Tag Archives: interview

Nathan & Trish share their trailer reno experience

My friends Nathan and Trish sent me some photos of a trailer they bought and renovated and I thought I’d share their trailer story on this blog. I know the idea of trailer renos has caught the interest of a number of my friends and we all know I need all the info I can get as I start my own trailer project!

In addition to sharing their photos, I thought I’d ask Nathan and Trish a few questions about their own experience:

Q: So, you guys bought a trailer and renovated it.  What inspired you to do this? 
A: Drove to a wedding… saw it on the side of the road.  Pondered it for a couple weeks, then went and bought it… used it on a Long Weekend trip to Tofino a couple weeks later.  And a few times after that including Kelowna & Desolation Sound on Whidbey Island.

Q: What was the extent of your renovations and how long did it take you to complete? 
A: Took a couple of weekends.  We painted the exterior, installed new cupboards (before there were none!), replaced the existing fiberboard counter top with a sweet green, faux wood-grained arborite counter, painted the interior white, reupholstered the cushions and added matching drapes, installed some leftover laminate flooring from a previous reno, and added a retro mirror inside the trailer.

Q: You’ve sold the trailer now.  After your experience, would you do another trailer reno project in the future and if so, is there anything you’d do differently the second time around?
A: We probably would buy a trailer again, but would buy one that started out with more comforts such as a toilet, fridge, running water, suspension!, etc. As for renos, ensure the materials are light and flexible as your RV or trailer, if moved, will flex a certain amount as you travel down the road.

Q: Any words of wisdom for others who are considering getting into the world of trailer renos?  
A: One of our biggest mistakes was not having a place to keep our little trailer. Had we had suitable storage options near home we may have kept it longer, but for us the timing wasn’t right in the short-term.

Thanks for sharing Trish and Nate! Check out Trish’s awesome online travel tips magazine and blog too – she’s got a sweet camping post that could prove helpful for those times you take your trailer out to the woods with you.

Before_trailer_

The only ‘before’ shot of the trailer (above).

After_trailer

The new fresh and classic exterior paint job.

Interior_counter_tops

The new green, faux wood-grained arborite counter.

Interior_seat_cushions_mirror

A peek at the new painted interior walls, recovered seat cushions and added mirror.