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Review of Caravans Plus Service
We ordered a shelf for out fridge, and it was sent very promptly to the caravan park where we were staying. Excellent service and price.
3rd order by Tony from NT
Self Build Guide - 1. Layout & Overview.
Article by Steve Smith - Caravans PlusRead Time: 4 mins
Contents
This is part of a series of articles on building or rebuilding a caravan. You can find the whole series here: Ever Wanted To Build or Rebuild a Caravan?
Don't Reinvent the Wheel.
The caravan layout is the position of all the fixtures (beds, door, windows, fridge) in the van. There are hundreds of different caravan designs out there already. It's a good idea to take a lot of inspiration from an existing design as they have put thought into things like weight distribution, walkways, head clearance etc.
Caravan manufacturers have been trying different designs for a long time and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. You will have plenty of opportunity to make design decisions when you are building a van but we recommend you stick closely to the layout and dimensions of something you have seen.
Visit some caravan dealers or look at layouts on the internet. You will get a lot of great ideas. Below are just a few to get you started.
Overview of Construction Steps.
This is a tried and tested method that provides your strongest cabin with the least weight.
Before planning your layout a few extra things to take into account.
Layout Design Ideas - Lotus
Couple Layouts
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Family Layouts
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3 Comments
John
I practiced on doing modifications on our first Gazal with adding a toilet hatch and then a top load washing machine in a disused kitchen corner. The Boss wanted a sewing area so we found a 23 foot Nova similar to layout 23. We removed the double bunks and half the front cupboard then put in an L shaped counter with a pull out BBQ hatch and top load washing machine on the front wall against the boot. The outside door is where the fridge is in 23 so a set of drawers underneath hold the computerised sewing machine parts in foam. The house batteries have been moved to a pull out at the rear to get the tow ball weight within range with no voltage drop when wired with the correct size cabling. A few travelling sewers have gone away thinking of how their partners can modify their vans. The information in this Guide would have helped along the way, but there is nothing to be afraid of if thought out correctly and
Cliff
Where do we get a detailed Plan? Your Plan No. 6 would suit. Regards Cliff.
Neale
The first design Lotus is the design I’m considering making. Very close to what my design is, wanting to make it as lightweight as possible being an off-road design. Trying to figure out weight and costs of each component from chassis to the outside light fitting. Couple of companies out there with similar designs, one comes from china and the other one I need to win powerball before I can order one.