What is the difference between an RV Park and a mobile home and which is a more profitable business to invest in? Here is a detailed comparison and analysis. In order to get a clearer view of the difference between recreational vehicle parks and mobile homes, it is better we look at the subject matters in isolation.
A recreational vehicle, which is usually abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer which has living quarters specifically designed for mobile accommodation.
A recreational vehicle park (RV park) or caravan park as it is called in England and other European countries is a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in allotted spaces known as “sites” or “campsites”.
They are also referred to as campgrounds, though a true campground also provides facilities for tent camping; many facilities calling themselves “RV parks” also offer tent camping or cabins with limited facilities. These are some of the key services offered by Recreational Vehicle Parks
- AC power connection. (Usually rated by capacity such as 15, 20, 30 or 50 amperes.)
- Drinking water connection
- Sewer connection
- Television connection (relevant to local area standards)
- Telephone connection (rare outside North America)
- Hotspot (Wi-Fi)
Facilities that can be seen in a standard Recreational Vehicle Park include;
- Barbecue area
- Bathhouses
- Convenience store
- Dump station
- Fitness center
- Gift shop
- Hot tubs
- Laundry
- Picnic tables
- Restrooms
- Recreation Hall
- Showers
- Swimming pool
- Bar and restaurant
What is a Mobile Home?
A mobile home which can also be referred to as trailer, trailer home, house trailer, static caravan, or residential caravan is a prefabricated structure, built in a factory on a permanently attached chassis before being transported to site (either by being towed or on a trailer).
Used as permanent homes, or for holiday or temporary accommodation, they are left often permanently or semi-permanently in one place, but can be moved, and may be required to move from time to time for legal reasons.
Mobile homes are most often sited in land lease communities known as trailer parks (also ‘trailer courts’, ‘mobile home parks’, ‘mobile home communities’, ‘manufactured home communities’, ‘factory-built home communities’ etc.).
These communities allow homeowners to rent space on which to place a home. In addition to providing space, the site often provides basic utilities such as water, sewer, electricity, or natural gas and other amenities such as mowing, garbage removal, community rooms, pools, and playgrounds.
Mobile homes come in two major sizes, single-wides and double-wides. Single-wides are 18 feet (5.5 m) or less in width and 90 feet (27 m) or less in length and can be towed to their site as a single unit.
Double-wides are 20 feet (6.1 m) or more – wide and are 90 feet (27 m) in length or less and are towed to their site in two separate units, which are then joined together. Triple-wides and even homes with four, five, or more units are also built but less frequently.
What is the Difference Between a RV Park and Mobile Home?
The fundamental difference between mobile homes and Recreational Vehicles is predicated on their design. RVs are designed for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use whereas mobile homes are designed to be permanent dwellings, at least for a longer period of time within a location.
In essence, the key difference between a recreational vehicle (RV) and a mobile home is the length of stay within a location.
Mobile Home owners are in the park permanently or at least until they sell their home and move somewhere else, but recreational vehicle (RV) owners are always on the move after staying at a recreational vehicle park (RV Park) for a short period of time.