Camper Pole Vault

[SRP09]

Our camper decided to attempt a pole vault while we were away this week. It did not end well. Sad to see this happen to our year old camper but thankful that no one was around for the storm and got hurt. On a more serious note, how is damage like this repaired? Is this a whole roof repair? Can it be reliably fixed or should I look to unload it after the repair?

[dalford]

First things first. Get some eternabond tape and cover that hole before you get water damage… then contact your insurance company…

[SRP09]

Originally Posted by dalford

First things first. Get some eternabond tape and cover that hole before you get water damage… then contact your insurance company…

Already done both. It happened at a campground an hour and a half away from my home. I patched it up to get it home and to prevent further damage. Insurance claim is open.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by SRP09

Our camper decided to attempt a pole vault while we were away this week. It did not end well. Sad to see this happen to our year old camper but thankful that no one was around for the storm and got hurt. On a more serious note, how is damage like this repaired? Is this a whole roof repair? Can it be reliably fixed or should I look to unload it after the repair?

You ask if it can be reliably be fixed. Yes it can by a reliable repair facility but as we know that is not always the case. The roof should be replaced as the structure under and around the "pole" will have to be replaced. You will not know the extent of the damage until the repair facility gets a closer look.

As with a car depending on the value of the camper the insurance company may total it. But if the camper is worth more than the repair, they will want to repair it. Not saying that it should be totaled.

You always could put in a skylight.........................

Good Luck !!

[Aussieguy]

sell it




stick a couple of wires into the hole and just tell people it is a new style pre-wire for something

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Aussieguy

sell it
stick a couple of wires into the hole and just tell people it is a new style pre-wire for something

[SRP09]

I talked to a local guy who has been working on RVs for years and he thinks it may be totaled. He said just the cost of replacing the roof membrane would be 6000. Now I’m thinking if it’s totaled I may buy it back if I can get it on the cheap and “redneck fix it” myself.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by SRP09

I talked to a local guy who has been working on RVs for years and he thinks it may be totaled. He said just the cost of replacing the roof membrane would be 6000. Now I’m thinking if it’s totaled I may bu y it back if I can get it on the cheap and “redneck fix it” myself.

You might want to talk to the local rv guy again and ask what it would take to replace a roof membrane. Judging by the second picture where fresh wood is near the ceiling panel seam, it's possible part of the roof structure has been damaged. That's a structural item that might not be able to be repaired.
If you can get the insurance to give you a copy of the cost to fix the items, you might get a better idea of the damage. Plan on spending whatever they estimate to repair the damage. You can't get the parts as cheap as a repair shop and you'll have a learning curve that might end up spending more than the appraisal. Can it be done? Of course. Whether its worth the time and effort is something only you can judge.

[D W]

Originally Posted by SRP09

I talked to a local guy who has been working on RVs for years and he thinks it may be totaled. He said just the cost of replacing the roof membrane would be 6000. Now I’m thinking if it’s totaled I may buy it back if I can get it on the cheap and “redneck fix it” myself.

I doubt you'll get it "on the cheap" (or what you think is cheap). For totals, insurance companies typically have Salvagers lined up. You might be high-balled on the purchase price, or be outbid. Notwithstanding that the unit may be listed as SALVAGE or JUNK on the title.

[NMWildcat]

I bought my hail damaged tin siding RV back from insurance after they totaled it. Best deal I've made Yes, it came with a salvage title and you usually can't get insurance. I did have to replace most anything made of plastic on the roof, and the roof had plenty of dimples that went all the way to the plywood, but it never leaked.
I used it for a few years and then sold it as a guard shack to a farmer for more than I had paid to buy it back from the insurance company.
So put the insurance money in the bank, buy back your damaged RV, slap a patch on the roof and keep going

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

I bought my hail damaged tin siding RV back from insurance after they totaled it. Best deal I've made Yes, it came with a salvage title and you usually can't get insurance. I did have to replace most anything made of plastic on the roof, and the roof had plenty of dimples that went all the way to the plywood, but it never leaked.
I used it for a few years and then sold it as a guard shack to a farmer for more than I had paid to buy it back from the insurance company.
So put the insurance money in the bank, buy back your damaged RV, slap a patch on the roof and keep going

Just be careful when walking on the roof!!!


Good luck.


Hmmm, I wonder if FR would take a stab at repairs if you were attending the international rally. They do take on repairs for units that are 2 years old or less.

[SRP09]

I have an appointment this Friday at the dealership where I purchased it for an unrelated warranty repair. (Lengthy repair, a week long process.) The experience for that repair has been painful at best, but I’m considering seeing if they can at least do the insurance repair estimate, if not the entire repair, for the sake of timeliness. It’s probably unrealistic but I have a trip the last week of October that I’d like to salvage.

[EdJunior]

It won't be totaled. I had the same exact thing happen to mine. They replaced, or rather, overlaid the old roof with a new one. Mine was a bit older, so they could not find an exact replacement for the inside panel that got replaced, but it was very close. Bottom line is, they will fix it. If I can find them, I'll post the pictures of mine. Like I said, it was the same exact thing with a branch through the roof.

[T1545jh]

If they total it, buy it back and put a max air vent there assuming it didn’t take out a truss. Problem solved.

[Papadave]

I would screw down a metal or 1/2” wood patch on the top with butyl rubber tape under the perimeter and cover that with tape and keep an eye on it. The inside is another question. When I took off my ceiling air conditioner I covered the hole with a plastic plumbing access panel. $20 fix that looks like it might be an escape hatch. Putting in a skylight vent would look good too. I am in Florida so didn’t want the extra heat.

[Ken-m]

Originally Posted by T1545jh

If they total it, buy it back and put a max air vent there assuming it didn’t take out a truss. Problem solved.

That roof does not contain rafters , it's a sandwich of materials vacuum sealed .

[Red Roadrunner]

Before we purchased our FR fifth wheel we had a totaled Airstream, due to hail damage and electrical short, that required a complete rewire. I do not know what insurance company you use, we had Progressive.

They wanted to take it, but my bh insisted that they do not own the TT we do, they are not purchasing the TT they only insure it for the value of the TT. We were able to keep the Airstream and the funds for the total value of it.

Although the insurance company would not cover it again.

We had the wiring redone and insured it with another company. Note: hail damage was mostly small dents in the aluminum shell, not repairable and in a classic not considered a big deal to purchasers, just a bit more character.

I suggest you try this method, if you think you want to repair it and keep it or sell yourself later.

[SRP09]

Originally Posted by Red Roadrunner

.

They wanted to take it, but my bh insisted that they do not own the TT we do, they are not purchasing the TT they only insure it for the value of the TT. We were able to keep the Airstream and the funds for the total value of it.

Can you explain what you mean by this? Do you mean that you just cancelled the insurance claim and did the repairs yourself? Or were you able to get some of the money for the claim but not the full amount?

[dannyabear]

Best outcome would be to buy it back from insurance company, remove rubber roof covering, repair the osb roof structure and then have the roof sprayed with rino liner, the pliable one used on the bed of p/u trucks

[Red Roadrunner]

Originally Posted by SRP09

Can you explain what you mean by this? Do you mean that you just cancelled the insurance claim and did the repairs yourself? Or were you able to get some of the money for the claim but not the full amount?

We informed the insurance adjuster that we own the trailer, the insurance company only insures it for the value of the trailer. They do not own it, we have the choice to repair it or dispose of it. They do not get to own the trailer if they decide to pay us for the full value of the trailer or any other amount of damage. We kept the trailer and they payed us the full value of it. Although the draw back of this decision is that the insurance company will not cover the trailer any longer, because they have already paid the full value of it. We were able to insure it through another company. >>>>There was no actual structural damage that would cause the trailer to leak or be unsafe to use, it was all cosmetic. The electrical was the main issue for use and safety. It cost about 1/2 of the value to replace with upgraded wiring and inverter. We used it for several years before selling it. >> Note: Our trailer was a 1968 year model it was considered a classic, think of classic cars as an example. The values are all over the place, we had to declare a value before it was insured. The insurance company can not always find comparable trailers on the market due to Airstream being a very popular trailer to refurbish, some are extremely fancied with chandelier lights etc. : I hope this clears up my statement.