Motorhome ownership has, quite by accident, become one of the coolest things you can do today. Motorhome holidays have enjoyed an unprecedented resurgence, thanks the to the increased cost of international travel and the widespread hunt for wallet-friendly domestic alternatives. Meanwhile, a nascent ‘van-life’ trend bloomed in full against the backdrop of steadily-rising mortgage rates and rental prices alike.
Whether you’re a freshly-minted van-lifer or simply looking for a cosier way to enjoy road-tripping these great isles, you may have found yourself in ownership of a used campervan or motorhome. The first thought in your mind – beyond ‘those banquettes need a deep clean’ – will likely relate to what you can do to improve your new vehicle. What follow are little more than guidelines for you to use in your own personal motorhome-renovating journey, but are potent places to start if you’re in search of a showstopping new camper.
Rip Out the Kitchen
The weakest part of most motorhomes, especially older pre-millennium models, is the kitchen. Depending on the size of your motorhome, these can range from a miniature worktop to a fully-fledged and -cabinet-ed kitchenette. Either way, the bones of your kitchen are likely flimsy, failing or otherwise gross enough to destroy.
It is far better, in most cases, for you to start from scratch. This enables you to start with your needs firmly in mind, too. What do you want from your kitchen? Will you be cooking in it daily, requiring storage for multiple ingredients and utensils? Or will it be a spot for fixing dinner and drinks on your next summer excursion? Just as you would a regular kitchen, block out your storage and worktop with pine batons, and clad them with your sheet woods of choice!
Re-Install Your Electrics
Electricity is an unavoidable consideration when it comes to the contemporary camper, particularly if you have intentions of spending extended periods of time living out of it. This is a subject deserving of its own book, but there are some simple tips you should bear in mind.
For one, inverters are capable of stepping up DC car batteries to 230VAC ‘wall’ electricity, but drain batteries quickly. Rather than powering high-demand appliances in this way, consider investing in low-voltage leisure batteries and appliances that can run on them – saving you precious money and the pain of waking up to a dead van battery.
Insure It!
Having invested time and money in renovating your camper to suit your travels, you would be remiss not to insure it. Motorhome insurance is a must-have anyway, on account of being a legal requirement for driving on UK roads. But the coverage of your insurance policy is a vital thing to investigate, to ensure that more than the contemporary resale value of your stock campervan is covered. You might even consider a separate contents insurance policy to protect your technology and hence some of your hard work.
