Soft Floor in Casita Kitchen.

[Andycamm]

Hello All,
I've enjoying this site so much and finally after a long search, it looks like I might be actually joining the club! I have a deposit on a 17' 2010 Casita FD.
Most of its issues seem minor and cosmetic, but the one that has me a little concerned is a soft floor right in front of the sink. I am told the RV has had only one owner that ordered it with linoleum flooring. It does not feel like I'm going to fall thru, it's just a little squishy in that area about 24" in diameter. Probably sinks no more than 1/2" with my 180 pounds on it. The underside (exterior) looks perfect. Should this be a disqualifier? Should I be Walking away from this deal? Or can this be lived with until it's time to redo the flooring? Any advise would be most welcomed as I am supposed to close the deal by noon tomorrow.
Thanks in advance to all my FG friends I have not yet met.
Andy

[Jack L]

If the floor is rotten it needs to be repaired. If it flexes 1/2 inch that would be significant. Most rot problems start from water leaks in the plumbing or from an outside source. Since the floor has a hard surface you can tap on the floor with a plastic mallet or a plastic screwdriver handle and "listen" for the soft spot to see how big it really is. A solid floor makes a sharp tapping sound while a rotten floor makes a thud sound. Check under cabinets too if possible. The situation might be a deal breaker, an opportunity to negotiate a better price, or a minor issue. There are many threads on floor replacement and some times it is a major job. Best of luck.

[WizWid]

Random thoughts from an unqualified looker on.

Reading between the lines - you are buying this from a dealer right?
You don't mention the price.
Did you discover the soft floor or was it disclosed?

Any deal with a time deadline I would run away from.
That said - you wont fall thru the floor but it will need to be repaired at some point. It should be priced accordingly.

Jim

[Jon in AZ]

Isn't the Casita floor a layer of wood sandwiched between two layers of fiberglass under the vinyl? That means (I think) you have to cut away the fiberglass, replace the wood, and repair the fiberglass.

Second, 24" is a pretty large area. I am wondering whether you can just replace the damaged area, or whether you need to do an even larger section, back to a frame member, maybe? And will you have to take out some of the cabinetry?

Last, I haven't read too much here about floor repair on Casitas. It strikes me as unusual on one that new. You might take take the question to the Casita forum, where there seem to be more technical discussions.
Casita Travel Trailer Forum

All in all, sounds like a pretty big red flag to me.

[Rzrbrn]

Holes are drilled through the floor to pass the kitchen and bathroom drains through and for other things. At these points the plywood sandwiched between the fiberglass has the potential to be exposed to water penetration.

I wonder if the soft spot does not go under the cabinets also. Sounds like this could be a major renovation. However, if you get the price down to reflect these concerns, it might be worth it.

Can you take the trailer to a fiberglass boat repair shop and get an estimate?

[Andycamm]

Thank you all so much for all the great insite. It's been a great help.
The Casita is at a dealer and they have been very honest so far they did alert me to the soft spot from the beginning. Although they played it off as a common occurrence. Price wise it's a FG RV so the price negotiation is difficult when they are getting offers from around the country sight unseen.
All in all I think it will be a good deal. I will be bringing her home Friday to start the repairs and installation of a small bunk bed in place of captains chairs and side dinette. Thank you for the web info on floor repairs. If anyone knows where I can find some clever bunk builds for the side dinette area that would be awesome!
Thanks again for all your help. I really love this community and look forward to being a part of it for years to come!
Andy

[emij]

Originally Posted by Andycamm

If anyone knows where I can find some clever bunk builds for the side dinette area that would be awesome!
Thanks again for all your help. I really love this community and look forward to being a part of it for years to come!
Andy

In a quick search, I found this. Scroll down almost to the end of the page (beginning at post #9) and someone has posted pictures and details of a bunk they installed over the side dinette!

Bunk beds and sleeping 4 - The Casita Club Forum - The Casita Club Forums

And congrats on your new FGRV!!