Cheap, Fast, and Beautiful: Check Out These Pop Up Camper Remodels
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One of the most rare RV renovations is a pop up camper remodel. Most renovators focus on trailers or fifth wheels that are more popular to sell. But one woman on Instagram is showing off how much you can really do with a small space by creating stunning pop up camper remodels, like this:
After renovating her home, Lisa Rice still had the itch to renovate. She put her focus on renovating a pop up camper to combine her love of design and the outdoors… and because pop up campers are much cheaper to buy compared to other RVs!
“My husband wasn’t fully on board, so I looked for the cheapest (and ugliest) pop-up I could find. I was so excited that I renovated it in one week. My husband quickly got on board, and I bought another trailer right away!” said Lisa.
Lisa only renovates about one pop up camper a year as a fun, creative outlet versus an RV flipping business.
“I buy pop-ups, renovate, we usually camp in them, and then sell them,” Lisa explained.
Why a Pop Up Camper Remodel?
“I love pop-ups because they are easily stored, easy to tow, and airy with screens all around. Pop-up campers are unique to renovate, because they don’t usually have any walls,” says Lisa. “The footprint is small and can be renovated fairly quickly.”
Compared to larger rigs, pop ups are simple to renovate and can be fully completed in about two weeks. Plus, they are much more affordable.
“I would say that a pop-up renovation is cheaper than a trailer renovation. I usually spend about $400 on renovations.”
On the lowest end, a motorhome or trailer renovation costs at least $500 for only replacing flooring and a little paint. On the high end, renovations stretch up to $20,000! Comparatively, a pop up camper is a steal to remodel.
Read Next: How Much Does an RV Renovation Cost?
Keeping Costs Down
Lisa shared a few tips for keeping your pop up remodel on budget.
“Tip number one: For flooring, you only need a couple of boxes. We discovered that people often have a couple of leftover boxes from home remodels that they get rid of on FB Marketplace.” Your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore may also have extra boxes of flooring for sale.
“Tip number two: I’ve found that shower curtains or tablecloths are often an inexpensive way to create curtains,” Lisa shared.
Curtains are a must in pop up remodels to give privacy and block out light, though they present their own challenges.
The Pop Up Curtain Dilemma
The most challenging part of a pop up camper remodel is hanging curtains. The curtains around the bed clip into a track on the ceiling. These clips are built into the curtains on the original pop up, but when you replace the curtains, they are near impossible to install.
“For years I couldn’t find a good solution to hang new curtains,” said Lisa. “There wasn’t anything I could find on the market. So, we created our own 3D-printed curtain clips where you just snap the clips on the rail and clip your material on. I now sell them in my Etsy shop.”
These pop up curtain clips are designed to fit the 5/8″ curtain rail that is standard for many different builds of pop up. They glide along the track (add a little soap if they get stuck and they’ll get moving again) and clip directly onto your curtains.
Lisa’s curtain clips have rave reviews among other pop up owners and renovators for making it easy to hang replacement curtains.
You can find Lisa’s 3D-printed pop up curtain clips in her Etsy shop here.
The Most Important Thing to Remember
When remodeling a pop up camper, remember to let it fully air out and dry out before you close it up. The canvas sides will trap fumes, and folding it up before the paint has cured can cause scuffing.
Inspiring Pop Up Camper Remodels
Pop ups may not be the most popular type of RV, but Lisa’s renovations go to show that even the smallest campers can be beautifully renovated.
See More Beautiful Renovations:
- 20 Incredible Toy Hauler Garage Transformations
- 34 COLORFUL RV Interior Makeovers
- 29 Beautiful RV Makeovers with Unpainted Cabinets
Alyssa Padgett is the author of the best-selling book, A Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV. She loves all things #RVlife and travels full-time around the globe with her family of four.
