What is the cost of building an RV park? It costs anywhere between $15,000 and $50,000 per campsite, with Kampgrounds of America estimating an average total cost between $1,800,000 and $2,250,000 for franchisees. The question is, how does this cost break down?
If you are building an RV park from scratch, you will need to purchase usable flat land in a desirable location, costing as much as $100,000 per acre. You will need to develop 10 RV-ready sites per acre, at the cost of $15,000 to $50,000, and aim for a minimum of 90 sites.
The research I have gathered has led me to conclude that the costs for building an RV site can vary considerably. One of the critical factors is the land’s cost, and a related factor is how many attractions you will need to build into your park.
Generally, the cost of building attractions to compensate for the lack of existing nearby tourist attractions tends to offset the cost of the land to some degree. The following are the main factors affecting the cost of building an RV park:
- Land acquisition
- Permits and zoning applications
- Design costs
- Construction and inspection costs, including installation of utilities and building amenities
- Any park model cabins you choose to install
- Equipment costs
Land Acquisition For An RV Park
You will need plenty of land to build your RV park. Various factors go toward making a desirable location, namely on-site water (whether a lake, a river, or even an artificial body of water), flatness of the land, and quality of views.
Expect to pay anything from $1,000 per acre for generally unsuitable land to as much as $100,000 per acre for flat land with on-site water and outstanding views.
Being near an existing tourist attraction can draw more visitors, but you will find yourself competing with existing RV parks.
Being far from an existing tourist attraction means you will probably save on the cost of land, but you will need to build on-site amenities to serve as attractions to draw visitors.
RV parks need not be in the boondocks. With the popularity of RV camping as a way to see the country, an RV park near a major city can attract many visitors.
Permits And Zoning Applications For An RV Park
Different states, counties, and municipalities have different land use requirements pertaining to RV parks, so it is impossible to give a blanket cost for permits and zoning applications for this land use.
Experts advise getting to know the persons in charge of zoning and licensing so that they can keep you informed of the legal requirements for fees during the construction and set-up of your RV park.
Designing Costs For An RV Park
Designing the roads in your RV park, the amenities you are offering, the attractions you are building, and even the campsites themselves is a job you should instead leave to an expert such as a drafter.
The average cost of hiring a drafter is $75 and $125 per hour, with freelancers on the lower end of the scale. The exact cost of designing your RV park will depend on how ambitious you are in scale, amenities, and attractions.
Construction And Inspection Costs For An RV Park
The construction costs of building an RV park are pretty substantial and will vary from park to park.
These costs include clearing land, building roads and fencing, installing utilities, building basic amenities, and building any unique amenities to draw campers to your park.
The utilities you will need to install are electric, plumbing, sewerage, septic systems, and WiFi.
WiFi is an essential utility at RV parks these days, allowing visitors to interact with social media and online games, as well as to work. Many RV campers are using the freedom of the RV lifestyle to work on the road, and good WiFi is a big drawcard for such visitors.
Some companies specialize in building WiFi for campsites, and you may have access to multiple Internet service providers, so it is advisable to shop around for the best deal.
A general guideline for building RV parks is to allow 10 campsites per acre, although some parks go as high as 15 sites per acre. Each campsite should accommodate one RV, provide utility connections, and possibly offer a fire ring.
The basic amenities that visitors will expect are bathing facilities and toilets. Still, everything from a swimming pool and dog walking facilities to go-kart racing and laser tag can help to draw campers to your facility.
You will also need to build office space and storage space for your on-site personnel and budget some money for paying any inspection costs, depending on legal requirements in your jurisdiction.
Experts have estimated costs for developing an RV park at between $15,000 and $50,000 per site.
Park Model Cabins For An RV Park
Some RV parks include campers on wheels legally designated as RVs, but that don’t leave the park. These are known as park model cabins.
They are helpful for visitors without their own RVs or those who have too many family members to sleep in a single RV.
Although you will have to maintain and clean these units, having some available increases the range of visitors likely to visit your park.
You will, however, have to factor the cost of buying these units into the cost of building the park.
Equipment Costs For Building An RV Park
You will need to invest in a lot of essential equipment to start an RV park.
These include:
- Sanitation and restroom supplies
- Hardware for electric and water utility connections
- Sewerage connections or septic tanks
- Hardware for WiFi internet
- Service vehicles, e. g. pickup trucks or golf carts
- Recreational equipment such as picnic tables, grills, and sports supplies
- Waste containers (that are wildlife-resistant)
- Signage
- Payment collection facilities
- Hand and power tools for personnel
- Computers or tablets for personnel to handle registrations, check-ins, and payments
Best of luck, and happy camping!
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