Friday, January 29, 2016

Continuing Camper Trailer Renovations....

My life is completely consumed by my camper trailer/new home renovation at the moment. Mom is doing great at her new teaching job at Ft. Stewart, GA. I am moving along, but have had some bad days where I thought I had made a very bad decision is deciding to do this and felt completely overwhelmed and wanted to just strap some C4 to it and blow it in place. But as most should know by now I am not a quiter. I am receiving amazing support from my family and couldn't do this without them. I have also received amazing support from a new friend and battle buddy, John Worthington. He drove 6 hours to come and help me, two different weekends. He framed in and installed a new/used door and refrigerator, ran new gas lines, connected my electricity and has been an amazing on-call carpentry/fix-it extraordinaire.

I knew there was going to be some work involved in this project, but did not know that it would be quite as much as it has been. But as I am learning, renovation projects are full of Pandora's Boxes. What you think will be a quick and easy fix quickly turns into a borderline catastrophe.

The first 2 pictures are of of one of these Pandora's Boxes I have encountered. Once I removed the torn up covering and insulation on the bottom of the camper I found 3 areas of serious rot which had to be removed and replaced with new bracing and boards, right wheel well, left wheel well and under sink area and rear bottom bracing. The area under the sink I had to remove and the side of the camper open so I could remove and replace it all.





You can also see my Grandma Farnham helping me by scrubbing all of the windows.



The picture of the door is the beautiful new/used door my friend John Worthington framed in and installed. I was able to get the door from by uncle who has an old camper trailer he is demolishing to make a flat-bed trailer. My cousin Kevin used aluminum polish to make a smiley face and show me how nice the door will look once I polish the whole thing.



Another picture of Grandma working on scrubbing down the outside of the trailer.


The following pictures are of the inside with insulation and vapor barrier installed. 








 

I also got the wall on the back side of the bathroom installed. 

In the kitchen area I also replaced and got working the exterior vent fan over the stove...whoohoo.


I ordered and installed a new LP Gas 2-stage auto transfer regulator and now the stove and heater work...whoohoo.

Lovely blue flames on my stove.


My Uncle Steve has given me the metal box shown sitting behind the camper. My cousin Kevin is going to weld it and a rack for my spare tire on the back bumper. The box will be my "garage" and hold my generator and tools.


Paneling leaned up against the outside of the camper.


And lastly, the first of the paneling installed. I have 2/3 of the ceiling paneling installed, 4 4x8 sheets, and it has been quite the adventure cutting and installing it by myself, but I am making it happen.


That is all for now...I still have a pretty big to-do list, but I am taking things on fix-it at a time. I need to have this done by 5 Feb, so I might have to pull some longs days, but I will get it!!


Happy Trails!!

Hendo

























Monday, January 11, 2016

Camper Trailer Renovations Part 1

I apologize for the lack of updates. I have been extremely busy and overwhelmed at times. The camper trailer renovation isn't going as planned at all, my truck needs some significant repairs and my grandmother passed out and cant drive until 19 Jan so I have been helping her. Never a dull moment.
Unfortunately due to the need for significant structural repairs I haven't been able to make a lot of cosmetic improvements/fixes on my camper. But not to worry, I have been busy all day everyday working to get it up to par for living in. Here are some pics, I will try and get some more pretty ones as well.
Here is the tile I am going to use for the backsplash. I have been using leftover lumber and supplies my relatives have due to my lack of money, but the tile and floor are the two things I am going to splurge and get new.
I got the lights connected and working, all LED.
The wood framing around both wheel wells, across the back wall and under the water heater was rotten and had to be replaced. Pics of the rotten wood repairs for the right and left wheel wells and floor under water heater.
Onward I trudge, two stubborn to quit, even though today I was pretty close to strapping some C4 to the trailer and blowing it in place.
While showering tonight I noticed I am covered in bruises from head to toe, so my trailer/home is literally kicking my butt, don't worry, I will win in the end!!
Mom was hired as a 3rd grade teacher at Ft. Stewart, GA elementary school and started on Monday 4 January. She is doing well and enjoying it so far.
Happy Trails!!
Hendo & Hendo's Mom