Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Don't make our RV mistakes 🤷🏻♂️: ljmj.com/guide
➡️ 30% off an RV Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding: rvmattress.com/LJMJ with code LJMJ
We skipped buying a house and spent $18,000 over seven years building an RV home base instead — here's every phase, what it cost, what we got wrong, and whether it was worth it.
LJMJ 7 Year Home Base Expenses
Year 1 (2019) — The Basics, low commitment
• Dozer clearing: $250 (50% of $500, split with Donna)
• Septic tank: $1,500 (50% of $3,000)
• Septic run to site: $300 (paid 100%)
• Water: ~$1,020 (~60% of $1,700)
• Electric: $300 (piggybacked off Donna's foundation; would've been $5,000)
• Gravel, 5 loads at $350: $1,750
• Round swing: $100
• Solo Stove fire pit: $300
• Subtotal: ~$5,520
Years 2–6 (2020–2024) — Comfort + Play, medium commitment
• Folding deck: $500 (mostly scrap wood)
• Treehouse: $1,000
• Zip line (extended to 90 ft): $200
• Sand pit: $500
• Trampoline: $150 (open box, half of $300)
• Hot tub: $300 inflatable
• Early astroturf: $758
• Gravel for friend campsites: $850
• Gravel load: $350
• DIY concrete-block fire pit (replaced Solo Stove): $100
• 6 plastic chairs: $200
• Outdoor sectional: $500
• Propane table: $150
• String lights: $200
• Subtotal: ~$5,958
Year 7 (2025) — The Cliff, high commitment
• Gravel load: $350
• Gazebo: $2,524
• Footers: $126 (18 bags Quikrete × $7)
• Dining set: ~$1,095
• Sectional: ~$544
• Upgraded chairs: $600
• Wicker chairs: ~$216
• Later astroturf: $520 + $192
• Subtotal: ~$6,163
Seven-year total: ~$17,641
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - 01:22 - Why We Built an RV Home Base Instead of Buying a House
01:22 - 04:00 - Phase One: Clearing the Land & Getting a Place to Land
04:00 - 07:50 - Phase Two: Tree House, Zip Line & Kids Outdoor Space
07:50 - 09:45 - RV Mattress Sponsor Segment
09:45 - 12:15 - Solving Decision Fatigue on the Road
12:15 - 15:10 - Hosting Other RVers & Building Community
15:10 - 19:35 - The Gazebo: Our Biggest Single Investment
19:35 - 21:29 - Mistakes We Made & Final Verdict
TOP YOUTUBE PLAYLISTS
Start Here: goo.gl/iyF6KP
Every YT Video (Oldest to Newest): goo.gl/sXmAbv
MORE FROM LJMJ
🛠 Gear: lessjunkmorejourney.com/gear
🙏 Say Thanks: patreon.com/lessjunkmorejourney
📷 Instagram: instagram.com/lessjunkmorejourney
👥 Facebook: facebook.com/lessjunkmorejourney
THANK YOU $25 PATRONS!
➡️ patreon.com/lessjunkmorejourney
✩ DeWayne & Kirsten M
✩EveryDay Family Adventure
✩ Georgeana T
✩ Chelsea S
✩ William & Jillian M
✩ Ann & Al
✩ Linda R
✩ Ray & Nancy K
✩ Dale & Angela W
✩ Gary & Diane H
✩ Three Little Trees
✩ Walt & Dar
✩ Melodie H
✩ Jim and Ellen M
✩ Clive G
✩ Jeffrey & Suzanne E
✩ Jen and Kris
#LetGoGetGoing #LJMJ #RVlife
🎼 MUSIC CREDITS:
* musicbed.com
* lessjunkmorejourney.com/artlist
* lessjunkmorejourney.com/soundstripe
Don't make our RV mistakes 🤷🏻♂️: ljmj.com/guide
➡️ 30% off an RV Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding: rvmattress.com/LJMJ with code LJMJ
We skipped buying a house and spent $18,000 over seven years building an RV home base instead — here's every phase, what it cost, what we got wrong, and whether it was worth it.
LJMJ 7 Year Home Base Expenses
Year 1 (2019) — The Basics, low commitment
• Dozer clearing: $250 (50% of $500, split with Donna)
• Septic tank: $1,500 (50% of $3,000)
• Septic run to site: $300 (paid 100%)
• Water: ~$1,020 (~60% of $1,700)
• Electric: $300 (piggybacked off Donna's foundation; would've been $5,000)
• Gravel, 5 loads at $350: $1,750
• Round swing: $100
• Solo Stove fire pit: $300
• Subtotal: ~$5,520
Years 2–6 (2020–2024) — Comfort + Play, medium commitment
• Folding deck: $500 (mostly scrap wood)
• Treehouse: $1,000
• Zip line (extended to 90 ft): $200
• Sand pit: $500
• Trampoline: $150 (open box, half of $300)
• Hot tub: $300 inflatable
• Early astroturf: $758
• Gravel for friend campsites: $850
• Gravel load: $350
• DIY concrete-block fire pit (replaced Solo Stove): $100
• 6 plastic chairs: $200
• Outdoor sectional: $500
• Propane table: $150
• String lights: $200
• Subtotal: ~$5,958
Year 7 (2025) — The Cliff, high commitment
• Gravel load: $350
• Gazebo: $2,524
• Footers: $126 (18 bags Quikrete × $7)
• Dining set: ~$1,095
• Sectional: ~$544
• Upgraded chairs: $600
• Wicker chairs: ~$216
• Later astroturf: $520 + $192
• Subtotal: ~$6,163
Seven-year total: ~$17,641
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - 01:22 - Why We Built an RV Home Base Instead of Buying a House
01:22 - 04:00 - Phase One: Clearing the Land & Getting a Place to Land
04:00 - 07:50 - Phase Two: Tree House, Zip Line & Kids Outdoor Space
07:50 - 09:45 - RV Mattress Sponsor Segment
09:45 - 12:15 - Solving Decision Fatigue on the Road
12:15 - 15:10 - Hosting Other RVers & Building Community
15:10 - 19:35 - The Gazebo: Our Biggest Single Investment
19:35 - 21:29 - Mistakes We Made & Final Verdict
TOP YOUTUBE PLAYLISTS
Start Here: goo.gl/iyF6KP
Every YT Video (Oldest to Newest): goo.gl/sXmAbv
MORE FROM LJMJ
🛠 Gear: lessjunkmorejourney.com/gear
🙏 Say Thanks: patreon.com/lessjunkmorejourney
📷 Instagram: instagram.com/lessjunkmorejourney
👥 Facebook: facebook.com/lessjunkmorejourney
THANK YOU $25 PATRONS!
➡️ patreon.com/lessjunkmorejourney
✩ DeWayne & Kirsten M
✩EveryDay Family Adventure
✩ Georgeana T
✩ Chelsea S
✩ William & Jillian M
✩ Ann & Al
✩ Linda R
✩ Ray & Nancy K
✩ Dale & Angela W
✩ Gary & Diane H
✩ Three Little Trees
✩ Walt & Dar
✩ Melodie H
✩ Jim and Ellen M
✩ Clive G
✩ Jeffrey & Suzanne E
✩ Jen and Kris
#LetGoGetGoing #LJMJ #RVlife
🎼 MUSIC CREDITS:
* musicbed.com
* lessjunkmorejourney.com/artlist
* lessjunkmorejourney.com/soundstripe
