other than those in RV Communities).  Not sure when you took this photo, but your rig looks brand new. 

Thanks for sharing,
RonJ

Where you want to live is probably the most important factor that you need to decide, after that the rv storage issue can be addressed and there are many options including offsite storage, although having your rv on your property is great. Maybe you could use your new Phoenix to visit different areas to decide where you want to live, you could take your time to insure you get to know the area you are planning to move to.

DYNADAVE-

I agree, location is first choice.

Thanks,
RonJ

Ron-

I've thought it might be best to make it big enough for a class A for resale value.  I would think a home with a garage big enough for a class A would really beef up the resale value. Especially since I'm having such a hard time finding them (other than those in RV Communities).  Not sure when you took this photo, but your rig looks brand new. 

Thanks for sharing,
RonJ

I like your thinking....accommodating a class A will cover all basis, and hopefully raise property value.

Our particular front elevation has a tall retaining wall hiding the big door from street view, so curb appeal is not affected.  The PC door is 10 feet tall, the double door is 8 feet tall, and then there is the standard "people" door.  I tried to work in a "terraced" look.

Our 12 year old PC today, looks the same as when I took the pictures some years back.  I attribute it 100% to storage.  The rig at home and inside (heated in winter, fairly cooled in summer) makes all the difference.

The full body paint and fact that you are a car guy that takes good care of his vehicles goes a long way also, Ron.

To state more accurately....our PC-2350 will be 12 years old in late May/early June when it was born.

I just took these pictures tonight.  The rig was last waxed maybe 6 years ago, very little effort on my part.  I attribute it's condition to the garage and the climate inside the garage.  My efforts in maintenance does not compare to those two factors.  The storage of our rig also keeps the tires, brakes, and undercarriage in like-new condition.  I basically just wash it once at the end of the RV season to keep it looking nice.

About every 3 years, I display our rig at our church's DADFEST, a Father's Day event which includes an auto show.  People who don't know what a current E-series looks like, think it's brand new.

Mechanical maintenance is also greatly reduced.  To-date I have only dealt with the routine and scheduled stuff.





Here are the tires...still original.  I hope to replace them before our next big excursion.


For us it has been all about "storage" when not in-use.

Ron,

I'm impressed!

RonJ

RonJ,

Your plan to build a storage space large enough for a Class A is a great idea.  I would suggest planning on a 14' high door and long enough to comfortably accommodate a 45' unit.  It really doesn't cost much to make it that big and it will really benefit your resale value.  Our storage building is 40' by 80' and when we had our fifth-wheel and Freightliner and later our Class A, Susie used to say we should have made it 100' long!  Originally, I was going to build it 64' long, but she said we should go bigger, so we did.  If you are wondering, it is very easy filling the rest of the building with other toys and a heated shop.

Gary

Gary Free2RV,

I drool over your accommodations.  As you can see, our garage is tightly packed today.  As is the problem with boats and 2 footitiss, you'll find whatever your final decision, after a few years, it will be a little too small.  You can only hope it won't be way too small.

We are currently moving and building a new home.  One of the things we really wanted was garage space for our 2552.  Ron D. has made me so jealous with his inside RV pictures. 
But after going around and around with different designs I think we will go with a pole barn instead.  The primary reason is simply cost.  It is prohibitively expensive to add tall garage area in a new build home.  Current energy codes are dramatically different than I am used to and 'conditioned' space is at a premium.

So we are nearly decided to go the pole barn route, which can be made much larger than needed for the 2552.  I will build it to accommodate a class A, just in case.  That also impacts the resale value if the future buyer has an RV.

One other thing we will do is add a generator input receptacle on the outside of the house near the pole barn.  That way in lengthily outage we can use the generator in the 2552 to run a limited set of circuits in the house. 

And of course there will be both a 50amp RV receptacle to power the RV and an RV septic riser at or near the pole barn.