Almost on topic, BIG RIG Campsite design

[skipn]

Since Dallas and Cat's lodging travalles I have been thinking.

What would it take to make a small 10 -20 big rig campisite?
I realize this isn't a money making venture but it should not be a money pit (that is reserved for the bus)
1. What are the minn. requirements?
2. What is the average needs?
3 What would be nice.
$ estimates low ball to top drawer.

I tried to include the aerial photo. The west shelter belt died from the neighbors spraying in 35mph wind. I need to do something
with it. but it died   
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&lr=lang_en&msa=10&z=18&ll=46.588457,-111.941189&spn=0.002927,0.006877&t=k&om=1
Only selling point is that Helena is between Glacier and Yellowstone.

Thanks (and have some fun with this)
Skip

[Hartley]

I am looking into doing something similar in tennessee if things go as planned.

The scenery at you place looks a bit bleak but I would think that laying out an experimental pull through spot
to see how much room that you would need would be a good place to start. Turnarounds and storage areas.

The landscaping is going to take a lot of resources but the big money is in any of the electrical or plumbing needs.
a loose guestimate would be around $3k to $6k per space on average to have it wired and plumbed, If you plan on
having a dump site or even fixed sewer lines you have to consider the big hump of change that will entail. The
bad part is getting the permits and planning. A really big septic tank system costs upward of $10,000 and is a lot
of work to get done.

My thought for my place is to have dry camping for the most part and what I am looking at already has power, water
and hiking trails defined and cut through sections of the forest. But I am looking at 100 acres or so in such a way
that I can provide separation between sites and still have enough room for a rally spot of about 5 acres with a small
clubhouse and laundry facility and dump station. All I need is the money, a bulldozer and portable saw mill.....

[TomC]

Personally- 65ft pull through by at least 25ft wide with concrete padio, 50amp service, water, sewer, cable TV, hard line telephone, WiFi, pool, laundry, bathroom with showers, convenience store, firewood, etc.  Just some thoughts-cost can go ballistic if allowed.  Good Luck, TomC

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Skip,

#1-  at least 40'X 85' in size.
#2- Perferrably paved with a patio area.
#3- Pull through Design so we don't have to unhitch to get to the site.
#4- 50amp service, water, sewer, and cable on a nice pedelstall
#6- minimal trees for us sattelite users
#7- very well landscaped with grass and no dirt.
#8- A well equiped store so you can live off the convience profits alone....
#9- Lots of things for your customers to do like, lakes, pools, outdoor equipment, playgrounds, activities, etc.
#10- Lots of room for big rigs to manuver through the park.

Hope this helps
Nick-

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hay Tom,

We think almost alike....Lol

I'm 64ft with the Yukon hooked on....

Nick-

[DrivingMissLazy]

#1-  at least 40'X 85' in size.

I am assuming this is width by length, correct?
Richard

[skipn]

DrDave...You are correct it is rather a sparse area. Yours sounds to be a destination point to relax.

This really is great I get the impression that one should follow the KOA style design (but more for big rigs)
Currently KOA estimates figures of $750K on 10 acres w/ cabins, pools, parks, convienent store etc.

  Oh my how fast things add up.

Skip

[captain ron]

I park my bus in Sturgis at the foot of a butte. at the top is a camp ground called "Big Rig Camping" It has app. 40 spots 20 of which overlook the city of Sturgis and is gorgeous view. Concrete pads, The rest of the area is all small round stone, Cable, sewer and water. The whole front row is million plus H3-45's with matching stacker enclosed trailers. Something like your talking about would be great to have near a big special event that goes on annually or bi-annually  so that for a week or two you can charge a thousand dollars a week for the sites then the rest of the year get normal pricing. 30 to 40 sites would be the best I would think to make it profitable. I was looking at the campsite I'm at now and it really wouldn't need a lot of space to do that many pull through's facing each other. Then you would have a nice # of full utility spots for a nice size rally and probably some space left over for boon dockers. I would think the cost per lot would go down with more lots. You could possibly sell them off as busaminiums that could be rented out when not in use on a 50/50 deal or even a time share deal.

[Chaz]

That "bus-a-minium" is something I have been kicking around also. I was thinking more on the beach tho. If - and I would guess there is - a place where a person can buy a spot and have someone take care of it, rent it, maintain it, etc. for a piece of the action  ( ie. cabins and chalets around the Smokey's). I think that would be cool. And if there was a place where we (those that would want to) could possibly buy spots next to each other and then rent to other bus nuts when not used buy the owners. Make sense? Then after awhile, we could have a "hostile takeover"!!! LOLOLOL 

  I got dreams.................... don't wake me up,
        Chaz

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Have to add some more..

My coach is 102" and the A&E awing extends out 10' so there is 18.6"

Then you need 4 to 5 ft on the utility side for your hook-up's = 23.6"

Now if I'm sitting under my awing, I sure don't want to look inside my neighbors window. So another 12 to 15' past my awning = 38.6" wide minimal!

Thats my standards, I'm sticking to it!

This is what I call a big Rig site.... Holiday Travel Park, V.A. Baech.
The supersites are our newest state-of-the-art RV sites.
They are roomy pull-through sites with paved entries and exits.
They feature a 60x12 foot (minimum) concrete pad with extended 15x25 foot patio, fire pit (raised bowl type), stamped metal picnic table, attractive landscaping, and full hookup pedestal including cable TV.
Some supersites can accomodate combinations up to 90 feet long.
Nick-

[skipn]

So Nick,

    Some of the high end places I have seen (internet only I couldn't afford or have a fancy enough rig) have high fencing
between slips with manicured shrubs. The fencing is below the top of a rig (for satellite) but provides privacy on a smaller
width slip design. Would that be something ok for your tastes?

   Just negotiating widths...

  Ron:   Well around here there there are mountains to see but I am afraid nothing to match Sturgis but then again who could match
           that.

   Also is it reasonable to have a 35ft minnimum. (reverse discrimination)

Skip

[oldmansax]

This is a very interesting post for those of us thinking about owning/operating a campground.

All of us were very sorry the situation with Dallas' & Cat's old campground did not work out BUT I may be on to another place that is better. I tried to buy it a few years ago but we could not come to an agreement. I found out on the way back from Timmonsville that the place may available again. I am looking into it. It is 179 acres with a 70 acre lake, pool, about 150 sites, lots of trails and a nice pavilion in North Carolina. If we can buy this, we will be sure to make it bus & big rig friendly.

Now for an OT comment. WE LOVE OUR BUS!!!!! 

This was a first long trip & everything worked well. We stayed on it for 11 days & had a ball.

We are indeed HAPPY CAMPERS!   

[Dallas]

Too Cool Tom!

We are glad you made it home OK.

And it was great to meet you and Phyllis. Good luck with the new project!

Dallas & Cat

PS: GO Busing!

[oldmansax]

Too Cool Tom!

We are glad you made it home OK.

And it was great to meet you and Phyllis. Good luck with the new project!

Dallas & Cat

PS: GO Busing!

It was good to meet you & Cat as well. BTW, Stuffie only came out of hiding for you guys; otherwise, she stayed hidden unless it was just Phyllis & I were in the bus.
If this other deal works out, we plan to include a manager. Do you know where we can find one?      

We'll keep you posted.

Tom & Phyllis

[kyle4501]

Check the local zoning or government to know what they require. Lots have changed here since we bought some land several years ago. Then we could do anything, now we have to get zoning approval.

For what it's worth, I'm trying to develop 5 acres into a self storage place for bigger stuff like buses, campers & big boats, but the required engineering plans for zoning approval that include surveying, designing the storm water runoff & treatment, environment impact issues, access road issues, etc is costing over $50,000.

That is just paper! No construction or materials!

Adding sewer will cost upwards of $20,000 for the design proposal to take to zoning to see IF they will approve it!

Far easier to buy something already grandfathered in.

Good luck!
I'd like to patronize your place