Holiday home/ static caravan - does your family have one? Do you love it/ regret it?

osian

Seriously considering buying a small holiday home for our family to use at weekends and occasional weeks in shool holidays. We've been thinking about it for years and saving and now we've seen something that's within reach.

The chalet we've fancied is more or less right on the beach with plenty of walks on the coastal paths and in the country. Also within driving distance of many attractions. It's about 70 mins away so easy to drive to on the weekend. I'd like to do it now so that our kids (4 and a baby) grow up with a lovely outdoors type life and happy memories.

Just wondering if in reality it's any good. Do you get good use out of yours or is it something that you regret buying? Do you get fed up of going to the same place each time?

Thanks

Gloomendoom

We have one. It has been passed down though the generations since the late sixties although, like Dr Who, it undergoes a regeneration every so often, generally getting bigger. Even though the actual van changes, the location doesn't and it has many happy childhood (and adult) memories for me.

We live in the country anyway but it's a change of scene and we get good use out of it. We've used it three times already this year.

mummyroysof3

It's something we have also thought about

Dovah_diva

It's not for me - but each to his or her own. I think static caravans on sites are a money pit. My sister had one and it cost her a small fortune and they never visited as often as planned. The money she spent she could have had several luxury holidays abroad.

Gloomendoom

Dovah_diva wrote: »

It's not for me - but each to his or her own. I think static caravans on sites are a money pit. My sister had one and it cost her a small fortune and they never visited as often as planned. The money she spent she could have had several luxury holidays abroad.

To a degree I would agree with this. If you don't use them very often, you may as well rent a cottage or stay in an hotel. It will cost you less in the long run.

We are lucky as ours isn't on a site and the ground rent is only £25 a year.

*BigBird*

My inlaws have a holiday home which is less than an hour away. They've had it since the 80s, renovated it from practically a shack on the beach and have had lots of use from it. DH remembers lots of holidays and weekends spent there. As he got older, he'd go with his friends. Now we take our family down, and his sister does the same. The inlaws also spend a lot of time there now that they've retired. I don't think we could ever get bored of it!

They also rent it out during the summer, so make a reasonable income from it.

I'd say go for it

bubbs

I live in one on a proper site, our neighbours are seasonal, they spent a fortune on their van and decking been once for 2 days since last july , so a very expensive weekend away, doubt they will come this week as usually here by now, and they only live about an hour away

fireyfirenze

I'd absolutely love one but after my family looking into it quite a few times, it's not the initial caravan/static home that would be a problem it's the site fees. they cost something ridiculous.

meritaten

We used to have a static on the SE Wales coast - we loved it! bought it second hand while the kids were little and spent almost every weekend and most of the school holidays down there. the kids had a marvellous time and we have some very happy memories. We had it for about 3 -4 years. Would I buy another one? NO - Site fees are ridiculously expensive and caravans depreciate more badly than cars!

the new lodges cost more than a house! beautiful, but very expensive and you still have site fees - it is more cost effective to buy a touring caravan - you only pay for the site fees while you are using the site, and if you have a drive or parking space then you don't have to pay storage fees. not to mention you are not 'tied' to a particular park.

zaksmum

We had one for 13 years on a site that had no amenities but was in a beautiful coastal area.

Site fees were £2.5K a year, insurance (compulsory) £250, rates £300. In total over £3K a year.

Fuel cost £40 a return trip. We loved having the caravan but the British weather was constantly dreadful...for the last four years we just didn't have a summer.

The only difference between summer and winter was the lighter nights and the slightly warmer rain.

When the caravan was 13 years old the site manager said we either had to upgrade or scrap the caravan and quit the site. New caravans (no option for used vans) started at £24K and we'd be guaranteed a maximum of 15 years on site, after which the van would be worthless.

So that works out at about £1600 a year depreciation plus ever increasing site fees etc...you can reckon on almost £5000 a year without adding fuel costs.

And of course you have to pay for gas bottles and metered electricity.

So around £100 a week, every week of the year, even in the depths of winter when the site is bleak, windswept and locked and barred!

You could get a good few holidays for that kind of money.

JodyBPM

We've had one for a couple of years and we LOVE it!!!

Our children are still young (7&8) and its so exiting for us all. We've done so much stuff, crabbing, picking samphire, beach walks etc. The big thing for me is that time at the caravan is almost ring fenced as family time, so we do stuff like board games, walks, just general stuff together that sometimes we don't find the time to do at home because were so stressed about the day to day stuff. I enjoy my children so much more when I'm removed from the daily grind and that is so valuable.

There's a lot of things to consider though. For us a "resort" caravan was not an option, we're not resort/bar type people. We went for a static in a field, near the beach, Perfect:)

The cost (site rent) of the caravan is, for us, not an issue as we are quite comfortable. They can be expensive, though, so check what the impact would be to you on your day to day life. Remember they are not an "investment" as they devalue year by year, especially rapidly in the first few years (static caravans)

Make sure that it is in a location that is
a) within reasonable travelling distance (we are 1hr 10 and personally, I wouldn't go further)
b) somewhere that you want to keep going back to. Beaches are great, but you need there to also be stuff to do in the bad weather!

As long as you do your research, know what you are getting yourself into, and can definitely afford it, I'd say go for it! We've certainly never looked back!

(Just to add, based on comment above - we bought the van for £4500 @15yrs old, 3 yrs ago. No devaluing left to do, really! Can stay on site til any age, as long as maintained and functional - its still in great nick. We did have to replace the boiler this year, but that only cost £200!. Site fees (SE England) less than £2K pa, and that includes rates, and all gas, elec and water. We are not on a resort though, I wouldn't touch a Park/Haven etc resort with a bargepole!)