Done A Lot with the Place

Seems like a common theme among rv’ers is upgrading your home. The Tampa RV Show has been going on and there have been a lot of conversations online about fun times at the RV show, either just looking or looking to buy. We also know rv’ers who have recently settled down with a home again, or others who have bought a new rig. Harry and I have also talked about the future – our plans, dreams etc. At one time we had taken it for granted that someday we would upgrade to a newer rig, but we have since reconsidered. When we think of everything we’ve done to make this place into our home, the thought of starting over with a new rig does not excite us. And that’s not even taking into consideration the possibility of getting a rig with any kind of problems. So unless something unexpectedly catastrophic comes up, we plan to stick with this fifth wheel for the duration of our fulltime life.

As I was pondering this, I was thinking about all the changes we’ve made, and I thought it would be an interesting endeavor to list all the upgrades, replacements and modifications that we have done around here over the past five and a half years.

Living Room Area

• Replaced cabinet struts on all overhead cabinets (2016)
• Moved table to make room for cat tree (2012)
• Adapted cabinet for litter box (2012)
• Bought new recliners to replace RV recliners (They are already showing wear and tear so we are planning to purchase new ones next winter.) 2012
• Upgraded all lights to LED lights (2013)

Kitchen Area

• Added stove area tile backsplash (2014)
• Installed supports for corner shelving unit (2015)
• Installed supports for kitchen sink (2013)
• Installed support blocks for pantry unit (2012)
• Replaced cooling unit on fridge and added 2 fans to increase fan number to 3 (2012)
• Put switch covers over heater switches as safety feature (2016)

Bathroom

• Added tile backsplash (2015)
• Replaced bathroom faucet with upgraded faucet (2016)
• Upgraded fan to Vortex reversible, 4 speed fan (2012)

Bedroom

• Replaced tv with 32 inch tv (2016)
• Installed upgraded bed roller bolts (2015)
• Upgraded tv antenna system to digital (2013)
• Installed cabling to improve satellite system connection (2011)
• Purchased washer/dryer combo unit (2012)

Basement

• Relocated water pump for easy access to crawl space (2015)
• Installed house water filtration system (2015)
• Converted pex fittings from plastic to brass (2012)
• Replaced furnace control board (2014)
• Added basement tv sat connection (2016)
• Purchased 40 inch tv (2016)
• Installed new water heater (2014)
• Improved water system connection in docking area (2016)
• New water pump (2014)

Exterior

• Installed vent covers (2012)
• Replaced slide toppers with custom-made Sunbrella slide toppers (2015)
• Replaced propane regulator (2015)
• Installed satellite roller plate (2016)
• Upgraded satellite system (2017)
• Installed Heartland kit to reinforce underside of kitchen slide as protection from rollers (2015)
• Upgraded to Mor-Ryde king pin (2011)
• Replaced shackle bolts with wet bolts (2012)
• Upgraded lock to programmable RV-Lock (2015)
• Added Anti-slip strips to steps and ladder (2013)
• Upgraded to Motion light over steps (2012)
• Covered end cap seams with Eternabond (2012)
• Hitch for bike rack welded to frame (2011)

Beside the financial aspect, it’s so amazing to think about how much time it took to do all these things. After spending some time compiling this list, we are even MORE sure that we are going to stick with what we have! We are now in our fifth year of fulltime life, and are hoping for a few more years before we move on to our next phase!