Teardrop Trailer Manufacturing Business

[Gsaunders]

Well after 47 years of working to include 9 Military, overseas contracting in Afghanistan for 6 years, 11 years driving a truck and 21 years in the telecommunications industry, I am retiring, and looking for my next great adventure in the world of keeping a roof over my head and food on the table.

I am currently looking at metal shops to start up my woodworking business, and I plan on building Teardrops and other items.

I am on the road about 28 days out of the month and as I travel across the country, I have observed the following. The major RV companies are getting into the Teardrop world, I see a lot of 4 or 5 foot wide by 8 foot long trailers on their lot. However as I drive across the country I dont see very many of these being pulled. What I do see is custom teardrops. So I started looking at the Teardrops they had for sale. What gets me is the Cookie cutter approach they have to building these, same approach as they have to their larger RV's. They have very few options, it is either a red one or a blue one with these 3 or 4 optoins. As I have read through all these discussions, I have realized that each person on here has their idea of what a tearcrop should be, what it looks like, and what goes in it. I dont think the Major RV dealers realize this is what people want. I have browsed some of their tear drops, and each one I get the same impression, cheap materials and poor quality. (the poor quality I know for a fact, as a flatbed driver I have deliver material to these places).

That being said, I plan building and selling. I would like to hear from others who do this (dont worry, I dont plan on driving you out of business, this is mainly to keep my sanity during retirement and let me do what I love to do and building something usefull to someone. (more or less a self funded hobbie).

[Onajourney]

I am currently looking at metal shops to start up my woodworking business, and I plan on building Teardrops and other items.

Congrats but have you ever built one? They're not as easy as most think. Besides the final product fit and finish, developing a stable and efficient build process is paramount to any successful production build.

[GPW]

GS, the major trailer manufacturers only present their image of trailers , which is some "decorator dream house" fantasy , Cutesy curtains and cushions, flawed appliances poorly installed , and with the poorest of materials and construction methods ... Designed to sell and create Profits. And with short specific warranties ( what ever it is , it's your fault ... read the manual which is fraught with fine print and ambiguous language.) , intrinsic problems , and limited lifetimes. Been there , what an expensive mess...

The door is wide open for the person who can make a truly pragmatic camper trailer , and something that lasts without a lot of problems ..
I'd start with something SIMPLE and make it as good as you can ... For a retirement job ( like me) just have Fun and do your thing !!!

Note : You can always get many valid ideas and opinions of " Tiny Trailer People" here , who have travelled literally Everywhere... Good Folks !! They're "bonafide" !!!

[Pmullen503]

A word of advice. You have to limit choices for customers. Too many options paralyzes them and FOMO takes over.

When I used to build boats I learned you build the best quality product you can (and still pay yourself a decent wage) and offer a few "curated" options that make sense for the TD you want to build.

[QueticoBill]

You should look at Vistabule as another example. They built one for themselves, got asked to build others, now have a nearly 8-10 month lead time (last I asked in March). They also offer a lot of options. Really nice build quality. High prices.

Many teardrop builders seem to have a long lead time. Suggests there is still a strong market.

[Tom&Shelly]

<snip, snip>

Tom

[bdosborn]

<snip>
Bruce

[Tom&Shelly]

First off, congrats on your retirement after an impressive career! Your plan sounds exciting.

Serial Spammer. Probably generated by a bot with no concept of retirement or a plan. Admins, please look at the posting history and delete!

Tom

[LadyBell]

I know it's been a while, but starting a teardrop trailer manufacturing business sounds like an excellent idea! These little trailers have become popular, especially for folks who love camping and road trips. The cozy vibe they offer is hard to beat. To stand out, you could focus on unique designs or eco-friendly materials. Plus, with all the outdoor enthusiasts, there’s a market for it.
I recommend doing some research on what features people love most in their trailers—like kitchen setups or storage space. It might also be worth connecting with other manufacturers to share tips and ideas. If you're looking for inspiration or to learn the ropes, go here for some great resources.

[tony.latham]

Congratulations on your retirement after such an incredible career! It sounds like you have a lot of exciting plans ahead with your woodworking business and teardrop builds. I agree with your observations about the significant RV companies. They seem to miss the mark with their cookie-cutter approach, which doesn’t resonate with those who appreciate the uniqueness of custom teardrops.

Why can't BOTS figure out they are responding to two-year-old posts?

Tony