Layout, any comments or advice please?

[Badknee]

We, Angela and I, are looking to buy our first MH to do long winter trips to the sun. We have had caravans in which we became fed up making the bed every night so we want a fixed bed model, the bed being on the left looking from the front because of access for me (old fart).
Because there's only the two of us a low line will be good with better aerodynamics than a Luton that we don't need.
Don't want a big garage that makes access to bed difficult, same reason.
Would love A/C, C/C Gas Low,but will settle for A/C. Fridge with separate freezer would also be nice.

Any suggestions from the knowledgeable people on here would be great.

 

[Puddleduck]

On a more serious note. If snoring is a real problem it is worth going to your GP just in case Sleep Apnea is to blame.

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Thanks for that, she's an asthmatic so her breathing isn't a hundred percent. I've got industrial class earplugs and I'm also deaf as a doorpost, which is nice!

 

[Badknee]

On a more serious note. If snoring is a real problem it is worth going to your GP just in case Sleep Apnea is to blame.

GP, what and leave her there? Never thought of that, I'll give it a go and see what he says.........

 

[Badknee]

Thanks for that, she's an asthmatic so her breathing isn't a hundred percent. I've got industrial class earplugs and I'm also deaf as a doorpost, which is nice!

What?

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[Bertie Bassett]

What?

My response to Pduck #31 re sleep apnea. My deafness is legendary in our family. (But only when it suits!)

 

[Badknee]

What? Do speak up man your mumbling

 

[Bertie Bassett]

What? Do speak up man your mumbling

Ear ear to that!

 

[MHVirgins]

That's all true but I gas Mrs BB especially after a take away.

Too much information

 

[maz]

If you are fed up of making up beds, then if you have enough money get an island fixed bed. I went for a fixed bed to save climbing up and down into a bed above the cab, but it takes me forever to change the sheets as I am like a beached whale on top of the bed trying to sort the sheets out at the top .... I'm exhausted after. It would be lovely to be able to access the bed from both sides.

The disadvantage of an island bed is that you waste a lot of otherwise useful space in the van so that you can walk round it. Re fitting sheets on a corner bed, my method is as follows:

1. Lay the sheet out on the mattress, kneel on bed and pull the far corner of the mattress up towards you.
2. Tuck sheet over that mattress corner and as you lower the mattress it will pull tight.
3. Repeat with other head-end corner.
4. Once secured at those two corners, smooth sheet towards foot of bed.
5. Push sheet firmly down behind mattress on far wall. If you have an under-bed locker accessible from outside, you can pull the sheet tight from there.
6. Pull further away foot-end corner of mattress upwards and tuck sheet firmly over that. Rest is easy!

Having written it all down it now seems complicated but it's not really

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[Badknee]

Well I must admit that we use a double sleeping bag which is much easier to straighten and keeps your back warmer in winter but thanks for the advice.

 

[MHVirgins]

The disadvantage of an island bed is that you waste a lot of otherwise useful space in the van so that you can walk round it. Re fitting sheets on a corner bed, my method is as follows:

1. Lay the sheet out on the mattress, kneel on bed and pull the far corner of the mattress up towards you.
2. Tuck sheet over that mattress corner and as you lower the mattress it will pull tight.
3. Repeat with other head-end corner.
4. Once secured at those two corners, smooth sheet towards foot of bed.
5. Push sheet firmly down behind mattress on far wall. If you have an under-bed locker accessible from outside, you can pull the sheet tight from there.
6. Pull further away foot-end corner of mattress upwards and tuck sheet firmly over that. Rest is easy!

Having written it all down it now seems complicated but it's not really

That's what I do at the moment, but as I break so many nails doing it, I get Bill to do it now
On the subject of mattresses, can anyone tell me why some beds have a separate section at the bottom end of the mattress? I've often wondered, but can't think why.

Margaret

 

[MHVirgins]

Bill

Oops! Sorry about the duplicate post.......

 

[MHVirgins]

On a more serious note. If snoring is a real problem it is worth going to your GP just in case Sleep Apnea is to blame.

I know what you mean about this......Bill snores badly and can sometimes "go quiet" for a while before the reassuring snorts and grunts start all over again

Margaret

 

[sean n maggie]

Huh! What a charmer you are I still get a lot of pleasure when my wife crawls over me in the middle of the night........

my wifey only climbs over for loo,,,says she doesnt stop on the way as scared of heights,,,,,,

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[Emmit]

Having read this post it seems to me that wot we need 'ere is bringing back to the subject in hand, (ooooh 'er missus).
Having just gone through the fraught business of buying a 'van for the first time, and 8 months after making that decision coming to the conclusion that we didn't c*ck it up, first time round, here is our advice.
It's now't to do with what kind of layout you should settle for but one thing we did agree on was that whatever layout we had, it should have a decent 'footprint' to walk on. In other words, if two people stand up in the van, there should be enough room to not require you to shuffle around each other.

Far too many 'vans are made with so much 'stuff' in them as to make it almost impossible for 2, let alone three people to move about inside it.

PS We've got dedicated single beds.

 

[Emmit]

my wifey only climbs over for loo,,,says she doesnt stop on the way as scared of heights,,,,,,

Just be glad she doesn't wear 'Crampons' in bed.

 

[Allanm]

Our criteria for a layout ( on topic again....) was enough floor space for the two of us and both dogs to be able to get round each other when we are in the van.
We also didn't want to sleep in the attic or make a bed up or have a fixed table taking up floor space.
Next, we wanted a large fridge freezer and a proper cooker with oven, and for some reason, a microwave.
We rarely have an EHU so it gets used as another cupboard most of the time.
One word of advice about toilets, don't just sit on them and look around, close the door and go through the motions.....
Will you have enough room to do what you want to do? How about in 5 years?
Lastly, it had to look good, fit on the drive and be easily manoeuverable in small towns and off the beaten track.
So, we bought what we have and love it.
The rear corner bed is easily made up and you can get proper fitted sheets that make the whole thing so much easier.
Luckily, Mrs A has a cast iron bladder so I don't get her clambering all over me in the middle of the night.....
Allan

 

[Peter JohnsCross MH]

I have a Swift Escape 664. in stock, have a look, will give you an idea

Fixed french bed in this one Elnagh Clipper 90

Fixed single beds, saves a lot of bother at night ! Hobby Van Exclusive TL 500 GESC

Fixed French bed Rapido 7086F Automatic

Just click on titles for more pictures

Good luck in your hunt

Peter

 

[MHVirgins]

We also wanted a van with plenty floor space and didn't want the fixed table/mid-dinette layout either. We wanted plenty lounging space, storage, separate shower cubicle, full size cooker (4 burners, inc one electric one)oven and fridge/freezer, good worktop space, plus external and internal storage space.

Having looked at umpteen other vans and spoken to many people, everyone has their "favoured" layout, what's ideal for one, might not be ideal for another. We had heard so much about other makes of vans, yet when we went inside them, there was always something we didn't like and this put us off taking things any further.

But each layout has a "compromise".......if you've more space in one area, then there's another area that is smaller in some ways and get be a let down.
All in all, it's a personal thing and we're happy with the van we have and we use it all the year round. I have now been given the job of putting the fitted sheet on the corner bed and reward myself with a malt after I've done this

Bill

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[Badknee]

Thanks John, we love the Hymer but its well out of our price range I'm sad to say but thank you very much.

 

[MHVirgins]

Our criteria for a layout ( on topic again....) was enough floor space for the two of us and both dogs to be able to get round each other when we are in the van.
We also didn't want to sleep in the attic or make a bed up or have a fixed table taking up floor space.
Next, we wanted a large fridge freezer and a proper cooker with oven, and for some reason, a microwave.
We rarely have an EHU so it gets used as another cupboard most of the time.
One word of advice about toilets, don't just sit on them and look around, close the door and go through the motions.....
Will you have enough room to do what you want to do? How about in 5 years?
Lastly, it had to look good, fit on the drive and be easily manoeuverable in small towns and off the beaten track.
So, we bought what we have and love it.
The rear corner bed is easily made up and you can get proper fitted sheets that make the whole thing so much easier.
Luckily, Mrs A has a cast iron bladder so I don't get her clambering all over me in the middle of the night.....
Allan

"close the door and go through the motions....."

I would never dream of going through the motions and not closing the door

Bill

 

[DavidG58]

One word of advice about toilets, don't just sit on them and look around, close the door and go through the motions.....
Will you have enough room to do what you want to do? How about in 5 years?

Allan

Massive second to this, we have ruled out loads of MH's some over £100K down to impossible to use toilets

We either cant close the door and still be comfortable

Or far worse there is nowhere near enough room to perform a decent wipe

It might sound odd, but its pretty damned important

Try a few and se what we mean, I am 6' 3" which will make some difference and not the slimmest of models available, but try for yourselves, better done before than after paying

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Having read this post it seems to me that wot we need 'ere is bringing back to the subject in hand, (ooooh 'er missus).
Having just gone through the fraught business of buying a 'van for the first time, and 8 months after making that decision coming to the conclusion that we didn't c*ck it up, first time round, here is our advice.
It's now't to do with what kind of layout you should settle for but one thing we did agree on was that whatever layout we had, it should have a decent 'footprint' to walk on. In other words, if two people stand up in the van, there should be enough room to not require you to shuffle around each other.

Far too many 'vans are made with so much 'stuff' in them as to make it almost impossible for 2, let alone three people to move about inside it.

PS We've got dedicated single beds.

Yes I have to agree with that statement. The idea of space is what makes the van a relaxing place to be, particularly when driving towards the sun and parked up for a quick cuppa. Mrs BB brews up, whilst I relax, when she drives it's the other way about. Our current van doesn't give us that flexibility so it's due for replacement next year, just before I retire for the final time.

 

[DavidG58]

and on the making beds bit, being a man I have taken a practical (lazy) view on this.

We do not fit a fitted sheet due to Joys descriptive problems, we have a high level transverse bed it is really hard to reach without being on, then fitting a sheet is a real game

so, we put a sleeping bag in a double duvet and sleep on that, I am not allowed hanky panky any more and not allowed to wriggle, it all stays in place nicely. Technically pinned down might be a better description, with my height comes some decent weight as well

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[Bertie Bassett]

Massive second to this, we have ruled out loads of MH's some over £100K down to impossible to use toilets

We either cant close the door and still be comfortable

Or far worse there is nowhere near enough room to perform a decent wipe

It might sound odd, but its pretty damned important

Try a few and se what we mean, I am 6' 3" which will make some difference and not the slimmest of models available, but try for yourselves, better done before than after paying

At least you an still do it for yourself and unsupervised. Some of the accusations leveled at me by Mrs BB would make your hair curl!

 

[MHVirgins]

and on the making beds bit, being a man I have taken a practical (lazy) view on this.

We do not fit a fitted sheet due to Joys descriptive problems, we have a high level transverse bed it is really hard to reach without being on, then fitting a sheet is a real game

so, we put a sleeping bag in a double duvet and sleep on that, I am not allowed hanky panky any more and not allowed to wriggle, it all stays in place nicely. Technically pinned down might be a better description, with my height comes some decent weight as well

David, it's a long time since I've been "pinned down"

Bill

 

[DavidG58]

David, it's a long time since I've been "pinned down"

Bill

Calm down Bill, I was talking about pinning down the sleeping bag in the duvet cover

Comfort comes first these days

 

[Badknee]

Massive second to this, we have ruled out loads of MH's some over £100K down to impossible to use toilets

We either cant close the door and still be comfortable

Or far worse there is nowhere near enough room to perform a decent wipe

It might sound odd, but its pretty damned important

Try a few and se what we mean, I am 6' 3" which will make some difference and not the slimmest of models available, but try for yourselves, better done before than after paying

What a great tip David, we will definitely make sure we go through the motions when next we look. Lol

 

[Badknee]

That's what I do at the moment, but as I break so many nails doing it,

Margaret

Do you know Margaret it really does wind me up when I do the same.

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[Bobby22]

I have a Swift Escape 664. in stock, have a look, will give you an idea

Fixed french bed in this one Elnagh Clipper 90

Fixed single beds, saves a lot of bother at night ! Hobby Van Exclusive TL 500 GESC
Peter
Fixed French bed Rapido 7086F Automatic

Just click on titles for more pictures

Good luck in your hunt

Peter

Peter, i was just looking at the description of the Rapido it says the height of the van is 8'12" . Could you tell me if that is higher or lower tha 9'?