# Camper re-roof question



## beginnersluck (Sep 21, 2017)

Anybody know an estimated cost of replacing a roof on a 30 ft. with water damage? It would need new wood and resealed.  I know it's expensive, but wondering if it would be more than the camper is worth.


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## revrandyf (Sep 21, 2017)

I had an estimate done on an old camper that I had and it was $6-7K.  I thought that was a bit steep for a camper I had only paid $3500 for.


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## beginnersluck (Sep 21, 2017)

Yeah that's about my thoughts too.  I've heard the same and it seems steep.  I had a limb fall on it a few years ago and punched a small hole in the roof and it was patched up.  Unfortunately it started leaking at some point and I didn't notice the damage until it was pretty bad.  Some of the wood on the roof is very soft in places and the wall on the inside has become soft.  I may be able to get an insurance claim out of it, just not sure since it had been leaking after the repair.


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## 660griz (Sep 21, 2017)

Do it yourself. Worse case. It leaks but, new wood and roof.


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## The mtn man (Sep 27, 2017)

I just had my 25ft reroofed, it had water damage so I fixed what I could on the inside. I bought the roof plywood and had a guy that owns a roofing company put a 30 year Comercial rubber roof on it. It cost me $1400.


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## beginnersluck (Sep 27, 2017)

The mtn man said:


> I just had my 25ft reroofed, it had water damage so I fixed what I could on the inside. I bought the roof plywood and had a guy that owns a roofing company put a 30 year Comercial rubber roof on it. It cost me $1400.



Thank you. Question...did you have to replace the roof wood or was that included in the labor of the roofer?


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## Milkman (Sep 27, 2017)

If you take it to a camper repair shop it will be $7000 or more just for the roof. Interior work would be extra.

If you only use it in one place like a Deer camp you could consider building a pole shed over it


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## The mtn man (Sep 27, 2017)

beginnersluck said:


> Thank you. Question...did you have to replace the roof wood or was that included in the labor of the roofer?



What happened was I bought the camper, it is a 2004 coleman caravan. I got it cheap for a reason, previous owners apparently had a big limb fall in front part of roof and tear a hole in the rv rubber roof and busted a skylight. The ceiling was destroyed from the front to about 8 ft back, along with floor and walls, i tore out ceiling, replaced roof rafters. Then took it to this roofing company. I knew it needed about 2 sheets of roof sheathing to replace the rotted roof, i left the 2 sheets of plywood with the roofer inside the camper and he replaced the roofing deck, then took everything off including gutters, then installed the rubber roof and reinstalled everything back on the roof. He did a fantastic job on it. Keep in mind, this is not the rv rubber roof material that it was replaced with, this is the same rubber they would use on a commercial building.  I replaced ceiling rafters from the inside. I now basically have 25% of the camper rebuilt from the floor to the ceiling, all I have left is to put flooring down. I didn't realize how hard it is to renovate a modern rv. I've been involved with some older ones, but this was a nightmare.  No wall studs or floor joists. Camper walls consist of a welded aluminum frame that had a Luan board, with outside siding glued to that, then styrofoam glued to inside the Luan, then paneling glued to foam. The floor consisted of a layer of what looked to be Osb, then a layer of foam, then another layer of osb, no floor joists. Boards and foam installed in a grid pattern, i had to tear that out and start from scratch, i had to get really creative to fix it, if anyone runs into this, I have some good advice on how to rebuild a "sandwich" type floor like that.


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## beginnersluck (Sep 28, 2017)

The mtn man said:


> What happened was I bought the camper, it is a 2004 coleman caravan. I got it cheap for a reason, previous owners apparently had a big limb fall in front part of roof and tear a hole in the rv rubber roof and busted a skylight. The ceiling was destroyed from the front to about 8 ft back, along with floor and walls, i tore out ceiling, replaced roof rafters. Then took it to this roofing company. I knew it needed about 2 sheets of roof sheathing to replace the rotted roof, i left the 2 sheets of plywood with the roofer inside the camper and he replaced the roofing deck, then took everything off including gutters, then installed the rubber roof and reinstalled everything back on the roof. He did a fantastic job on it. Keep in mind, this is not the rv rubber roof material that it was replaced with, this is the same rubber they would use on a commercial building.  I replaced ceiling rafters from the inside. I now basically have 25% of the camper rebuilt from the floor to the ceiling, all I have left is to put flooring down. I didn't realize how hard it is to renovate a modern rv. I've been involved with some older ones, but this was a nightmare.  No wall studs or floor joists. Camper walls consist of a welded aluminum frame that had a Luan board, with outside siding glued to that, then styrofoam glued to inside the Luan, then paneling glued to foam. The floor consisted of a layer of what looked to be Osb, then a layer of foam, then another layer of osb, no floor joists. Boards and foam installed in a grid pattern, i had to tear that out and start from scratch, i had to get really creative to fix it, if anyone runs into this, I have some good advice on how to rebuild a "sandwich" type floor like that.



Yeah, I thought it would be an ordeal to tackle myself.  I had heard it's not like a normal remodel.  I have a 2005 Mallard and I may see if insurance will take care of it rather than try anything myself...I don't have the time nor the experience that it takes for doing all of that.  If it were simple reconstruction, I would feel more comfortable.


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## Milkman (Sep 28, 2017)

Speaking of insurance 

Do a search in this sub forum with the word buzzard. You will find a thread I made about an odd roof problem I had a few years ago.


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## red neck richie (Oct 1, 2017)

Unless you can do the work yourself the camper is not worth the repair. If you are looking for a project and that's what you like to do then cool. But if you are looking at it from a financial perspective get another camper.


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## jigman29 (Oct 2, 2017)

I had an 02 Dutchman that a limb fell on duing the off season. It leaked all year since deer season and the ceilings were sagging in places. I had insurance adjuster come and he said the roof would be as much to repair as its worth so they totaled it. I got a decent  check and let them have it.


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## beginnersluck (Oct 3, 2017)

Milkman said:


> Speaking of insurance
> 
> Do a search in this sub forum with the word buzzard. You will find a thread I made about an odd roof problem I had a few years ago.



I remember reading about that one!!



jigman29 said:


> I had an 02 Dutchman that a limb fell on duing the off season. It leaked all year since deer season and the ceilings were sagging in places. I had insurance adjuster come and he said the roof would be as much to repair as its worth so they totaled it. I got a decent  check and let them have it.



I think I'm going to go this route.


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