Need HELP with floor replacement (Sad and disappointed!)

[Burro Bill]

Moderator's note: Title edited to give topic wider audience.
I got my 83 Burro about 4 years ago and slowly nursed her back to health. The list is longer than I care to share right now.
Camping early in the season this year and woke up to a lumpy floor and thought it might be something under the runner I use to keep my vinyl floor cleaner. When I got home and removed my runner and the vinyl I was met with mold and rotted wood!
After checking it appeared almost the whole floor is bad! I check and clean the weep holes and look for signs of water but without pulling up the vinyl pretty often or so I thought!
I have removed most of the floor and am down to only the bottom fiberglass sheet. I am 65 years old with disabilities and don't think I'm up to the challenge to take this on. Does anyone know of a person or company near Milwaukee, Wisconsin that might be able to do this for a reasonable amount ( disability does not pay well!)?
OR do you think I could sell it as is to someone that has the time and energy to tackle this project?
The trailer is otherwise in really good condition?
Just looking for suggestions.
VERY frustrated!

Thanks,
Burro Bill
(sorry about the spacing tried to
fix it but keeps doing it?)

[FRED SMAILES]

Sorry to hear about your challenge Bill.
Wish I was closer, would love to help and enjoy 'glass and wood work.
Was thinking, I run a handyman service and your problem sounds like something I could do.
I'm sure there are handyman services in your area that could handle it.
Fred

[Burro Bill]

Thanks Fred. No reflection on you but in
my area I can't say I have had very good
luck with handyman services? I used to
think I had pretty good skills myself but
this has got me a little overwhelmed. I
know I can do the job but I also know my
body will make me regret it! You know OMS.
(old man syndrome) lol
Now if I could find a handyman that owns
a FGRV that might be a different story.

[thrifty bill]

I'd sell it as a project, with full disclosure. Expect the price to be lower of course. I don't know of a handyman I would ever trust with the job.

You might want to check with local boat sales shops. I would expect the repair to be expensive, and of course, you need to check for where the water is coming from and repair that as well (plumbing, windows, vents?).

[Burro Bill]

Bill, I checked with some boat places.
I can get another camper for what they
want! It's almost time to put it into
winter storage maybe I will just wait
until spring to determine what to do.
I wish my storage place would let me
work on it during the winter but they
also store VERY expensive race cars
and don't want people in and out!
Can't blame them for that.

[thrifty bill]

The repair doesn't end with the floor. So in addition to the expense and time of the floor repair, you have the leak source(s) to identify and address. When is the last time window seals were replaced for example. Plumbing?

I recently picked up a 1977 Trillium. It had been in storage (not used) for over 15 years. Given the condition of the foam on the cushions, there have been some leaks. The floor is good. So now I have to remove, clean and reseal all the windows, and maybe address the belly band, before I can take it out to use. Fortunately, I have indoor storage at my home, so I will be working on it through the winter.

[RogerDat]

Yeah when I was young I paid a "fools tax" for taking on projects I didn't have the skills or know-how to do. I would fool with it do it wrong twice (mostly in different ways) then get it half way decent after paying that tax in lost time and wasted materials.

Got older and now know how and generally have the skills but a day working on the floor is followed by two days (or more) of recovery. So I get some stuff isn't worth the pain. If I needed 2 post holes dug I'm getting a grand kid or someone else to do it. That said....

You have the winter to research and assess material costs. Then you can either decide to pull that trigger and do the work in stages that allow for recovery time or sell the project camper in early spring when it will probably fetch a better price.

What I would focus on right now is managing the leaks. Find those leaks so they can be addressed before storage. Even if addressing is getting something in place to catch the water and allow it to evaporate rather than run all over. Garden hose and flashlight time. Knowing the leak source will also allow you to assess cost or effort required for remediation in the spring.

Good luck!

[Burro Bill]

Thanks guys trying to resolve the
leaks as we speak. I have already
priced out the materials using 1/2"
marine ply and stainless hardware.
The windows haven't been done for
at leat five years. I do clean the weep
holes pretty regular. The plumbing is
definetly not the problem. The Burro is
a double shell camper as I didn't find
any leaks on the walls could it be coming
in between the walls? It finally stopped
raing here for a minute maybe I will pull a
window today and see if that could be the
issue. Boy sure would love a well lit, heated
garage about now!

[thrifty bill]

Is the floor double wall too? If so that can hold water and speed up rot. I’ve found trailers with exposed wood floors (Scamp for example) are less of a problem than the encased floors.

I continue to “pay the fools tax”. I’ve bought more than my share of projects that I couldn’t complete. Selling half done projects is a guaranteed money loser. This go around in my search for a Trillium I tried to do a very thorough inspection focused on what was over my head (rotten floor) versus stuff I could deal with. As a result I walked away from several.

[Burro Bill]

Yep it is encased in fiberglass
and I have no doubt that caused
the rot. My plans for the new floor
Was to only fiberglass the edges
and seams. Then many coats of
marine spar varnish.
I have owned many campers and
have never had a floor rot!
I too have had my share of failed
projects. Just in case I might forget
that my wife reminds me!