The Jacksonville RV Mega-show took place February 7-10. Amidst the 55 manufacturers of motorhomes and trailers was something a bit different, a handful of manufacturers offering options for longer-term and semi-permanent living.
Even road warriors sometimes have to put down roots for a while, whether it’s during an extended stay with relatives, snow-birding to escape winter, or adding digs to the family homestead. Great choices exist - everything from Park Model RVs to Tiny Homes - each offering a way to add a home away from home.
RVers probably best recognize Park Model RVs which look like small modular homes. Park Models can range from 400 - 500 square feet. Dimensions up to 12 feet wide and 36 feet long are designed to fit within many campgrounds and RV resorts across the country.
They are feature-rich, often with full kitchens and baths. On the outside, they often have peaked roofs, porches, gabled windows, and sided in everything from vinyl to cedar for those wanting a rustic look. In all, they can look like small summer cottages.
Yet, while Park Models may look like small manufactured homes, they are actually titled and registered just like an RV. In fact, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) excludes them from their oversight because they are specifically considered a type of recreation vehicle. While not intended to be permanently affixed to property or to be used as permanent residences, Park Models are perfect for extended vacations and seasonal accommodations.
The Jacksonville Mega-Show welcomed three companies offering Park Models:
Designed to pack as many amenities as possible into a small living space, Athens Park Model RVs feature high-pitched roofs and floor plans emphasizing space and comfort. Options include front and rear porches, lofts, recessed lighting, stackable washer/dryers, built-in microwaves, and electric fire places.
Manufactured homes being assembled. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
Ocala’s Chariot Eagle is one of the top producers of holiday park homes in North America.
The company started in 1984 and acquired by Cavco Industries, Inc. in 2015, Chariot has ranked 1st or 2nd in USA 12' wide park model sales since 1989. Their loyal customers now number approximately 20,000.
Chariot Eagle has developed a portfolio of models in 12, 13, and 14-foot widths, suitable for many RV spaces nationwide.
While known mainly for their travel trailers and fifth wheels Crossroads RV also makes what it calls “Destination Trailers” that fit into the Park Model category. These are intended for longer stays than with their traditional RVs. Destination Trailers offer increased space, more interior height than traditional RVs, sliding glass patio doors, and an abundance of windows to let in natural light. Models with second-floor lofts are also available.
Tiny Homes are a relatively new phenomenon and different from Park Models in many ways. While a typical Tiny House has a footprint similar to a Park Model (between 100 and 600 square feet), they’re intended to be petite residential alternatives.
Tiny homes fall into a gray area between mobile homes and permanent dwellings. While tiny homes can be built on foundations, most are built on trailers allowing owners to move them. The maximum dimensions for trailered units, without obtaining a special permit, are 8-feet 6-inches wide, 13-feet 6-inches tall, and 40-feet long. In some jurisdictions, trailered-built units are considered recreational vehicles or in some cases mobile homes and must comply with construction guidelines for those.
Tiny Homes on permanent foundations are usually considered residential units, or even accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and must comply with applicable zoning and building code requirements.
Two Companies showcased offerings at the Jacksonville Mega-show:
Founder Brett Hiltbrand started as stick-built custom home builders but left the traditional building industry to start Cornerstone Tiny Homes in 2014 and is now currently building Tiny Homes exclusively. He noted the tiny home field is expanding, saying, “There’s no single demographic to pin the Tiny Home market to.” He added, “The biggest part of the customer base is 50+ and women.”
Cornerstone currently builds four kinds of small dwellings:
Foundation Houses - designed for traditional neighborhoods and particularly useful for narrow lots. These residential units come in 1, 2, or 3 bedroom versions, in styles ranging from colonial to mid-century with options like porches and garages available. Hiltbrand is excited about these units because they are Florida building code compliant and attached to a property via a foundation. That means customers can get financing for these, “Anyone can own a tiny home now”, he says.
Backyard Villas - these are Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADU) that sit on a foundation on a property. These 360-square foot one-bedroom homes contain all the necessities of modern living including full kitchen, dishwasher, and washer/dryer and are perfect for one or two people. ADUs are perfect for outside offices, rental units, or as an alternative to an assisted living facility for aging family members.
Dogtrot Style Homes - a century-old style of single-story house with rooms opening onto a breezeway running through the center of the house.
Tiny Houses on Wheels - Cornerstone offers seven models of mobile tiny houses with attractively-priced shells and finished units.
Forbes Magazine calls Escape products “The Most Beautiful Tiny Houses in the World”.
The Wisconsin-based company has been building Tiny Homes and Park Models for 25 years. They pride themselves on designs based on simplicity, openness, and use of space. Common features include panoramic windows, fully equipped kitchens, large bathrooms, and first-floor bedrooms. Off-grid options like solar, composting toilets, and LP appliances are available.
If it becomes time for a traveler to put down permanent roots, consider a factory-built manufactured or modular home like those built by Elkhart, Indiana’s, Skyline, that has been building factory-built homes since 1951.
Initially, Skyline produced mobile homes; those evolved into today’s manufactured and modular homes which are a viable alternative to traditional site-built homes. As the company notes, “Mobile homes were manufactured in the early 70s and conformed to local codes in force at the time. Manufactured homes are built to Federal HUD codes which in some cases are more stringent than local building codes.”
Skyline offers a wide variety of manufactured and modular homes ranging from basic dwellings to units custom-tailored with options.
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