Static Caravan for self build - what do you do afterwards?

[Indy]

Starting to think what we're going to do during the self build process and one of the options is a static caravan. Having talked to the architect, while this would be doable planning wise, I wanted to understand what people do with these after the build is complete.

 

Our plot is long and narrow(ish) with another garden at the base and houses on either side. My proposed plan would look something like this:

 

1. Demolish existing house and clear access

2. Lay utilities like clean water, waste water and electricity connections to bottom of the garden

3. Place 2/3 bed caravan at the bottom of the garden

4. Build house with a ~1m gap left on each side

5. Obviously the gap would be too narrow to remove the static caravan afterwards

 

What are my options at the end of the project - apart from dismantle and scrap? Can you get cranes that would be long enough to pick up the static caravan and lift over the newly built house? 

Access from the other ends or the sides would be a no/go as there other houses and gardens.

 

A mobile tourer has been recommended as an alternative but this would have the same issues in terms of removal if we put it at the base of the garden. Putting it at the front would mean blocking up access to the site and also living while active work was happening there - with 2 young kids so keeping them out of harms way would be a challenge!

 

 

[Russell griffiths]

Do you fancy a gym, garden workshop or such like, build that down the garden and live in that instead. 
or buy your mobile home and just cut it up and remove it once finished. 

[LSB]

Viking burial 🙂

 

[JohnMo]

Our became a posh shed. Double bedrooms stripped out - shelving added etc.

[ProDave]

We kept ours as well, but our plot is big enough it is not intrusive and in any event there is access so it could be removed if I wanted to.

 

I had a bit of a tussle with planning about it. They only wanted to grant temporary planning for the 'van with the clause it must be removed from site upon occupation of the house.  I pointed out it's location would fall under permitted development as a garden outbuilding, so on completion day I could remove it, and then immediately replace it with an identical 'van in the identical position under permitted development.  They agreed and changed the clause to residential use of the 'van shall cease upon occupation of the house.

 

Ours is used as a storage and general work space now.  We only paid £4K for it, lived in it for 18 months, and where else would you get a 30 square metre garden shed for that price?

[stu w]

The house before last I had the same issue, cost me 2800 to lift it back over the house,  sold it for what I paid for it, so over 16mths the 2800 was offset for being able to live on site 

[SteamyTea]

Why not build a timber cabin, can easily be dismantled or used as a shed.

Probably thermally better than a caravan.

 

You also get to practice some carpentry skills.

[George]

'Permanent' shepherds hut type thing which will have use afterwards. Or a gym. Or just a fancy shed.

 

Craning is in the 'anything is possible with enough £££' box. The caravan company should have contacts to see whether it is possible but I suspect you'll struggle to get a 32ft 2/3 bed one lifted at that radius with the trees. Not cheaply, anyway.

 

We sold ours for £500 more than we paid but that was all part of the covid madness.

[Indy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. 

 

Discussing with the architect and we explored the idea of building a more permanent structure before the building is demolished by using PD rights. It's something we could do, though would be very small and internally not much different to a caravan in terms of layout as we need to fit at least 2 bedrooms (1 for us, 1 for the kids), living/diner/kitchen and a shower/toilet in there. Could be repurposed into a gym/office block or granny annexe once the main house is done.

 

Easier option is to drive in the static caravan and either chop it up afterwards (going by the comments) or try and convert to something more useful? Not sure how the structure of these lends itself to long term use and how 'convertible' they are.

[G and J]

Our plot is about half the width of yours and we have in our planning consent a gym/workshop of about 21m2 internal at the bottom of the garden.  We too will be building close to each side boundary.  
 

We did briefly consider building the workshop first then trying to live in it but felt that it would be untenable living next to a building site that blocks access to the street and thus will be difficult to safely get through.  It might be easier than it first appears - any relevant experiences that might help understanding of the feasibility of living on a tight site?