RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

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RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

October 04, 2021, 12:30:21 pm

I am going to get a RV cover built. I want to put this out there so if someone has learned or done something that I am not thinking of I can do it before.

Purpose- protect the coach from the elements- rain, sun, hail, etc as well as give me some shade to work on when maintenance is needed

Size- 40x 10 or 12. Still unsure. Height will be 12 -14ft on sides going to 16-18 in the middle.

Material- all metal, like a metal building ie Mueller for those in Texas

Sides will come down about a 1/3, enough to cover windows. This will block light but the goal is to protect it. Do I go lower? This will not be an enclosed garage, but a cover where I can protect it from the elements and still work on it as needed

Ground- this is the biggest question. I currently have the coach on thick gravel which works fine. However, it sucks to work underneath as I have to lay down on it . Ideally, I'd have a pit of about 1 foot in the middle that I could lay on a creeper and roll. It will be on blocks when I work so a foot should be fine. The issue is my ground is terrible rocky and hard. I have considered raising the concrete up a foot and have the pit be at ground level. If I dig into the ground, I would have to deal with drainage, leaves, critters.

The quickest/cheapest is to have the builder pour some concrete footers so the cover can be made, and leave the gravel. Concrete is expensive, at least around here so this may be the best option for now.

Connections- I am close to our septic line, so nothing needed. I am having a 50A plug put it on the house which is about 30 feet away, so that will be covered too. Hose spigots are on each corner of the house. All of these are non-issues

What would you do? Inputs welcome along with photos.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #1 – October 04, 2021, 12:55:18 pm

Sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you want. I also want to put up a cover...one that will cover the coach and a trailer next to it in my scenario. Unfortunately, I have a city code to deal with that requires me to be 3' off my rear property line, so I can't go right back to the back wall. Also, the companies that have been out to give me a quote on the cover will not go right up against my shop building. They want to be 18" off the wall with their legs, so I'll end up with this "hallway" if you will, of space between the legs and my building, which is not ideal. I've been holding off, looking for other options.

I did pour a concrete pad though. 4500psi, 6" thick with #4 rebar and drainage from the backyard. The slab is 33' wide and is 55' long from the front of the building to the back wall. I planned to do a 45' x 30' cover.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #2 – October 04, 2021, 01:11:30 pm

Very good question and one I wished I had asked for outside input (I built my carport before I had purchased my first Foretravel). My carport was originally built to support a little 16ft travel trailer. Never envisioned owning a motorhome (much less a Foretravel) at the time.

I think you have thought it through pretty well. My only comments are:

1) I built mine to meet county wind standards (120mph). Thicker gauge steel framing with mobile home anchors. In hindsight, I would have been much better off building concrete footers with rebar ties to allow pouring a concrete floor later when money allow.
2) 16ft carport legs would allow you to replace roof ACs under the carport assuming 12ft coach height and install/run a pulley/lift system.
3). If you have the room, I would think about 20 ft width with siding all the way down to the ground. This would keep the sun off you tires and allow you to setup work bench tables plus the ability to open bay doors. When I built mine the cost was minimal to for the full vs partial siding as well as the framing height.
4) Saying all that, I would have not built a carport but bought and installed a quanset hut that would have givin me a shop. Same concept, start with footing to set the building on, then pour a floor after I ran my utilities and built a shallow pit and had the money to pay for it (or buy a property with a shop already on it

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #3 – October 04, 2021, 01:17:03 pm

I would build it 45' in length. You never know when you might get a wild hair and want to move up into a Prevost or something bigger. It may be future buyers of your house that have the longer coach too. We passed on a couple properties this last year that could only accommodate a 38' RV.

I'm currently in the same boat as you, crawling around on gravel to work on the coach. Having a concrete pad would be SWEEEEEET.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #4 – October 04, 2021, 01:19:00 pm

Been there, done that.

First building I build was big enough for a 26' GMC motor home, thought that would be big enough since I only had a 23' GMC at the time. Did buy a 26' GMC and garage was perfect. Then sold the GMC and bought my first Foretravel, 33' long. Garage was only 30' deep so motorhome sat outside.

Got tired of coach sitting outside so thought about remodeling the existing building or building a new one. Ended up building a new one. Before I started I check to see what what was the biggest RV that was made. Told 45' & 13'6" high. Made new building 50' deep x 50' wide with 2-12' wide x 14' tall garage door. Sure am glad I did since now the IH45 barely fits in the building front to back. Coach is 45' long, mirror is out in front and I leave the tow bar on the back. You loose 1' + with a metal building. Just have enough room to get around the front and back

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #5 – October 04, 2021, 01:38:26 pm

My neighbor has such a cover and always wishes it was wider. Need to accommodate coach, slide extended and doors to fully open. And if your ever going to have a wheel off you'll want more space. My area is 25' wide by 55' long. Was nice to have enough room to remove fuel tank inside. I end up having enough room for other tools and backhoe that all can be moved for coach work. Everyone's need are different, but extra space is nice. Our roof is 14-18 foot tall and it's a pain to clean/work on top in the lower area. I built the cover before ever deciding on the coach and glad I went bigger now.
Scott

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #6 – October 04, 2021, 01:43:20 pm

Had a nice building once upon a time

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #7 – October 04, 2021, 01:46:45 pm

When I went to pick up my coach it was inside and I said why is the roof
so high and then when I went up to of the coach I said this is great to work
on. I know concrete is expensive but I would have it before a garage. I don't
have a garage which I can live with but I couldn't live without the concrete.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #8 – October 04, 2021, 01:46:58 pm

Quote from: turbojack – October 04, 2021, 01:19:00 pm

Before I started I check to see what what was the biggest RV that was made. Told 45' & 13'6" high. Made new building 50' deep with a 12' wide x 14' tall garage door.

Same here.

We have a side-mounted opener (Chamberlain, I believe), so nothing hanging in the middle. Any wider of a door and they said we wouldn't have had to do an overhead mount.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #9 – October 04, 2021, 01:47:04 pm

Excellent input so far. Walt, I could be talked into going lower. I just didn't want something that could attract critters, so maybe staying a foot off the ground makes sense.

I live on acreage so while I have space, I don't in a way as it has to be close to the house so I can have connections that I already mentioned. I am pushing for 20 feet wide but the DW may push back on that. I do have a shop on the property but it is not large enough for this- it was not a thought when I built it! I doubt I will go larger, when the kids are gone I can see going to a Northern Lite truck camper, but who knows that is a number of years away.

I will also go taller, I do want to be able to work on top without having to pull it out. Like the vent I have to repair this week!

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #10 – October 04, 2021, 01:50:12 pm

Quote

I would build it 45' in length

The longer the better. You will want any tools or spare parts and especially parts you need to paint to be under cover. Mark out where the sun reaches so you know what to expect.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #11 – October 04, 2021, 02:19:54 pm

12' wide is not wide enough. Open bay doors on either side and determine the max width and then add at least two ft on either side. Assume some day you will have that 45" coach with 4 slides that is almost 14' tall.

I have seen covers much like the one you are proposing. Some have have side and end curtains that could be detached or rolled up. And in some locations (Houston for example) you will get water condensing on the inside of the roof. It will drip like it is raining.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #12 – October 04, 2021, 02:27:07 pm

We are working (slowly) towards the same goal. I have a space out behind our house 20' x 60' cleared down to hard packed dirt. Now trying to figure out next step - paving the pad. I am looking at caliche, asphalt and concrete. They are all expensive. Then some kind of cover for the coach. Simple cover, cover with two or three sides enclosed, or fully enclosed building? Decisions, decisions.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #13 – October 04, 2021, 03:37:15 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – October 04, 2021, 02:19:54 pm

I have seen covers much like the one you are proposing. Some have have side and end curtains that could be detached or rolled up. And in some locations (Houston for example) you will get water condensing on the inside of the roof. It will drip like it is raining.

Need to get the thick insulation that they install before they put the metal on. You will be happy that you did. Helps keep coach cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

We sure don't have any problem spending others money.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #14 – October 04, 2021, 06:20:28 pm

I should add that between me building the shop and my house, I have figured out what I want/don't want. I can get away with no insulation on top, we don't have that issue really here in Central Texas. I will need to discuss with the wife and break out the tape measure and some rocks to stake it out. Her main concern is that it would impact the place where the pool was going to to go. First world problems I know , haha.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #15 – October 04, 2021, 06:21:16 pm

Build as many sq feet as you can afford, promise you it won't be wasted and the more time that passes the more glad you will be.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #16 – October 04, 2021, 06:48:24 pm

I prefer a sprayed two part insulation over the factory insulation package, aside from the price upfront and then the additional labour when you build.
When the batt insulation is stretched across the rafters and purlins then the roof skin is attached the batts get crushed, now your 6" batt is half an inch thick, oops. Only at optimum thickness where it sags.
When you spray two part you get full thickness and the building is pretty much sealed, no critters!
IMO

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #17 – October 04, 2021, 06:55:45 pm

Quote from: Michelle – October 04, 2021, 01:46:58 pm

Same here.

We have a side-mounted opener (Chamberlain, I believe), so nothing hanging in the middle. Any wider of a door and they said we wouldn't have had to do an overhead mount.

Michelle, your Mercedes looks lost in there.

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #18 – October 04, 2021, 08:12:43 pm

Olde english that is a great shop

Re: RV Cover and Pad- Design input needed

Reply #19 – October 04, 2021, 09:24:27 pm

Thank you and now sadly it's someone else's !

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