When I Retire...... Maybe IF I Retire......

[djkeev]

When I retire, I don't see myself being a full time Van Dweller. 

I do however see myself as being an extended time period Van Dweller. 

I don't see myself and my Wife as being the type to totally let go of a Home Base and all of the stuff that comes with a bricks and mortar home. 

We have managed to purchase a modest retirement home located in the Rural area around Reading Pa. This is where my daughter and her family reside. Its quiet and isolated.........



We are rebuilding the modest home to like new condition so home maintenence and repair will be very minimal. 

Sadly, Due to a series of bad decisions and life simply kicking me in the Balls we don't have a huge nest egg saved up nor do we have generous government or private pensions to look forward to. 
We will be living frugally and working as we are able in order to get by. 

This is why I'm here. 

I'm a VW guy, Vanagons to be specific. 
While these are great units and mine in particular is restored to near flawless mechanical condition, the unit is limited. 

We will need not only a bed and kitchen but a bathrrom as well. A Vanagon simply cannot provide this. 

I have been a mechanic or a Carpenter for most of my adult life. I see myself hooking up a trailer that is laden with my collection of the tools of my trade and spending lengthy periods of time visiting folk. 

While I visit, I'll remodel a kitchen or bathroom, maybe fix a car, whatever to earn a few bucks. Maybe even work for neighbors and friends. 

A Vanagon will not be able to tow this trailer of sustinence...... Hence the Dodge. 

The Dodge is large enough to provide the space we need to live for months on end and it is powerful enough to pull that trailer that I'll need to tow. 

We will keep our home in Pa. (Its paid for) as a place of rest and peace after a long journey. 

Anyway, I'm sure that we aren't the only Baby boomers who find ourselves in this situation. 

Dave

 

[BradKW]

Sure looks like you'll have a full time job just cutting grass in that yard

 

[jimindenver]

Dave, I'd think a big truck pulling a toy hauler with a work shop in the back would be sweet.

 

[akrvbob]

I 100% agree with jimindenver!!

 

[ArtW]

Me too!

 

[jimindenver]

Another thought is double towing. There are also trailers that have extended frames in front of the box for storage. It can hold a ATV so you could build the workshop. Kind of like a home made toy hauler. I have two bunks that can hold a lot including some larger items. I'm trading my power tools for camera gear but it's the same concept. They could easily hold everything I would need to do mobile art crating including a table saw. I think I would downsize the tool if I could.

Since you have the big truck you could do a truck camper and pull the utility trailer. Now a days they have slides coming out on three sides and make my trailer look dinky. They also need a huge truck and budget too at that point. Just remember the trailer adds weight to the payload of the truck when you work out the numbers.

Lots of options. Any pics of the place?

 

[djkeev]

I do.....
It's older, has been neglected and sat abandoned for awhile.
It oozes potential though.

I've recently done a lot of work dragging the home into the 21st Century and creating a cozy cottage from an ugly tiny Box. Pipes had frozen, broken windows, etc ..... but very solid bones.

Our investment in it is minmal, FAR fewer $$'s have been spent by me than some of our friends on this site have spent who are reading this while sitting in their Mercedes Sprinter Converted Vans.





We're moving to this type of curb appeal...... Be it ever so humble (676 sf ) there's no place like home.




Dave

 

[janncoo]

Dave, we are building that exact home in Ohio. Hope to have it under roof by Christmas if the weather cooperates. We travel in a 2003 Chevy van but need to have a home base and have spent the last two winters in Arizona. Jan

 

[djkeev]

Sure looks like you'll have a full time job just cutting grass in that yard  

That's an actively farmed field to the NE of us. 
Far better than a noisy nosey neighbor! 

I'm sure that when a fierce Nor'easter blows in this poor house without natural wind breaks takes the brunt of those winds!   

I've not yet been there for a Winter storm! 

Dave

 

[djkeev]

Dave, we are building that exact home in Ohio. Hope to have it under roof by Christmas if the weather cooperates. We travel in a 2003 Chevy van but need to have a home base and have spent the last two winters in Arizona. Jan

Great choice! 
The exterior will probably be next Summer....

Currently focusing on making the interior what we want and liveable.  
We are moving/rebuilding rooms right now. Knocking out walls and other fun activities. 
The kitchen is moving to a recently created great room carved from an old bad Living room/Bedroom/Bathroom design.

The old kitchen relocated....... (The toilet will be relocated) 



Where we're headed......




And the previous owner had finished the basement, ignoring inherent basement moisture concerns and a Bilco door leak creating a huge wet moldy mess! 
It was a huge minus rather than the plus the realtor listing tried to convey! 

We gutted that out completely and found a clean dry basement! 



Dave

 

[BradKW]

Nice project...looking at those pics made me shiver a little, having spent many a PA winter doing interior remodels, especially basements. After 16 yrs in the Keys, that'd be hard to get back into. How far is the nearest Lowes/HD?

I'm often not a fan of farm sinks, they became a fad and get used where they just don't fit. But you've got the 3 ingredients going that can really make them work great...modified "U" countertop, centered double window, and a nice view...

 

[djkeev]

BradKWNice project...looking at those pics made me shiver a little, having spent many a PA winter doing interior remodels, especially basements. After 16 yrs in the Keys, that'd be hard to get back into. How far is the nearest Lowes/HD?

I'm often not a fan of farm sinks, they became a fad and get used where they just don't fit. But you've got the 3 ingredients going that can really make them work great...modified "U" countertop, centered double window, and a nice view...

*************
My Wife would love that but alas at almost $1000 for a good one...... It ain't happening on this budget! 

We had built a house years ago with that sink but due to a complex deal/partnership with a man "of the cloth" whom I trusted explicitly (stupid me) I lost that house and my investment. Turns out money, ALL of the money was more important to him than his god and the morals that he taught from the pulpit week after week. 

Dave