ProDave Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 So a couple with a small baby buy an old Silver Streak caravan and pay £5K to ship it from the USA. They strip it bare because it was rotten and re model it. Complete with kitchen with stone worktops, and a woodburning stove. They have sold their house to live in this thing as a travelling home. So: Is even legally towable in the UK in it's original form? How much does it weigh now with the stone worktops? Will the chassis and axles even take that extra load (there is a reason caravans are mostly built of very thin plywood) and if it is legally, will it tow without falling apart? just what do they tow it with? And where do they propose to live in this mobile home? Oh and they built a cot and activity wall for the baby. What abour when he grows up and wants a proper bed and his own bedroom? This one must get the prize for silliest idea yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 There seem to be loads of people doing similar these days in the hope that their blogs and interviews will pay them to go on a round the world trip. I know a couple who took their 4 young kids off on a 'live in a motorhome for a year' trip abroad years ago. They separated not long after returning to the UK . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 1 minute ago, newhome said: There seem to be loads of people doing similar these days in the hope that their blogs and interviews will pay them to go on a round the world trip. I know a couple who took their 4 young kids off on a 'live in a motorhome for a year' trip abroad years ago. They separated not long after returning to the UK . Four kids in a motorhome for a year would send any sane person over the edge. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 4 minutes ago, Declan52 said: Four kids in a motorhome for a year would send any sane person over the edge. Indeed! I would have struggled to spend a year in one with just the OH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 12 minutes ago, newhome said: There seem to be loads of people doing similar these days in the hope that their blogs and interviews will pay them to go on a round the world trip. This is proving to be a viable lifestlye for the some sailing vLoggers who got in early to establish a travel media brand AND who execute the publishing workflow competently. Swmbo and I follow svDelos via YouTube on our main telly and as a consequence our diet of scheduled mainstream TV has reduced. The young sailing couple behind LaVagabond got a 1 million euro sailing yacht from a manufacturer to continue their round the world adventures though I suspect the financial deal was complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Heard an interview on Radio 5 last week, talking to a woman who makes a living from taking on 'eating challenges' and posting videos thereof on her YouTube channel. The world has gone mad! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 I wasn't so much having a dig at the nomadic lifestyle, I was more "concerned" about an over size american caravan weighed down with stone kitchen worktops and how the hell you could legally and safely tow that in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 2 hours ago, ProDave said: and how the hell you could legally and safely tow that in the UK. Thats exactly what I said to er indoors, great for festivals etc I suppose. Had a neighbour who put a woodburner in his static and when he moved away had a hell of a problem finding someone, even on a low loader who would shift an “altered” caravan. Did you see the other one, a cattle truck turned into a mobile home for his mother and he had to take his HGV test to drive the truck he put it on (and the truck didn’t fit it properly ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 13 hours ago, Declan52 said: Four kids in a motorhome for a year would send any sane person over the edge. We survived with two kids in a caravan in the garden for 18 months. Just. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 11 hours ago, NSS said: Heard an interview on Radio 5 last week, talking to a woman who makes a living from taking on 'eating challenges' and posting videos thereof on her YouTube channel. The world has gone mad! There's a Ukrainian fella has done all the local challenges here. He's about 8 stone soaking wet but he can eat. Posts his videos on Facebook and what that guy can swallow in 20 mins is unbelievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 39 minutes ago, Bitpipe said: We survived with two kids in a caravan in the garden for 18 months. Just. Don't think I could have done it. By near the end my two choices would be the bluestone ( mental facility) or maghaberry ( where murderers go). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 43 minutes ago, Declan52 said: Don't think I could have done it. By near the end my two choices would be the bluestone ( mental facility) or maghaberry ( where murderers go). They were still at primary school and were sharing the smallest room in a set of caravan bunks, were glad to see the back of each other afterwards. Son went through a massive growth spurt shortly after (now 14, almost as tall as me) was like putting a house plant in a bigger pot Personally I didn't mind it at all, there was a simplicity to it and only took 5 mins to have the whole place clean and tidy. We even had the mother in Law down to stay a few times when I had work trips abroad and she kipped on the pull out sofa bed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebles Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 We’re sharing our static caravan with our 14 year old son (as tall as us) and 12 year old daughter. Both hormonal ? But we are genuinely enjoying it most of the time. Helps that we are all used to camping and helps a lot when at least one person is out ? Occasionally the 14 year old loses the plot in his tiny room with 2 foot 3 bed, sitting doing homework on his bed with his sports kit everywhere, and shouts “This caravan is too small!” We all agree with him and move on....... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Declan52 said: There's a Ukrainian fella has done all the local challenges here. He's about 8 stone soaking wet but he can eat. Posts his videos on Facebook and what that guy can swallow in 20 mins is unbelievable. I once watched a Ukrainian tap dancer break his leg. He fell into the sink. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 3 hours ago, Bitpipe said: We survived with two kids in a caravan in the garden for 18 months. Just. You didn’t see the kids these folks had ?. Let’s say that they were encouraged to be free spirits. Many would interpret their behaviour as ‘annoying brats’. A year of caging said brats in a motorhome with no chance of any family support to have some downtime once in a while and I bet it was hell. The wife left her hubby for another woman when they returned ?. Roll on 15 years and let’s say that at least 2 of the kids haven’t turned out ‘mainstream’ which may or may not be a good or bad thing depending upon your mindset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 7 minutes ago, NSS said: I once watched a Ukrainian tap dancer break his leg. He fell into the sink. Did his dreams get washed away? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 43 minutes ago, Weebles said: We’re sharing our static caravan with our 14 year old son (as tall as us) and 12 year old daughter. Both hormonal ? But we are genuinely enjoying it most of the time. Helps that we are all used to camping and helps a lot when at least one person is out ? Occasionally the 14 year old loses the plot in his tiny room with 2 foot 3 bed, sitting doing homework on his bed with his sports kit everywhere, and shouts “This caravan is too small!” We all agree with him and move on....... Wow, takes it to a whole new level! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 We managed okay the 3 of us in the static caravan for just over a year. IT helped a LOT having the laundry already functioning in the house, and having my office set up in the house so that took a bit of pressure off the space in the caravan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I managed ok in my static (only because I left SWMBO back in Bristol ?). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSS Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Got to admit I admire all you caravan dwellers. Wasn't an option for us due to wife's health so we were fortunate to be in a position to buy a house to live in whilst we built the new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 2 hours ago, ProDave said: We managed okay the 3 of us in the static caravan for just over a year. IT helped a LOT having the laundry already functioning in the house, and having my office set up in the house so that took a bit of pressure off the space in the caravan. I had a washing machine and tumble in my greenhouse and moved them into the basement as soon as that was watertight with temp power. Also had a site office in the container which terminated the phone line to DSL (powerline plugs to squirt it to caravan) and used it as an occasional office also but it was mostly a tea hut. Best part was the £££ saved - Caravan cost us £1700+500 delivery and we sold it back to the delivery guy for £1000 so a net outlay of £1200 - £122 a month for accommodation during the build. Also invaluable also to be on site for the whole event - helps that I mostly work from home too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 3 hours ago, joe90 said: I managed ok in my static (only because I left SWMBO back in Bristol ?). I managed ok too - but only because I had an apartment in Edinburgh and let the hubby do the living on site in a caravan thing! I did that at weekends only. The thought of trying to get 'office ready' in a touring caravan every day held no appeal whatsoever and it probably saved us from a divorce too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I'm just really glad we were able to stay living in our old house whilst building the new one, especially when we went over-budget and the new build ended up being extended by well over a year longer than the original plan. Glad to have got rid of the old place, though, and if doing this again (which we are NOT) I'd question our decision to delay the build as much as we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 1 hour ago, JSHarris said: I'm just really glad we were able to stay living in our old house whilst building the new one, especially when we went over-budget and the new build ended up being extended by well over a year longer than the original plan. Glad to have got rid of the old place, though, and if doing this again (which we are NOT) I'd question our decision to delay the build as much as we did. Definitely an advantage to be able to stay in the old house for sure but ours was 400 miles away so wasn't practical. It also generally helps to free up cash if people sell before starting (or early on) plus with HMRC starting to do some unexpected things in terms of CGT it probably makes sense to either get the build done PDQ or live on site. That 'house bought off plan subject to CGT' case might be a one off due to the amount of money involved but I wouldn't be surprised if HMRC don't start apply similar measures to self builders too at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tosh Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 We rented a static on a caravan park for six months as we'd sold our old house before completing on our new plot. The original plan was to then put a 'van on site but the experience living in this van prior to our completion was not good. We'd come from a house where the two kids had their own rooms and plenty of space to one of turning sideways every time we passed each other. And then of course you have to put a sign up 'don't come knocking when the caravan's a rocking' ? So we decided to rent a place, albeit small but is luxury compared to the van, and a price worth paying for the kids well-being and our sanity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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