first ttt renovation!

[traceyinva]

What HAVE I gotten myself into...? I've been reading messages here for days in anticipation of this journey I'm about to begin... and it feels sort of like that movie "The Money Pit" i.e. the more you do the more you want to do, and the more you dig the more you want to restore...

My little trailer is coming to me next week. It is homemade, not a kit, looks VERY solidly built, but way too many cabinets/partition walls... REALLY claustrophobic inside. Not ME, but the layout -- I can't explain without pics... I will post some when it arrives. But I am planning on pulling a lot out and redesigning the inside.

The roof is rotten along the edges, wavy in the middle (planning to replace) and the whole thing DESPERATELY needs a scrape, sand, paint job.

It hasn't been used in 10 years so there are spiders to be evacuated, musty (mildewy?) carpet on the inside that will need to be torn out and the wooden doors sanded to allow them to open and close more easily, etc.

But it's definitely part of the spiritual journey I've been called to... A family in dire straits will need to live in my house this summer... and this free trailer is the accomodations I've been provided with by my spiritual director. The way I figure it, even if the thing is rotted through and through... at least I have a free trailer and wheels to build up new from!

God has such an incredible sense of humor! I thought I'd be spending the summer in a little wooden shed with very few possessions but now it turns out I'll be spending the summer in a REALLY old camper trailer with ALMOST NOTHING!!!

I need to know where to get the thin sheets of bendable ply or how to steam/bend/cooerce regular plywood for the curved section of the roof when I replace it... but I guess I'm way ahead of myself, it ain't even in the DRIVEWAY yet

VERY EXCITING STUFF! Tracey in VA

[mikeschn]

Hey Tracey,

Welcome to the forum... send us some photos... we'll be able to offer better advice!!!

As for thin plywood... I buy it at a local plywood store. It's 1/8".

If you don't have a local store, you could try Boulter Plywood, but you probably won't like the prices...

Meanwhile we are waiting for your photo... if you need help posting your photos, look up there in the menu where it says, "Help with photos"!!!

Mike...

[bobhenry]

O.K. you are giving up your home to a family less fortunate ? That's a question !

And you are taking a teardrop as your home on the road ? That's also a question?

Will this occur yet this winter ? If so heat and insulation is a larger factor.

Are you taking off to see the country or just camping nearby?

What are you towing with ?

Tents and easy up's add living space ! A statement.

Are you in economic straits or can you afford to retro the trailer without compromise ?

I know it all sounds so nosey but these are all design criteria and without good input on your part our suggestions are a shot in the dark !

If I have stepped on toes I will appologize in advance just trying to help us focus on what's needed and what's not. Good luck whatever !

[Miriam C.]

to the playground Tracy. Sounds like you have been given one of those teaching blessings. This site is one for me and I hope it will prove to be one for you too.

Now, 1/8 Birch, is 4'x8' or Baltic Birch, 5'x5', will bend nicely for you if you turn it sideways. You can use really hot water if you need to give it a push.

If the td still smells musty when you get it cleaned and aired you can cover it with Shellac. It even blocks out pine smells.

Check out ways to make privacy screens too.

Enjoy

[Mike C.]

Hi Tracey,

Welcome to the forum. Looks like you will have an interesting summer ahead. Well, just get to building, sanding, epoxying and painting and before you know it, you will have a great little home with wheels. When you are able, post some pictures, and maybe someone on here can help you out.

See you around.

[caseydog]

O.K. you are giving up your home to a family less fortunate ? That's a question !

And you are taking a teardrop as your home on the road ? That's also a question?

Will this occur yet this winter ? If so heat and insulation is a larger factor.

Are you taking off to see the country or just camping nearby?

What are you towing with ?

Tents and easy up's add living space ! A statement.

Are you in economic straits or can you afford to retro the trailer without compromise ?

I know it all sounds so nosey but these are all design criteria and without good input on your part our suggestions are a shot in the dark !

If I have stepped on toes I will appologize in advance just trying to help us focus on what's needed and what's not. Good luck whatever !

I gotta' admit, the post made me nervous too. Giving up a house for a trailer that sounds like it might be firewood, not a place to live.

The "spiritual advisor' part has me a bit nervous, too.

Send pics as soon as you can. And, I hope you are "lending" your house, and haven't "given" it to some religion.

Spiritual journeys can be wonderful, but don't turn off your brain in hopes of experiencing an epiphany.

Good luck to you. We'll do what we can to help.

CD

[traceyinva]

I have two homes, one of which is already occupied by a family that is just now able to pay a bit of rent...

This other family I know VERY WELL, they are moving into the area to improve their financial situation... My current house is offered the same way as the first. This family will occupy it for several months rent free while they establish themselves. Then they'll either pay rent or find a home of their own.

I am only one person... seems logical that I move into a little trailer for a few months.

I hope this comes out right... I am not in any kind of cult. I just have a special calling from God. Part of this is the need to relinquish a lot of my possesions (sift, sort, give, sell dispose of in whatever way makes sense) so that I am free to leave to be of service in whatever way God intends. And lately that feeling has taken an increased sense of importance/urgency.

Don't know how to explain the God thing. Never seems to come out right without sounding like a Bible thumping lunatic. But it is a serious mission for me. The ttt has been given to me by another Christian who wants to help with my mission, and I am grateful for it and excited to begin this experience...!

Yes the ttt is in rough shape, but the floor is sound, the outer walls are sound... the interior needs torn out, carpet etc, replacing the roof will be the most expensive part. The rest is just (JUST!) a lot of hard labor.

The ttt is being delivered to my driveway by it's current owner. It will not move for quite some time as I don't have anything to tow it with. I will stay in it in my driveway (as discreetly as I can). I have a membership at the gym and I can cook hot meals at work. I have thought this through, really. I just thought it was going to be a little wooden shed, which now seems spacious in comparison

I would not call myself independently wealthy, nor even comfortable in the financial sense of the word... but I have a level of success now that *I* could never imagine when I was spending MY time in the women's shelter 5 years ago... So it is part of my calling to give back.

I do thank you, truly, for your concern, but I am a 40+ gal with a good job, two grown kids in college and my head firmly screwed to my shoulders. I promise

I'll post pics as soon as I get the trailer.

Tracey in VA

[Miriam C.]

Tracy, drop in and say hi to the girls. in and amongst the posts are some great privacy ideas and helpful hints.
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=14863

[Roly Nelson]

Tracey, I can relate to the renovation of a vintage TTT. Some on the board have the impression that you are talking about a teardrop trailer, but correct me if I'm wrong, by by your remarks about carpeting being replaced and doors not closing properly, leads me to believe that this is a good sized trailer that you can stand in....right?

I tore out everything in my little 10 ft long Kenskill Standy, and rebuilt everything, paneling, cabinets, beds, dinette, sheet vinyl floor, to name a few. I am sure you don't plan to go that overboard, and my question is, are you planning on living in it while making the repairs. (replacing rotten roof members and interior ceiling paneling), or do you have some time to make the repairs prior to making it your full-time residence?

Do take some pics and post em and perhaps we can give you some pointers. I'm sure some on the board may fear you will be giving away all of your worldly belongings, then living like a hermit in an old junk trailer. I don't read that out of your post, but but there are sad memories of folks that were involved in such self denial then uged to drink cool-aid. It sounds like your heart is in the right place, and are out to help others who are less fortunate than you. If this is your calling, go for it. However, I do beleive you've got a lot of work to do. Good luck on your rebuild.
Rolyl

[traceyinva]

Roly,

I have until the first week of June to get it summer livable. It isn't tear drop shaped but it is tear drop height, there is a foot well in the center so I can almost stand up but not quite, and I am only 5'3" tall. There is carpet on the floor/deck and a little on the walls themselves. Maybe an attempt at insulation? who knows... The outside ply skin on the roof is rotten but don't think the cross members are... won't know till I get in there I guess.

I didn't actually measure except with my arm span but it's about 6' wide and maybe 8 or so feet long. At the 'back' (away from the hitch) there is a tear-like hatch that lifts out and up, then two other plywood doors that swing out to support the hatch. behind those doors are half a dozen or so full width shelves that span side to side and run top to bottom. I'd like to figure out a way to access them from both the inside and outside, but at the moment the shelf back is solid and forms the far back wall of the 'cabin'. The cabin is really cluttered with several strangely shaped cabinets and cupboards (built on TOP of the musty carpet) and I think I can make the unit much more functional by tearing out most of it, then re-using the wood to build a better galley.

>>I am sure you don't plan to go that overboard

Actually, yes, I plan on doing a total reno on the unit, but expect to re-use much of the existing wood and planning on keeping it VERY simple: one large opening, a twin bed, a porta potty, room for a few changes of clothes, a bookshelf to keep my mother earth news magazine collection on... you know, the basics

Tracey in VA

[Juneaudave]

Tracey...good luck with your project and God bless with your mission!!! Let us know if you hit a rough spot!!...Juneaudave

[hiker chick]

If I had life to do over I'd have a lot less stuff (or would go back and put all my tuition money in Intel and Apple, buy an island and have tons of stuff...)

Tent and now teardrop camping has been an education for me as it distills life down to the very basics: shelter, food, water. And bathroom access.

Since you're in Virginia I gather it will likely get hot and humid this summer where you are, so one thing I'd be looking at is ventilation, if not a/c.

Are there any campgrounds near you where you could volunteer to be a camp host?

Then you'd have access to facilities and be right at home in your teardrop.

Best wishes to you and please keep us posted on your progress.

[Steve_Cox]

Hi Tracy,

Sorry I was out camping when the welcome wagon rolled over you. (I read your post on the Lady TD'er thread)

Sounds like you lead an interesting life and have a lot of courage. Can't wait to see the pictures of your travel trailer and what you do with it.

[caseydog]

If it's what you want to do, then go for it. I'm in a "scaling down" mode, myself. Not a calling from a diety, but just tired of working away my life to buy a lot of "stuff." So, I can relate to your goal.

However, my "dream house" I've designed is less than 1,000 square feet and supper energy efficient, not less than 100 feet and on wheels.

It sounds like you know a thing or two about building things and how structures work, which is a good start. Once you get some pictures up, I'm sure you'll get a lot of ideas from the gang here on the forum.

Another cool web site is The Small House Society. http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/ ... sesociety/

You can find a lot of resources there for "living small."

CD

[bobhenry]

Hi Tracy,

Sorry I was out camping when the welcome wagon rolled over you. (I read your post on the Lady TD'er thread)

Sounds like you lead an interesting life and have a lot of courage. Can't wait to see the pictures of your travel trailer and what you do with it.

I may have been one of the welcome wagon rollees. That was not my intention. I wanted to fully understand your position. I understand your intentions but I think more than a few of us find it hard to understand a trailer without a tow vehicle and now no plot of ground on which to park it. I fully understand God will help for I have been backed up to the wall several times when an unforseen blessing came my way but I have heard he helps them who help themself also.
I have raised throw out neighbors kids ( and he turned out fantastic and is a soon to be dad ) I have taken an exwife and her boyfriend into my home for 2 months and later was able to help then find a rental home which needed lots of help which I repaired. Later I was able to help them by findind them a home to buy. The wife and I have volunteered for Habitat for humanity on a regular basis. I have my sister in my home again for the 3rd time , down on her luck. I don't see it as a deeply religious movement only being a carrying human being. I try to remain in a position where I am able to offer the needed assistance. Sorry If we seemed harsh or judgemental we were all simply trying to be helpful.
God love ya for your careing ways

Bob