This week on the RV Podcast we speak to a girl about learn how to renovate an RV, studying her fascinating again story and the way she is now serving to others to do what she does.
She is Cortni Armstrong, referred to as The Flipping Nomad, who was practically homeless just a few years again and found her present for renovating and redesigning RVs after she moved into one to maintain from residing on the streets.
You may see the whole episode (#415) of the podcast within the video beneath, which options Corni in our interview phase.
In case you want an audio-only model, you’ll be able to pay attention in your favourite podcast app or click on the participant beneath.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Length: 36:18 — 21.4MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Email | TuneIn |
Cortni is an professional on learn how to renovate an RV
Actually, she is a lot an professional that Keystone RV and a number of other main RV suppliers approached Cortni some time again as a result of they have been so impressed together with her expertise that they needed to construct “the Ultimate RV” and gave Cortni a deluxe 37-foot Montana Fifth Wheel and instructed her to go at it, to design and tweak it nonetheless she thought greatest.
And did she ever!
If you wish to see how that undertaking turned out, check out this video we did final week on our YouTube Channel. That Final RV is wonderful. Click on the participant beneath to see:
Jennifer and I cherished what she did and requested her if she would check out our Arcadia Fifth Wheel and provide you with some design tweaks to provide me a devoted work space. Come again to our YouTube Channel Saturday if you wish to see how that turned out!
Cortni’s story: From Close to-Homeless to an RV Design Queen
On this week’s podcast, Jennifer interviewed Cortni to learn the way The Flipping Nomad took place. Right here’s an edited model of the podcast interview.
Jennifer
Cortni, you may have an ideal backstory as to the way you discovered learn how to renovate an RV and have become the Flipping Nomad. So are you able to inform us a little bit bit about it?
Cortni
So most individuals after they get into RVing, they’ve a narrative that’s virtually out of a film. They received fed up with life and bought every little thing and acquired the RV and hit the highway.
And it seems like some fairytale. However my story’s truly very reverse of that. It began eight years in the past. My dad had a stroke and he had two companies, however neither enterprise was doing very properly. So I needed to drop every little thing and take them over. And I used to be mainly going through a do I feed myself or do I feed my canine kind state of affairs.
And it was fairly dire. And I discovered myself in determined want of reasonably priced housing. And a household pal turned me onto residing in an RV, simply stationary. I used to be not touring. And so I moved into it mainly. That was the one choice that I may discover. And at first I hated it and I used to be embarrassed about it and, felt like I used to be at all-time low.
After which a 12 months glided by and I had fallen in love with the approach to life. And I used to be like, perhaps this isn’t so dangerous and, perhaps I may get my ft beneath of me quicker if I reside this reasonably priced life-style. And so I stated I’d simply actually like an RV that feels extra like a bachelorette pad.
Mike and Jennifer’s RV Way of life hat assortment
Who wants a hat? You do! Dad hats aren’t only for dads. This cozy one’s received a low profile with an adjustable strap and curved visor. Just the thing to wear on your next RV Lifestyle adventure.
I used to be 25 on the time. I searched excessive and low for one thing that felt pretty much as good because it felt to reside tiny, and nothing match the invoice. And so I assumed I may renovate one, proper? I don’t know, are you able to renovate an RV? And I did a fast Google search and nothing got here up, however now I understand it’s as a result of no one else was doing it at the moment.
It’s a little bit bit completely different story now. However I received the braveness as much as renovate an RV for myself. After which two years glided by and received every little thing settled with the household, I stated, Okay, now it’s my flip. What am I gonna do with life? And I stored coming again to my shopping for expertise and I questioned if perhaps different folks didn’t just like the interiors of their RVs, both, and if perhaps there was a enterprise there.
And so began within the RV renovation enterprise after which the enterprise began taking off, fueled by social media. After which Keystone RV Firm took discover, which was the shock of a lifetime. They watched on-line for a number of months, unbeknownst to me. They reached out in March of 2019 and so they have been like, Hey. They have been like, What you’re doing is admittedly cool and we’d like to be concerned with you.
So that they stated, What do you suppose if we pull a model new Montana off the road and provides it to you and offer you a finances and let you know to go construct the craziest factor you’ll be able to provide you with? And I used to be like, Executed.
Cortni is now serving to others learn to renovate an RV
Jennifer
So to go from determined for housing and practically homeless to this lovely RV has simply been just like the craziest story and now you’re serving to different folks.
Cortni
Yeah, I’m. So we had a store in Texas the place we have been doing renovations for folks and it received to the purpose that we simply couldn’t sustain and we have been simply turning folks away left and proper.
And so we have been like, how may we get artistic and assist these folks reside out this life-style and this dream that they take into account with out truly constructing their RVs for them. And in order that’s when the sunshine bulb second went off the place we may simply create an RV renovation course, the place we infuse all of our years of information into fellow nomads.
And in order that’s what we did.
She now has a course on learn how to renovate an RV
Final 12 months we took 4 months to movie the course and get it up and going and it took a little bit bit longer than we have been anticipating. Nonetheless a little bit bit within the beta model proper now it’s about 80% of the way in which achieved. However that’s what we’re specializing in this 12 months, getting the course absolutely completed, after which we’re gonna be touring the nation and going to RV dealerships and exhibits and internet hosting in-person workshops.
And so truly educating folks like hands-on if they’ll get to us or if they’ll’t get to us and wish to do it on their very own, then we’ve the course that they’ll take.
Jennifer
Now I’m listening to “we are.”
Cortni
Yeah. We is definitely my mother and I. So she’s a companion within the enterprise and thru the turmoil of, how I received into an RV, with the household breakdown she ended up getting a divorce by way of that too.
She’s discovering her footing, now in her sixties and reinventing herself too. So there’s a variety of emotional ties, and depth, I assume you’d say that go along with RVing and it’s extra than simply an inside design undertaking for us. There’s rather a lot that goes into it.
The Challenges of RV Renovation: Weight, Measurement, and Furnishings
Jennifer
So what are among the challenges that folks should take care of?
Cortni
Yeah, it’s a tough line with renovating an RV, as a result of on the finish of the day, folks need them to really feel like a home. They’re an RV and so they should perform like an RV.
And one of many greatest elements with RVing, particularly renovating, is weight.
Weight’s type of the secret with RVs. And in order that’s issues that we stroll folks by way of.
Like flooring, for instance, is at all times a scorching subject as a result of, within the residential world, folks would use planks, three ft by six-inch large planks that type of click on collectively and that’s the whole flooring of the home.
In case you did that in an RV, planks are extraordinarily heavy. So that you’re going to annihilate your carrying capability proper off the bat simply with that flooring.
After which additionally the RV goes by way of temperature fluctuations and likewise vibrations on the highway. And so with so many joints within the flooring, you run the danger of one thing occurring.
That’s why we select to work with sheet vinyl flooring. That’s additionally what all of the producers use. So it’s a wash for flooring. However that’s only one instance of the variations between residential renovating and RV renovating.
Jennifer
What do you do in regards to the furnishings? If they’re eager to replace furnishings, what are their choices?
Cortni
They will both replace or, slip cowl what they have already got or exchange it totally.
We truly simply use residential furnishings and I’ll say that it’s difficult, particularly to seek out sofas that may slot in an RV. As a result of most residential sofas are like 98 inches and a regular in RVs is about 72 inches. So it’s a little difficult to seek out items, however at the very least with furnishings, we do use residential choices for these.
Considering of renovating your RV?
Tell us all about it within the feedback or within the social posts. The place do you wish to go subsequent?
On the lookout for thrilling RV journey concepts and journey strategies?
We’ve written a library of RV Travel books that lay out guided RV explorations of scenic areas of the US that we’’ve explored and suppose would make a superb RV journey for you.
In every location, we offer a urged route and itinerary (7 stops in every information, one for every day of per week journey!) in addition to hyperlinks to a number of campgrounds and boondocking spots, native suggestions, and fascinating issues to do at every location.
You may hit every little thing in seven days, do a whirlwind weekend tour, or you’ll be able to take your time and discover the realm over a 2+ week interval.
Planning an RV journey will be very time-consuming in order that’s why we’ve achieved the analysis for you! Simply take our guides and use them. We’re certain you’ll have an RV journey for the ages! On the spot obtain. CLICK HERE for information on our RV Travel Guides
Curious in regards to the gear, devices, equipment, and RV merchandise Mike & Jennifer use and suggest?
On this RV Lifestyle Travel blog, our RV Podcast and our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel, we point out all kinds of RV-related merchandise and kit that we use, So we created a particular web page that hyperlinks to them. We replace this on a regular basis. CLICK HERE to go to it directly.
Recent Comments