By Cheri Sicard
A friend needed a small home fast, so the team at President Chay said they would help and bought a 30-foot camper for about $4,000. It looked livable at first glance, with a giant living area and even a washing machine. It was not. What followed was a full teardown, a new roof, and a top-to-bottom rebuild that turned junk into a one-of-a-kind luxury DIY tiny home. In the video at the end of this post, they show the entire process from start to stunning finish.
Rough beginnings
At pickup, the camper seemed like a steal. After a closer look, it was clear the roof had leaked for years. Nothing worked. The toilet and bathroom walls were filthy. Mold hid behind nearly everything.
Emptying it took days. The living room alone produced a 7-foot pile of trash that weighed 2,200 pounds!
Once the walls came down, the ceiling sagged. Foam and thin wood propped up the roof, and the wood had rotted away. Mold was above the foam, too. The real cause was a roof full of failed seals. If an RV roof is not resealed every few years, this is what can happen.
(Side note: The roof sealant I used on my trailer has a 10-year guarantee. I highly recommend it.)
They scraped every wall and ceiling panel back to clean foam, then ripped out the moldy floor. Under a sheet of plywood, they even found shingle packs. Holding tanks came out since the camper will live on land. New framing under the metal ceiling added strength without losing headroom. Plywood capped the framing, then foam sheets and spray foam sealed the gaps. A new subfloor went down with a lot of glue. The floor turned rock solid.
Replacing the roof
The team learned the roof was a giant vinyl membrane. So they pulled the old one, welded in new aluminum cross beams, and tied the walls together. The roof became walkable. Wood triangles created a slope for runoff, plywood skinned it, and a new vinyl membrane went on with contact adhesive. Gutters finished the job.
Wood-framed interior walls went up to support the roof and straighten the sagging sides. The bathroom and bedroom got framed first. Electrical came next, with a breaker box and 19 can lights. Plumbing used red and blue PEX. A water heater went in.
A MRCOOL DIY mini split went on the front, mounted with a custom bracket. The indoor unit used a template, pre-charged lines, and simple wrench connections. App control and labeled wiring made it quick. The team added a second unit in the bedroom for comfort. Installation on road-going campers, however, is not recommended and can void the warranty.
Walls and cabinets
Thin plywood sheathed the walls to keep the weight low. Custom cabinets matched the old layout but were smarter, like a pantry instead of a washer in the kitchen. Doors took days to build and finish. Cabinets were sprayed green. Trim hid nail holes and messy seams. Windows got custom wood surrounds to clean up the edges.
The shower got waterproofing and tile. A stacked washer and dryer squeezed into a tight nook. Wood countertops were stained and sealed. The living room gained a 7 ft. couch, which only fit after carefully cutting and folding the frame, then repairing it inside. A real house toilet replaced the old unit. The dinette benches included a hidden cat room with a vented litter space.
Carpet went into the bedroom for comfort and sound. The original aluminum bed frame was reused and upsized to a queen with lift-up storage.
Outside, the old decals were stripped, the body was sanded, patched, and repainted in a clean factory white with a modern feel.
Total cost, all-in (with camper), was about $20,000
This build proves a wrecked camper can become a real home with smart structure, careful systems, and patient finish work. The team kept weight in check, made it safer and stronger, and built it for daily living.
Want to try a similar project? The team advises starting with the roof and working down. They say that the rest gets easier when the bones are solid.
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RVDT2769
WOW! How this should have been constructed the first time.
I’m wondering why someone wouldn’t just buy a nice used one that didn’t need thousands of dollars in repair material plus all the labor.
I would first have spent $2000 on a highly-rated RV inspector who looked only at 2015-2019 $18-20,000 travel trailers with my pre-selected floorplan. The trailer would only be from a high-quality brand that I choose for my ultimate uses. It could be a Northwood, Lance, Bigfoot, or, possibly, a Rockwood/Flagstaff Mini/Micro Lite. Then any “improvements” or remodeling I would do myself. Those improvements might include a rooftop solar system with an MPPT controller, Li batteries, and inverter, an induction cooktop, and an actual 60×80″ queen bed (NOT an “RV” queen)!