It has been many years since we owned a caravan, so don't know much about modern ones. We are moving house next year and will be a couple of hours drive from family and friends, so we are thinking about getting a touring caravan that can sit permanently in our driveway for use as a small annexe for people to stay in when visiting. But wondered about the toilet, is it possible to adapt it so that it can flush into a mains drain? We wouldn't be using it as a tourer, so can be a permanent adaption, would be happy to change the toilet if that would help. Do you think it is possible?
Even if you never intend to use it you should leave it in such a condition that you could, or you could fall foul of planning rules.
I would be very wary about making any modifications to your caravan that could see it deemed to be a "permanent structure". By that I mean the toilet. You could also have problems with neighbours if the caravan is visible to them. They may not object (mine don't) but they could make things awkward if they do.
When our friends used to come over from Germany to stay with us for a few days, we used the caravan for ourselves and left them to use the house and facilities.
That meant they had the private use of the bathroom and we simply did what was quite normal for us and used the caravan as a bedroom and the toilet and shower.
When we visited them, they moved out of their flat (their house was divided into two flats, his sister having the ground floor) They used a room and facilities in the basement.
Quote: Originally posted by Ancient Uncle on 13/11/2022
When our friends used to come over from Germany to stay with us for a few days, we used the caravan for ourselves and left them to use the house and facilities.
That meant they had the private use of the bathroom and we simply did what was quite normal for us and used the caravan as a bedroom and the toilet and shower.
When we visited them, they moved out of their flat (their house was divided into two flats, his sister having the ground floor) They used a room and facilities in the basement.
We have also done this with my daughters family. We/you know caravans better than guests (unless they also have one). And, when their kids were small, we totally escaped the bedlam once we 'retired' to the drive.
On the 'toilet conversion' idea. Its doable, but planning/neighbour complaints aside, unless you are very near an outside sewer pipe/tank run, it would be a massive faff.
I doubt whether it would be an issue with the planning department as long as it remains just "a caravan parked on a drive" but it could be if there was any sign that it was in any way a "permanent structure". A power lead run out wouldn't be "permanent" but a plumbed-in toilet would be.
We have used our caravan for friends who have visited. give them a house key too incase they want to come in. But it just gives them a bit of privacy and their own very comfy space to stay in. I would be more then happy to stay in someone's caravan when visiting them. Would be a nice mini holiday
Neibour had a garden shed and then decided to put a mains toilet in it so as not to go in the house when gardening.This he had to get planning permission as entailed alteration to the sewer pipe work on his land to install.
Thousands of people stay in friends and family’s touring vans on their property every year so can’t see any real problems because that’s what touring caravans are for.
Plumbing it for a mains toilet will definitely alter things so why not just get your guests to empty it before leaving ?
It isn’t a static which would require full planning permission so simples.
For the number of times the guest caravan will be used, it does not seem worth going to the faff and expense of plumbing it in.
Our caravan is in the garage and when we have children plus grand children plus great grand children come to stay, we disappear into the caravan and let them all have the house. Makes life easier that way.
Sorry - a bit late on replying to this but wanted to say, a permanent toilet would cause problems with planning permissions. Our cousin (a builder) built a games room at the bottom of their very long garden and it wasn’t allowed any permanent plumbing as this would have made it an official residence. His solution - a porta potti in a small room/cupboard and a bottle of hand sanitiser!
We regularly use our van as extra accommodation but mainly for ourselves, and give our room up for guests.
Quote: Originally posted by Gemma-lu on 21/12/2022
Sorry - a bit late on replying to this but wanted to say, a permanent toilet would cause problems with planning permissions. Our cousin (a builder) built a games room at the bottom of their very long garden and it wasn’t allowed any permanent plumbing as this would have made it an official residence. His solution - a porta potti in a small room/cupboard and a bottle of hand sanitiser!
We regularly use our van as extra accommodation but mainly for ourselves, and give our room up for guests.
That is exactly what we do on the odd occasion we have guests staying over. They have our bedroom and bathroom, we use the caravan and it's facilities. To be honest, we would not want guests using our van, they may not be as careful with it as we are.
Quote: Originally posted by Ancient Uncle on 22/12/2022
That is exactly what we do on the odd occasion we have guests staying over. They have our bedroom and bathroom, we use the caravan and it's facilities. To be honest, we would not want guests using our van, they may not be as careful with it as we are.
Many years ago when my brother and his family visited us from South Africa, we loaned them our twin axle caravan.
Cost us £200 for replace a drawer and fit new hinges to the under seat locker. I am sure that it was not done on purpose, but hanging towels over the drawer which was above the gas /electric heater surely would have been a big No No due to heat being enclosed. Luckily it did not start a fire.
In addition, one day we called by as we needed something from the caravan which was on a caravan site and they were not in. As we had the keys we entered and were shocked as dirty dishes etc all over the place.
Never again will we lend out our caravan to even our immediate family.
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Topic: Caravan as an annexe for guests?
via mobile 13/11/2022 at 8:50pm
