I'm planning on my travel trailer project.

My plan is to buy a travel trailer for cheap on craigslist..$500-1000 price range. Gut the whole inside. Repaint the exterior, and just slap on some new brake lights and such.

As far as the inside, I want to gut it, and put in all new cabnets, appliances, fake hardwood flooring, lighting, probably new plumbing system.

I am going to do all the work myself, at least most of it. I got a fair hand of constuction guys here for the renivation of the property, so if I need help or questions, they will help me out if I don't know myself.

But the real question is, how hard do you guys think it is to remodel a camper? It's simular to a home, however the fondation is a bit more akward to work with.. any tips or advice? comments on how hard you think this project really is?

It seems simple in my head..but never owning one, not sure if this will open a can of worms I can't control

I think, by the time you buy all new stuff for one, remember 12v/gas appliances are real expensive,(1k for a small frig.). I don't know how much other components are. If it is more than a few yrs old, I'd worry about the frame.
The bottom line is, if you find one real cheap, chances are it is a piece of junk. You'd be better off buying one that is 2 or 3 yrs old, and using it. And yes I am an RV owner. Depending on the size you want, you can find something nice for 2-3k and you'd spend that restoring one, plus the pain in the A$$

Buy a good used one, save yourself the headache. If you had a good sized shop to park it in, and had a full woodworking/cabinet shop to use, you could be money ahead. But replacing floor supports, floor, dry rot in walls, interior paneling, that's going to be a huge job, and not something you want to do in a parking lot or driveway.

Buy a solid 2-5yo model that you can try and ensure was kept in dry storage, and just use it. You'll save yourself a pile of headaches.

Typically, the problem with older campers is not that they need new carpet, cabinets, ect., it is that they have have water damage and the frame is rotten.

If you can find an older camper for cheap, that is structurally solid, go for it.

All the wood and other porous stuff is easy. You start buying appliances, it will break you up financially. Better to get these with the trailer.

The most common failed part has to be the water demand pump. That's typically just the rubber diaphragm and not expensive even if you have to replace the entire pump. In fact, replacing the entire plumbing is much like a house and not expensive.

Airconditiers are a problem in older Campers. If the camper is cheap to buy, odds are the AC has refrigerant before the change and even if you can get someone to flush it and put new refrigerant in it will be over pressured and not last long. RV AC units are not as sturdy built as homes or cars and they cost quite a bit new, $700-$1,200 for a small one.

Stoves and heaters are pretty much just like home units in how they are designed, however their controls are all special and very hard to find compared to home units. That's especially true for the older ones. If someone knows what they are doing, you can substitute thermocouples from home units. They'll just be much longer. Burners typically can't be but has to be the right length. Ranges are from $300 to $600 new and furnaces in the $500 to $700 range new.

Lights are typically DC lights so cheap and easy to replace.

Commodes are actually cheap too, around $120 for nice ones.

Sinks are relatively inexpensive and faucets and stuff you just house stuff. A double stainless for example is like $126 while a plastic one as cheap as $30.

Tanks rarely go bad but they aren't expensive either. They're around $150 or so.

Right up there with AC units on expensive is RV refrigerators. They cost about like a home one except way smaller in size. Most are dual power at a minimum AC/DC but a tri-power that includes gas is the cats meow. A fridge will run for a very long time on propane.

The AC and Fridge would be my highest priority on does it work.

Hope this helps.

Tj