# DIY Horsebox Living



## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

(Sorry also in NL but posts disappear so fast in there it seems pointless  )
I'm sure there are clever people on here that have fitted their own livings - could you give me any tips? I have been let down by various people I have tried to contract to do it, and I have also received laughable quotes for doing it - think brand new car type price  I only want a basic living - it is currently empty but we have put in hook up.

Has anyone any idea of how much this should cost to do and how to go about it? OH is very handy, but he is also a perfectionist and I can see it taking ages 

Any help or useful sites I could look at would be gratefullly received!
thank you!


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## kit279 (19 April 2010)

Don't get a horsebox builder to do it - they'll charge you the earth. Go to one of the mobile homes/caravan websites as they are real enthusiasts about this sort of thing and you may be able to find someone to do it for you cheaply.  Alternatively, their websites are pretty comprehensive, you may be able to DIY it!


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## dieseldog (19 April 2010)

Depends on what you are going to put in it   The appliances are going to be expensive, allow about £1k for them.  We are about to do our living like you just a shell.  We don't have a luton, so was thinking about putting in a corner sofa bed - seen them for about £400.  But has built in storage and pulls out into a bed. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290351445797&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT  Just thought it would work out cheaper than my OH making one - he's a builder too.

We are going to use 3mm ply veneer on  the walls instead of carpet.

Make sure you have insulation in the roof.

I've owned my lorry a year - still has no living


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## Fiona (19 April 2010)

Done by a local kitchen guy fairly cheaply, and an L shaped seating area on the other side to match.

Hob/sink came from one of the horsebox supplies companies whi advertize in the back of H&H.

Fiona


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## alwaysbroke (19 April 2010)

Was told a while ago that the interior from a caravan can be used to fit out a horsebox living, it is lighter than kitchen fittings, can also be quite cheap if the caravan has been an accident write off.

May know of someone who maybe able  fit it out, not quite sure if it is his 'thing', but he has done some work on my box for a reasonable price. PM me if you would like details


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## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

Thanks Kit!  Yes I am avoiding the horsebox builders as they are expensive, but also they don't seem to want the work.  I think it is fiddly and they can't be bothered.  One local horsebox company told me that they couldn't even take a look at it until September!!  I'll have a look on some caravan/motorhome websites - thanks for the tip!


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## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

Done!


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## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

Looks great Fiona - kind of thing I am looking for.  Will perhaps try a local tradesman instead of a horsebox person!  Thank you!


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## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

Wow DD that looks great!  It will be a very luxurious lorry with that in!  Might sound a 'thick' question - but how are you going to get it in?  

I've also had mine for a year!


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## Shrimp (19 April 2010)

My instructor bought a brand new caravan that got written off as the guy was towing it out of the place he'd bought it from :s Anyway she ended up with a very nice living, dont know how much it cost her but definitely alot cheaper than getting a professional to do it so i'd look into that if you can


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## Groom42 (19 April 2010)

Definitely go the scrapped caravan route! They "bend" and get written off very easily, there are specialists in scap vans on the web. Quite often the fittings inside are spot on perfect, ovens,fridges etc, and will save you an absolute fortune. Do get "corgi" man to do the gas bits, tho'. The only problem with using kitchen units is the weight, and stability. Our first lorry was fitted out with DIY store units, which were damn heavy, but did the job until halfway round a leicester ringroad roundabout, when they dislodged from the walls! Somewhat distracting, to say the least!


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## Toby_Zaphod (19 April 2010)

Be very careful what you fit in the living area. Normal domestic kitchen & bedroom units are very heavy & you will find that even fairly basic living will eat into your lorry's payload. As has been mentioned get yourself a written off or older caravan & strip it out & install it into your lorry. By doing this you will get not just all the lightweight units you will need but even appliances i.e. burners, grille, fridge, light fittings & even upholstered cushions. All these would cost you a fortune to buy new. The units are easy enough to fit but if you have any misgivings about fitting the gas supply then get someone to connect everything up. By doing it this way you will have a nice living area for a fraction of what it would normally cost. If you consider the upholstery to be dated then that can easily be changed.

You could ask at caravan dealers or have a look on ebay for the donor caravan

Good Luck.


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## icestationzebra (19 April 2010)

Groom / Shrimp - thanks both!  I've not thought about a written off caravan I have to say.  That is what is so good about this forum - you get really good ideas!!


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## flyingfeet (19 April 2010)

If payload is not a problem - my "living" is from Howdens, but minimal. The seat is basic MDF job and then the extras are Smev set for sink and hob, proper fridge, a diesel heater (eberspacher bought off ebay), water heater, and finally the loo and toilet from thetford. 

I think a good handyman who knows what they are doing is more than adequate!


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## perfect11s (19 April 2010)

icestationzebra said:



			(Sorry also in NL but posts disappear so fast in there it seems pointless  )
I'm sure there are clever people on here that have fitted their own livings - could you give me any tips? I have been let down by various people I have tried to contract to do it, and I have also received laughable quotes for doing it - think brand new car type price  I only want a basic living - it is currently empty but we have put in hook up.

Has anyone any idea of how much this should cost to do and how to go about it? OH is very handy, but he is also a perfectionist and I can see it taking ages 

Any help or useful sites I could look at would be gratefullly received!
thank you! 


Click to expand...

 I got stuff of ebay  and these people have a huge range of stuff www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk  but if you could find a damaged caravan thats a good way to go  avoid domestic kitchen stuff its way too heavy !! its why so many boxes with living weigh so much!!!!   you can buy a lightweight ply to make furniture  from Olearys  along with very thin ply with a  coating  there are various finishes from wood to a tile effect  to line out your shower area and the living quarter walls.. PM me if you want some help ..


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## HairyHatMan (19 April 2010)

My OH is happy to take a look at it as he has often said he'd like to do another and improve on where he left off with mine. Not sure if you ever saw mine finished? Even that Richard chap who builds his own said it was a really good job.

We gave up looking for spare caravan cupboards and units as once they were taken off the walls they fell to bits!

Anyway, let us know if OH can help


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## humblepie (19 April 2010)

We did ours, bought second hand oven/hob/water heater etc from a caravan company as couldn't find a whole damaged caravan at the time.  Bought loo and shower new.  OH did everything himself.   Worked very much on keeping everything light.  Echo whoever said about insulating walls before covering them.


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## henryhorn (19 April 2010)

I would buy a cheap caravan and use the stuff out of that, for £350 you are likely to get a sink, cooker, cupboards and even a washroom if you're lucky.
Or buy basic cheapo units and cut them down to narrower, they don't need backs as they fit against the walls.
In my box the seats are just squares with plywood tops that fit in the top on a ledge, you will also get seating in an old caravan so use the cushions for tops. My support cushions are long strips padded with velcro to stick them to the walls, they still look like new despite 15 years of use.
Try adtrader/preloved etc or your local paper to find a caravan, write offs are quite expensive but old caravans aren't.


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## dieseldog (20 April 2010)

icestationzebra said:



			Wow DD that looks great!  It will be a very luxurious lorry with that in!  Might sound a 'thick' question - but how are you going to get it in?  

I've also had mine for a year!
		
Click to expand...

It comes in bits, you assemble it.

The scrapped caravan route is not a cheap option anymore.  They go for an awful lot of money.  My sister sold her caravan for spares on Ebay, she got £2k for it.  It didn't even have an oven 

You might get lucky, but I've been looking and they cheap ones are so old it will make your living ugly.


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## SSM (20 April 2010)

As I said I'll do the soft furnishings for you!


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## kerilli (20 April 2010)

just in case you're interested, i have a (clean!) casette porta-potty to sell, i bought it for my first horsebox, subsequent horseboxes have had them built in so this is spare. it's totally cleaned up and v easy to empty etc. even if you just put a curtain around it i think a loo is essential!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

Thanks K - but not putting a potty in.  No room!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

SSM said:



			As I said I'll do the soft furnishings for you!
		
Click to expand...

Thank you!  I'm gonna need you!!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

perfect11s said:



			I got stuff of ebay  and these people have a huge range of stuff www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk  but if you could find a damaged caravan thats a good way to go  avoid domestic kitchen stuff its way too heavy !! its why so many boxes with living weigh so much!!!!   you can buy a lightweight ply to make furniture  from Olearys  along with very thin ply with a  coating  there are various finishes from wood to a tile effect  to line out your shower area and the living quarter walls.. PM me if you want some help ..
		
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - will take a look.  Also thanks for the offer of help - I may well take you up on that!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

dieseldog said:



			It comes in bits, you assemble it.

The scrapped caravan route is not a cheap option anymore.  They go for an awful lot of money.  My sister sold her caravan for spares on Ebay, she got £2k for it.  It didn't even have an oven 

You might get lucky, but I've been looking and they cheap ones are so old it will make your living ugly.
		
Click to expand...

Duurrrhhh!  Of course!

£2K is a lot


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

Toby_Zaphod said:



			Be very careful what you fit in the living area. Normal domestic kitchen & bedroom units are very heavy & you will find that even fairly basic living will eat into your lorry's payload. As has been mentioned get yourself a written off or older caravan & strip it out & install it into your lorry. By doing this you will get not just all the lightweight units you will need but even appliances i.e. burners, grille, fridge, light fittings & even upholstered cushions. All these would cost you a fortune to buy new. The units are easy enough to fit but if you have any misgivings about fitting the gas supply then get someone to connect everything up. By doing it this way you will have a nice living area for a fraction of what it would normally cost. If you consider the upholstery to be dated then that can easily be changed.

You could ask at caravan dealers or have a look on ebay for the donor caravan

Good Luck.
		
Click to expand...

Yep OH made that point about domestic units......  thanks for the tips


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

HairyHatMan said:



			My OH is happy to take a look at it as he has often said he'd like to do another and improve on where he left off with mine. Not sure if you ever saw mine finished? Even that Richard chap who builds his own said it was a really good job.

We gave up looking for spare caravan cupboards and units as once they were taken off the walls they fell to bits!

Anyway, let us know if OH can help 

Click to expand...

Thanks HHM!  I may well take you up on that!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

henryhorn said:



			I would buy a cheap caravan and use the stuff out of that, for £350 you are likely to get a sink, cooker, cupboards and even a washroom if you're lucky.
Or buy basic cheapo units and cut them down to narrower, they don't need backs as they fit against the walls.
In my box the seats are just squares with plywood tops that fit in the top on a ledge, you will also get seating in an old caravan so use the cushions for tops. My support cushions are long strips padded with velcro to stick them to the walls, they still look like new despite 15 years of use.
Try adtrader/preloved etc or your local paper to find a caravan, write offs are quite expensive but old caravans aren't.
		
Click to expand...

Thanks HH - useful stuff!


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## icestationzebra (20 April 2010)

Thanks for that!


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## *hic* (20 April 2010)

Depends on how pretty you want it but it is still possible to buy a caravan through ebay for under £600 which will give you sink, taps, water heater, fridge, hob, grill, cooker, regulators, shower/basin and cassette loo, hookup and charging unit. I've found it's not worth trying to reuse the cabinets as they have no structural integrity but some of the lightweight wood etc can make useful framing.


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## Fiona (20 April 2010)

A loo is essential IMO.  We don't have room for a seperate 'bathroom' either, but still have a small casette toilet which just sits in the front of the horse bit in the unused 3rd horse compartment.  Its fantastic for the last minute nervous p** before getting on board.

Fiona


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## only_me (20 April 2010)

Our living is pretty basic but very comfortable 
It has been lived in a lot over the years!

We have an old sofa in it, shelves we made ourselves, with those plastic storage units you get from argos etc. underneath, and a little gas cooker with hob, grill and oven D) and our sink is generally a bucket of water  

It is fantastic tbh, I can cook myself pasta bakes etc. when at events!

mighten look like a pro kitted out lorry but it does the job


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## sallybush (21 April 2010)

For anyone looking to fit out their 'box, take a look at www.sbmcc.co.uk/forum (self-build camper forum)

Loads of advice, you only get a handful of free posts before needing to pay £15 for membership, but that will get you discounts at many suppliers and insurers so will pay for itself several times over.


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## jess_asterix (15 June 2011)

We did my old lorry ourselves and again used an old caravan interior. Everything worked fab we had fridge, cooker, microwave etc and loads of cupboards and under seat/bed storage. Definitely the route to go down of doing it cheaply!


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