Hello! I'm in the process of developing an RV storage lot and would love some feedback on do's and don'ts. We are currently working with a few possible location in the Merritt Island Florida area. The plan is to develop one of these locations into a beautiful 3 acres lot which would be completely paved with covered and open spots. It will have a well landscaped surround with a black aluminum fence and 24 hour access. The lot will be well lit and include many security camera. We would provide a wash are with raised platform for cleaning as well as a dumping station. Our goal is to have a comforting and welcoming facility for your RV. What other features if any would you like in an RV storage lot? Is a dump station a draw? What pricing do you think would be fair for covered vs. open? Is there anything that would be a turn off? How close to your house is your current lot? Any comments you have are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you! EZ Leisure
I'll comment on two things. I think the dump station would probably be a good feature. I know that when we return from a trip we have to go to an RV park in our area and use their facility for a fee (which we understand having and we don't mind paying), but the problem is some parks do not allow this and sometimes the ones we have used in the past have changed their policy and we have had to go looking for a new place to dump the tanks. Knowing that there is a station we could use at the storage facility would be a plus for us. Would the service be free to those who store their RV there? Also would you allow folks to use the station (for a fee) if they were not storing their RV there? Again, I think this convenience would be welcomed by RVers in your area. Also would there be electrical available at some parking spots? I think this would come in handy because we like to turn on our fridge and AC a few hours before we start loading things for the trip. Even just one or two electric hookups for temporary use while loading would be helpful.
I have never used a storage lot, but the suggestions by Texasrvers are what I would suggest. If you want to get fancy, what about an RV wash station (for a fee), and maybe even a covered bay with a pit to be able to work on your RV underneath. -chris g.
Provide a 20 amp AC power outlet at every site but charge an additional $X per month to turn it on. Most people want to keep their batteries charged; some want to keep their refrig on. Don't allow air conditioners to run. Provide a back-in service for those that are "squeemish" about backing into a restricted space. You may also protect your support poles like this.
Texasrvers, thanks for taking the time to reply. The game plan is to provide free use of the dump station to anyone who has a spot on the lot. We weren't thinking of letting non-parkers use the dump station but it sounds like a great idea to generate traffic to the lot... If your RV was on the lot would you be ok with other coming by to use the dump station? We do plan on having AC for each spot which would be included in the price of the spot. Would a Lot like this make sense in your area?
Fitsjohnfan, thanks for your comment. We do plan on having a wash station which would be included in the price of the parking spot so I'm glad to hear you believe that would be a draw. We haven't discussed the idea of a pit but something we should definitely think through.. Do you find most people work on their own RV and would benefit from that type of feature?
A fair price is whatever the market will support. What do similar facilities charge in the area? Insurance is going to be a big component of your operating costs, engage them in your design plans. Also be sure you are in compliance with fire codes and environmental laws. Dump stations and wash bays often have many regulatory rules most people would never consider on their own Do your due diligence.
Bama Camper, thanks for the reply! We agree and feel the outlet is a great feature which we provide for evert spot on the lot (included in the spot fee). Do you think parking the RV in a spot would be a deal break as our current plan is to have the owners park their own vehicle?
Parking will be an issue no matter how you handle it. Self parking can lead to a multitude of issues. Damage, blocking access to neighboring vehicles, parking in the wrong spot etc. Guided parking requires employees and increased liability. Choose your poison.
Good question, but a tough one, and I'm not sure. I guess I would feel more comfortable if people just using the dump station would not have access to the stored RVs, but people who are storing their RV would also have access to mine, so there is still some risk involved that one of them might decide to do something to my rig. Would it be possible to have the dump station in a separate locked area with keypad access so that the code could be given to those storing an RV and to those who pay to use the dump station? That again is hard to answer for my specific area because we don't live right in a city, and in this area many people have a place to store their RV on their property. But we do have quite a few storage lots that are mostly for boats, and they also have RVs stored. As I mentioned before, what we don't have is a convenient dump station. And I don't think most RVs parked at homes have electricity available, so these two amenities at a storage lot would be a draw for me. I can also see where this type of lot might be utilized near cities since there is not usually a place to park RVs in a traditional neighborhood. One other thing: have you thought about having security cameras?
I'm in the camp of charging for services used, not charging everyone or making everyone pay for power or dump station acces even though they might not use it. It is there, and costs $$ per use by the folks renting a spot. That way you have some control and knowledge of those using each thing. If half the sites have power and you find that you need more, as renters are requiring it, then add those 20 amp plugs to those unpowered sites. Having the sump station inside the storage yard but seperate access would be how I would lay it out if the room was there. I'm lucky enough to have my motorhome parked next to my home so not a user of a storage yard. But if needed, i would investigate a yard like your thinking of bulding.
If you poll the reasons campers give for wanting a pull through site at a campground, I think you'll find a lot of campers don't want to back into a site. That would be more of a concern in a tighter spot. I don't know if you'd lose them as a customer, but I bet you'll get a lot of requests for that service. The downside is you'll have to have someone there most of the time (which you may anyway). Most RV dealerships use a forklift with a front mounted hitch to move campers around their lots - even those in for repair. You'll also be able to park them tighter if you have a competent attendant do it. Another feature I would look for if I were selecting an RV parking lot is controlled access and a good video security system. You probably need that for your own protection anyway.
I would say the pit would be a nice feature, but probably not used much. There are DIYers who work on their own coaches, but the projects could take several days or weeks to complete, and how do you charge for that? Maybe limit it to one day projects like oil changes. List would be low on the priority list, but could be a selling point. Most motorhome owners like to change their oil once a year, sometimes just going in, or coming out of storage. I would also set the dump station out of the storage area, so people not storing their rigs at your facility could still utilize it for a fee.
Yes, we will definitely have security cameras and great lighting to ensure everything is safe. Thanks again for the feedback!
Agreed, security is something we are extremely passionate about. The lot will be well lit with lots of cameras. Thanks again for your comments.
You so right about picking your poison... LOL. We are currently leaning toward trusting the owners to park their own RV but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Thanks for the feedback.
