Park models are trailers but you won’t often see them on the highway. Although they are labeled as recreation vehicles and are mounted on wheels, they aren’t really designed for trips, but as vacation homes.
They are limited by law to 400 square feet and usually include a bedroom and bathroom, along with kitchen, living and dining areas. Some come with a loft.
There are two types of park models. One, typically up to 12 feet wide, is usually sited at an RV park, campground or private lot long term. These often look like log cabins or cottages. The other type is no wider than 8 feet, 6 inches, and looks more like a traditional trailer. It is not designed for touring like a travel trailer, but it is more mobile than the wider park models and often comes with slideouts.
Here are some current models:
Breckenridge CopperLodge
The CopperLodge is an upscale park model whose most distinctive feature is a carefully crafted cedar log exterior. The cedar logs are installed by hand to give the park model a genuine log cabin look.
The interior includes a wood paneled ceiling, premium wood-grain tile flooring and rustic kitchen cabinets with special hardware. A rustic lighting packing includes a living room paddle fan with light.
Household appliances include a 30-inch deluxe range and 16-cubic-foot refrigerator. There is a large double bowl acrylic sink, a cutlery drawer with a cutting board and lighted cabinetry.
A fireplace with an electric inset adds to the coziness of the cottage. The fireplace has a stone surround and a hardwood mantle.
The CopperLodge is one of several designs offered by Breckenridge to fit every need from a beach cottage to a mountain cabin. Prices of various models range from $25,000 to $65,000.
For more information, contact Breckenridge of Nappanee, Indiana, by calling (800) 223-2376 or visit www.breckenridgefinerliving.com. The CopperLodge and other Breckenridge models are available at U-Neek RV Center in Kelso/Longview, Washington. Phone (800) 248-6335 or visit www.uneekrv.com.
Jay Flight Bungalow
Jayco’s Jay Flight Bungalow is a 40-foot park trailer that gains spaciousness with slideouts. It is more home-like than a traditional travel trailer, and while not designed for touring, is easily moved from one place in summer to another in winter.
Standard features include a 60-inch patio door, Northridge maple cabinetry, an extra-large picture window by the dinette, an 18-cubic-foot, residential-style refrigerator with an icemaker and a four-burner gas range with an oven.
There are two floor plans, one sleeping eight to 10 people and the other designed for three to six. One of the floor plans includes a kitchen pantry, front entertainment area and an expanded 70-inch hide-a-bed sofa as standard features.
Buyers can add a customer value package that includes a 15,000-BTU central air conditioning system with a wall thermostat and louvered-directional ceiling vents, a tub/shower skylight, an ABS garden tub surround and a home theater system with multi-media premium sound system, and many other features.
The Jay Flight Bungalow has a starting MSRP of $35,143.
For more information, contact Jayco at (574) 825-5861 or visit www.jayco.com.
Nor’Wester
High quality construction has been the hallmark of Nor’Wester Industries since it began building park models 20 years ago. It has pioneered innovations such as eave overhangs, attached covered porches, bay windows and the rustic look.
Models are constructed with features that include 3/4-inch tongue and groove plywood flooring underneath real hardwood floors, Milgard windows, water lines that are designed to withstand below-freezing temperatures, and a choice of wood cabinets.
Nor’Wester offers a variety of floor plans in models that are 11 to 12 feet wide and 14 to 16 feet tall. Most have a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living/dining room, and some include an upstairs loft.
Customers are encouraged to customize certain features to meet their own needs. Customization is easy since Nor’Wester does almost all the work itself, including building its own cabinets, at its plant in Chehalis, Washington.
The company was started by the owners of the Whaleshead Beach Resort in Brookings, Oregon, after they had trouble finding a park model manufacturer to meet their quality standards. Bob McNeely, who owns Nor’Wester with his brother, Don, said they wanted a park model that could meet the climate extremes of the Pacific Northwest, so they designed one that can handle 100 inches of rain and 100 inches of snow a year, plus 100-mile-an-hour winds.
They sell most of their park models through about two-dozen RV resorts in the West.
For information on Nor’Wester park models, call (800) 346-5701 or visit www.norwesterindustries.com.
Palm Harbor
Palm Harbor Homes, one of the nation’s largest marketers of factory-built homes, has begun selling park models at its nine-store retail network in Washington and Oregon.
Bob Wright, regional vice president, said an increasing number of buyers were coming to their locations “looking for our renowned Park Harbor quality in a park model.” So the company decided to meet that need, drawing on its long experience building manufactured units, including homes for retirement resorts.
“We see a significant void in the middle of the park model market—homes for individuals that demand quality construction and amenities, yet don’t want to spend their life savings on a park model,” Wright said. Palm Harbor aims to fill that void with models priced from the upper $30,000s to the mid-$70,000s.
Wright said the homes feature extra storage, raised panel interior doors, laminate flooring, a washer and dryer area, 30-gallon water heater and full-size appliances, including a dishwasher, 18-cubic-foot refrigerator and a 30-inch range. All the models include a fiberglass shower as a standard features. Other amenities include Moen Lifetime faucets and china sinks.
The roof has a steep 9/12 pitch, and exteriors offer cement siding in several color choices and durable dimensional shingles. The Timber Frame packages include log siding, standing seam metal roofing, a front porch, solid wood interior passage doors and other decorative appointments.
For more information, contact Palm Harbor locations in Oregon and Washington. For locations, see the Palm Harbor ad on Page 2 of this issue.
Silvercrest Vacation Series
The new Vacation Series of luxury park models from Silvercrest is specially designed for the Pacific Northwest with features such as steep-pitched roofs and 12-inch eaves to handle the wet weather.
Silvercrest, which has factories in Corona and Woodland, California, builds both manufactured homes and park models and has acquired a reputation for quality over a period of 40 years.
Robert Pollock, who handles the company’s marketing and sales in the Pacific Northwest, said the company has been building park models for several years, but has not focused on the Northwest until now with its new Vacation Series. The models come in a variety of styles—rustic, craftsman and modern—so they can fit into any landscape.
HardiePlank, log and cedar siding are available, and so are metal roofs.
Many amenities are offered, such as laminate flooring, 12-foot front porches and eight-foot rear porches. Pollock said customization is encouraged so that units can be adapted to meet a variety of needs.
Vacation Series park models are priced from $38,000 to the high $60,000 range. They are being sold through RV dealers and RV resorts.
For more information, phone (360) 807-1300 or visit www.silvercrest.com
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