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.
The only ‘before’ shot of the trailer (above).
The new fresh and classic exterior paint job.
The new green, faux wood-grained arborite counter.
A peek at the new painted interior walls, recovered seat cushions and added mirror.
