Answers to questions about RV Repair and Maintenance from RV expert Dave Solberg, author of the RV Handbook and the managing editor of the RV Repair Club. This column appears Monday through Saturday in the RV Travel and RV Daily Tips newsletters. (Sign up for an email reminder for each new issue if you do not already receive one.) Today Dave discusses repairing a water-damaged floor in an RV.
Dear Dave,
The floor in our bedroom has rotted out due to moisture. The problem was fixed but we need the floor repaired. What is a ballpark figure cost-wise on doing this? Thanks. —Connie
Dear Connie,
The cost to repair your floor depends on several factors. These include the extent of the damage and the labor rate of who is doing the work. Most RV service centers won’t give you a quote until they can pull back the carpet and see how much of the floor and substructure needs to be removed and replaced.
Labor and materials to repair floor
Labor can be anywhere from $100 per hour up to what I’ve heard is $150 per hour at some of the larger dealers. If it’s a matter of pulling up carpet and replacing a couple sheets of plywood it would probably take about 4-5 hours plus materials, so it could be $600-$800.
If the damage is extensive enough to need substructure replaced and several sheets of plywood and insulation, it could be 2-3 times more for labor and material. Also, if the rotten area is under furniture such as a bed, wardrobe, kitchen cabinets and such, you can add even more labor to remove that.
Assess the damage
I would suggest pulling back as much carpet or vinyl flooring as possible to see what exactly needs to be replaced. You will need to look for two issues: rotten wood and substructure, and mold. The plywood floor may be solid, but if you have mold it will need to be either sanitized or replaced.
Make sure you get someone that has done this before so you don’t pay extra labor time for someone who is learning.
Read more from Dave here.
Dave Solberg worked at Winnebago for 15 years developing the dealer training program, as marketing manager, and conducting shows. As the owner of Passport Media Creations, Dave has developed several RV dealer training programs, the RV Safety Training program for The Recreation Vehicle Safety and Education Foundation, and the accredited RV Driving Safety program being conducted at rallies and shows around the country. Dave is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook” as well as the Managing Editor of the RV Repair Club.
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If you have a Winnebago, you may be able to get a tech sheet from them which will show you how the floor is constructed and what might be involved with a repair. Research their site and customer service for advice. Include model, year ans serial number. (VIN).