Posted 2012-03-14 9:50 PM (#142128) Subject: Don't know where to start...
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Northeast AR
Hi everyone!!! I wanna make a weekender in my 4' shortwall gn sundowner. I have great determination in doing projects but this may be too much for me. Oh and excuse me if this topic has been cover already but I am having trouble finding a thread with what I need... Basically where to start!!!?!? Insulation first or wiring?? Would a tin panel ceiling (for looks) sweat just like its not insulated?? How do I wire it up?? So this is a list of what I want: Stainless sink, smallMicrowaveCabinetsTvFridgeShower that comes thru the wall into first horse stall ( one o those that tucks away in a lil cubby hole in the wall)Water tank, pump, heaterElectrical outlets ( I'm a girl so need somewhere to plug in my flat iron and my other half needs to plug in his cpap machine!) This is what I got:Breaker box, ac for the roof, my dads dewalt drill :) soooo now do I go get insulation first?? (I read all the insulation threads) Thank u do much!!! I will try to post a Picture of my empty dr
Posted 2012-03-20 1:17 PM (#142328 - in reply to #142128) Subject: RE: Don't know where to start...
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Northeast AR
Hey!! well its slow going bc mostly bc i dont know what i am doing. originally i had help who did a wonderful job on their own trailer conversion but they have backed out on me sooooooo i am having to do it on my own, which i can do but will hafta take ten times as long bc i have NEVER done a home or room or any kind of interior work like with appliances and lighting and electrical stuff and panelling!!! so uuuuuuuuggggghhhhh! i gonna do it!!! but heres another problem now, i just broke my leg, bc my 4yr old green horse got spooked and bucked me off. im on bed rest. but just before that happened, i did make it to Lowes to buy some styrofoam insulation. i understand that is next, then wiring, then screw up the plywood over all surfaces so that i can screw in cabinets and the bead board and the fridge and water tank and.........ugh i must be crazy!!! but i gonna do it! i just need yall at HTW to hold my hand thru this project. oh and what fridge should i get? gas and electric or just the electric (cheaper). and i have no idea how to install cabinets!!!! and i wanna put a shower head box in the wall so that a shower is taken in the first horse stall. also i DO have several cow hides to cover the cabinet doors for a cool western look :) but i need cabinets first!!! eeeeeeeek! can cabinets from lowes fit in a trailer or are trailer cabinets usually smaller to fit a trailer?? i did find out that the sundowner has some white panels on some the walls (riveted in) and that those DO have styrofoam behind them bc i looked. please help!! mainly on the abc and 123's of trailer conversion, thank you so so much!!!
Posted 2012-03-20 4:17 PM (#142331 - in reply to #142128) Subject: RE: Don't know where to start...
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
Sorry to hear you broke your leg. Hope it heals quickly.
When your up and about, Get your AC mounted first, but don't have them run the wires just yet. Cut and put in your insulation. Then your moisture barrier. Then your 1x2 to screw your walls & cabinets to. Attach these to your beans, and be sure to pre-drill your holes.(be sure your screws are not to long) I expect that the breaker you box you have is like what goes in a house? Spring for an RV breaker box with a converter in it. It will run you about $200, but give you a whole lot more flexibility down the road. Give a lot of thought to where you will need your plugs, and 12V lights. Visit a lot of LQ to get ideas and see how things are done.
Draw out your plans, then put tape on the floor to see how everything is going to fit. Your going to need a whole lot more than that drill. My husband has every kind of tool, drill and saw, and I think I used everyone one of them. 45
Posted 2012-03-21 12:28 PM (#142348 - in reply to #142128) Subject: RE: Don't know where to start...
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Northeast Missouri
I'm doing the same thing. Luckily, my boyfriend is EXTREMELY handy and is doing most of this. We had an extra expense most people don't have, though. The previous owners of this trailer had cut a hole in the wall under the gooseneck and put in a window unit. The local welding shop charged me $140 to patch that up. THEN...I had to have them cut the hole in the roof and put some bracing up. They also set the A/C unit up there and got it mounted in for me. I haven't got the bill on that, but the estimate was around $150. I purchased a used A/C unit from an RV salvage place in southern MO (Colaw RV) for $450 shipped. They jacked me around on shipping it, so they took $50 off finally. My trailer already had insulation behind the cheap shower board they had in there, so we are keeping the pink board and reusing it. Firring strips are in and the bootbox and closet from are built. I purchased a small microwave and a decent sized dorm fridge at Wal-Mart for just under $170. Everywhere we go, there are electric hookups if we are going to be camping for a weekend. If we are just going for a day, I can use a cooler with ice. After doing some figuring and measuring and looking and more thinking, we have decided to build our own countertop instead of buying one and installing it. A regular countertop is around 24" and I don't want to give up that much space for it. It also makes it awkward when you put the 19" deep fridge under the counter. What do you do with that extra 5" of space in there to keep the fridge from sliding around? It will probably be similar to a butcher-block counter. We purchased some lights from Lowe's that were on sale - 2 sconces for "reading lights" in the nose and a matching overhead light for the rest of the trailer. We have talked about using galvanized tin for the ceiling, as it will reflect light well and be easier to install vs "rounding" the corners and edges, but it hasn't been decided for certain yet. The walls will be knotty pine tongue-and-groove.
Don't know where to start...
