Four Considerations When Choosing a Floor Plan
From: Jeff Radich
When you are
selecting a floor plan, there are three very important things you should
consider: your lifestyle, interests, and travel style. If you clearly define
these three things, you will have a better idea of what is important when you
go shopping for a floor plan and options for your RV. You will also know where
to spend money and where to skimp.
The first thing
to consider is your lifestyle. (You might want to go back to the section on lifestyle in Chapter 2 to determine if you
are a “day-tripper,” a part-time “vacationer,” or a “full-timer.”)
For example, an elderly gentleman who uses his RV for
an occasional fishing trip requires an entirely different floor plan than a
traveling salesman who makes sales calls and does his work out of his RV. A
retired couple that travels for extended periods of time has different needs
than a young family of four on a trip to Disneyland.
As you can see, each of these types of lifestyles has
unique needs as far as options and floor plans. How will you know what these
needs are? I will show you important considerations for each of these
lifestyles.
The “day-tripper”
uses an RV for the occasional day spent fishing at the lake or for a tailgate
party at the big game. For this lifestyle, a scaled-down model is quite
appropriate, as there is no risk of getting cabin fever in one afternoon. A
large kitchen, a large refrigerator, or a center island is not necessary.
(Unless, of course, one is a gourmet chef who feeds lots of people at the lake
or at the game.)
The next
consideration is your interests – where you will go, what you will do when you
get there, and how long you will stay. Will you bring special equipment? Does
anybody have special needs? Will you camp out in the parking lot next to a
sporting event or antique convention, or will you spend your time discovering
the national parks or lazing at the seashore?
Are you a
water-ski enthusiast or a snow-ski enthusiast, a water baby or a snow bunny?
What time of year will you travel the most? What weather and temperatures will
you encounter? Sultry temperatures are made tolerable by awnings, roof-mounted
air conditioners, and windows that provide good cross-ventilation. Inclement
weather requires good insulation, dual-pane windows, and enclosed, heated
plumbing bays. While air
conditioning or a good heater might be a luxury for some, it could be an
absolute necessity for others.
Do you like to
travel solo or bring along your own party crew? Will you bring along the kids
and the in-laws or leaving them all behind and get away with just you and your
spouse? How many people will
normally occupy the RV? What will they require in the way of sleeping
accommodations?
Consider who will
use the RV and how many people there are likely to be. Selecting an RV with
ample sleeping quarters will make for a more relaxed RV vacation. Cramped
quarters lead to irritable people. It’s important to consider the sleeping
arrangements and the ease of getting into and making up beds before you
purchase your RV.
There is no
“right” size or “one size fits all” when it comes to purchasing your vacation
home-on-wheels. As you saw in Chapter 3, the length of your RV can vary from 10
feet for a small Travel Trailer to up to 40 feet or more for a super-sized
Class A. Even within the classes the size will vary dramatically.
What size will
meet your interests, needs, and budget? An RV with a gourmet kitchen, a
spacious living room, a gas fireplace, and built-in spa is very appealing, but
will you be able to park it in one of the national park campgrounds where you
love to visit? Many campgrounds have length limits of 32 to 35 feet. Will the
length and width of your RV be practical (and legal) to drive to the places you
plan to travel?
On the other
hand, a 10-foot Travel Trailer is easy and inexpensive to haul around and
store. These compact units do not appeal to everyone, but they adequately
utilize the small space available, turning it into meager, if not suitable
living quarters for weekend and occasional use by one or two people. This
sparseness has its advantages – the small RV is maneuverable, fuel efficient,
and can be used as a second vehicle.
The bottom line
is that what you gain in luxury and space in a longer rig you lose in
maneuverability, adaptability, usability, and cost (both purchase price and gas
costs). It’s a trade-off, and only you can decide which features are most
important to you and which size is best for you.
My advice is to
go with the minimum size that accommodates all of the features you can’t live
without; then double-check to make sure that you will be able to travel to the
places you want to go and on the roads you want to travel.
Jeff Radich is a
professional research writer and active RV enthusiast. |
