Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Looking for an experienced - as in you already made at least one - teardrop builder. MUST be located in either NY, NJ or PA, as that's where I reside (Northern NJ), and I want an easy pickup situation.

How you build it (foamie, wood, etc.) is up to you, as long as it's well-insulated, durable & safe. I would also prefer lightweight, too.

In terms of my needs, they're pretty simple, but I can share them with you via PM if you'd like to know more.

I'm offering a flat rate of $2,000 for your labor, plus I'd obviously be purchasing anything you need for the build. I realize this isn't a lot of money, but it's what I can afford.

This would be a great project for someone who's currently out of work and needs cash, a tinkerer/carpenter looking for a side project to make a few extra bucks, or maybe a person who enjoys building teardrops and would like to land their first paid job.

P.S. - I'm also open to teardrops for sale in the $3,000 range, provided you're in my area (see above), and they fit my needs.

Thanks,
Joe

I don't think your budget is realistic. I have over 500 hrs in my tear drop. I can't imagine that anyone would be willing to work for $4 per hr. Including shop, tools and incidentals.

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I'm offering a flat rate of $2,000...

I'm with Fitz. Teardrops take a lot of time. Your $2,000 would put mine below $4 an hour.



I would recommend avoiding a builder that can't show you an example of their work.

Tony

I'm with Tony and Friz on the labor time/cost. Maybe consider looking for a used teardrop. If your needs are simple then you shouldn't have too much trouble finding one that will satisfy you. I'm on build number three and building on a part time basis they all have taken more than nine months. You should be able to find what you want in a used condition in that time.

Watch the "For Sale" and "For Sale Not Mine" pages here on tnttt for leads on used teardrops.

I don't doubt for a second that some of you have 500+ hours in your builds, but to be fair, those are extreme examples. Most of those hours probably weren't for the MAIN build, but rather, constant tinkering, adding, fixing , etc.

Friz, your rig looks very sophisticated and pretty. I'm essentially looking for a step or two above a box on wheels. Something like the ones Runaway puts out, not a canned ham design.

Does everyone realize that 2 or 3 men can raise a barn or build an entire cabin in a weekend or two? Surely 1 knowledgeable person can put together a simple TD in about a month working 6 or 7 hours per day with weekends off. If so, that comes out to higher than $4 per hour. Not a fortune, but NOT $4 per hour either.

Friz, the TD in your photo looks like the ones produced by CLC. CLC offers classes where even inexperienced people can have a mostly COMPLETED trailer in 2 weeks. That works out to about 70 hours, which seems realistic to me. Yes, they're kits, but so what? Let's add another week into my build to source parts, which would bring it to 3 weeks. https://www.clcboats.com/boatbuilding_classes/704.html

A SIMPLE teardrop can indeed be built by someone in roughly a month if they put in daily, consistent hours.

I'm not arguing with any of you, we simply have differing opinions. My needs are very basic...bordering on functional only. I think my budget is fair for an experienced person who needs some extra cash, or a backyard builder who's done a couple of these and can knock one out fairly fast.

I don’t have enough experience with tear drops to the point that anyone would be interested in wanting me to build one for them. I have a fair bit of trailer experience though with 5 builds from scratch to major modifications. No 2 are alike – car carrier for the off road cars I built and raced, utility, expedition, tear drop modification and my current fibreglass camper restomod.

I restored cars for about 30 years as a hobbyist. For 2 of those years I formed a company and also did work for other people. Honestly, that was probably the worst work I ever did. The amount of downtime waiting for materials, decision making by both parties, fuzzy communication, making the money work and just basic administration both with clients and the government caused me to return to it as a hobby.

My point to the OP is, if you’re able to find someone within your budget both you and he have to have a very clear arrangement up front with milestone points at which either of you can call it a day.

Last point, I rebuilt SU carbs for British cars as a side line for a while. I shut that down quickly when I realised that no matter how good a job I did some guys would find a way to screw up the installation. I couldn’t carry enough insurance to make that worth my while. How does this relate to trailers? I don’t think I’d ever build a frame for anyone. I know 2 guys who build tear drops for others, one in a business and one as a hobbyist. Great products by both but both rely on outside professionally built frames and axles for liability reasons.

Joe, if you find a builder that you can work with take time to confer with some of the folks on tnttt to get second opinions if the builder insists on methods you are unsure of. These folks want to help. That's what we all do. You'll sort out who's advice to follow. That's the fun of building in this community. You'll get serious help here. You'll maybe get some nonsense too. Make it a fun adventure.

Personally I would never attempt what you are trying to do, especially if your builder isn't close. I am currently building a foamie at my house for/with my son. We have been at it since June 2020. It's a labor of love and we are both patient with each other. However, the frustrating part is he is 4 hours away and that distance on its own makes the project very challenging. Covid-19 has complicated it as well.

I don't know how far you are in developing the materials list for this teardrop. You mentioned $3k for a used teardrop. I am going to assume you are budgeting much more for a custom built teardrop. I built my woodie five years ago. It cost me about $3500 and I built my own doors, windows, almost everything. Yes, it has been a money pit since adding lots of enhancements.

For my son's foamie a No. Tool trailer was $800. A set of doors for my son's teardrop was $900 shipped. He is up to $3800 in materials and we are no where near what is needed for a basic build. I would guess he needs another $1500 just to get his rolling foamie box road worthy. He is lucky to have a talented pipe fitter for an uncle close by to make mods to the trailer axle.

Tim

Did I miss what you think materials will cost? I think you can get into a new very basic teardrop for near $6000 - and builder's $2000 + materials could exceed that. Not in your area, but look at tcteardrops.com for reference.

I'm sure you're aware that teardrops, used or new, as well as all trailers, rvs, canoes, etc , are all at a pandemic premium.

Check craigslist everyday. Here's one in Adirondacks for $2000. https://plattsburgh.craigslist.org/tro/ ... 52842.html


Correction. Most basic from TC is $4700.

QueticoBill wrote:Check craigslist everyday. Here's one in Adirondacks for $2000. https://plattsburgh.craigslist.org/tro/ ... 52842.html

Correction. Most basic from TC is $4700.

$2 grand complete in NY state. That'll be gone quick. No matter what I think of the tongue box, er, thing! What do you suppose that was designed for?

18 month lead time at TC Teardrops according to their web site.

Yes. Too old to finish his trailer. Won't last in long.

contact/check out their website - "Hiker Trailers" in Colorado/Indiana = what used to start at below $5000 for one of their basic models now starts at $5600 = a good basic c'a'mplete trailer - nothing fancy but good..... BUT your start wanting/adding extra's and it's ^$^$^$^...... You get what you $$$ for..............just a suggestion take care

also checkout 'Gateway Teardrops' =basic 5x9 trailer for $5800 Conway, Arkansas

Anybody with the skills to build could easily be making >$30/hour right now with the demand for labor. I charge more than that for handyman work.

Good luck.