It doesn't seem to take long for things to develop.  The people that were supposed to stay 2 nights? No shows and no contact. I have received no email, text or phone calls from them. They're out 1 night's stay.  I won't charge them the 2cd night - I think. I'm going to review the industry standard once again but I think it's make them pay one night non-refundable and then the second/subsequent nights aren't charged until they arrive.  I will close their account and call it good.

The other people coming for one night at lot 11 haven't shown up yet, but it's only 2:15. They are likely just traveling through and planned their trip so they could stop wherever they wanted to. In this case, my park which is the cheapest around in this entire region for a decent park. There are sh**holes that most people want nothing to do with. 

I have 3 trash cans out there now. 1 is the garbage company's trash can - they are supposed to bring another one and the other 2 are much smaller personal cans.  The big one is full, the second biggest one is full but the 3rd one is empty. So I'm hoping it will last through tomorrow and I can drag it all out there Sunday afternoon for Monday morning pickup. 

I measured the hip camp lots.  I knew I had some space, but now I know how much space.  Well there's 2 ways I could do it. One is parallel parking on either side and at the end.  This will give me maximum space and realistically, small vehicles, I could probably get 7 of them in there without crowding.  I plan on doing 5 to start with.  Remember, I already had the bobcat rented for the shed project, it cost me nothing more but some fuel to finish out that lot after having had started it with the mini-ex - which I also primarily rented for the shed project.  

Therefore, the only real money involved here will be to run electric for 20 amp service for the 5 lots.  The wiring will probably cost a bit, the outlets are cheap and a couple of circuit breakers.  I'll put up "Lot 1" signage and mark the lots, but I'm pretty much sold on the parallel parking.  On the east side that means I can have 2 50 foot long lots and on the west side, 2 48 foot long lots.  On the south side, it's about 41 feet. It's actually much longer but there is 41 feet of fairly level space, the rest is a pretty steep grade.  

I'm getting my plan together in my mind, just want to resolve any lingering questions on how I'm going to do this before I start working on it.  

After I get the shed done it won't take long to set up those lots. But I do need to remind myself to get a couple of 50 pound bags of grass seed tomorrow and spread it behind lot 14 and all over the Hipcamp area.  

Right now, for the month of March,  I have $725 worth of overnight/short term bookings enqueue. I need that to go up at by at least $475 to make it worth having those lots available.  Much more would be nice, at 80% occupancy I could leave trucking.  But I'm not counting chickens I don't even have the eggs for, much less to hatch.  Same with HipCamp. Who knows if this will pay off? But you never know until you try.

And as far as the shed goers? I'm pretty much tired of having to trek into the woods to find a place to go to the bathroom. If the toilet never got used by anyone else, it would definitely get it's use from me and the boys.  I don't know what it is about those kids, but every - and I do mean every - time we go over there, one of them has to take a dump.  Why didn't you do that at the house?  We just left there!  Well I didn't know I had to go!! I will highly likely put a small desk in that shed as well.  There will be some space left to put one in and if enough space, I may put a couple of comfy chairs in there as well.

Nothing fancy, of course, an used, definitely - cheap. 

The contractor. That texting went well beyond what I posted in the last post.  He quoted me $6,800 on the smallest septic system he can provide. Gag. That's a lot of money for sewage.  I mean, yes, I spent far more on the Park sewer system as it stands, but this was just to get 4 or 5 more RV lots.  Well, it is what it is.  We also discussed his park he built.  They haven't sold it yet. They were offered $700,000 for it and they turned it down. They have it listed for 1.2 million.  38 lots on 40 acres with a pond and a party barn.  I dunno folks, I don't make up the prices to buy RV lots. Another one I saw today is a 14 space facility listed at $699.000.  See if I could get that much money for my 14 space park? I would be seriously tempted to sell it, take the money and go build another park somewhere else.  Get another 20-40 acres and do it all over again.  

One of his partners in that endeavor is also a banker. He told me to call him for an appraisal or he could probably just give me a ballpark over the phone.  Ok! He then said I could probably get financed for expanding the park through him as well. OK!! He's on my list of things to do Monday, he gave me his phone number and I hope he gives me some sort of good word to the man.  I paid all my bills to this contractor immediately after they completed each phase.  I mean, drive up there and pay them in person type of stuff.  I made sure I stayed in his good graces because I knew I would probably need his services again.  So, there is a beacon of hope there, at least, for a sizeable loan - somewhere in the 250-300k range. If I can't get at least 200k I probably won't do it.  I need enough for at least 14 more spaces, a mid-sized swimming pool and I would like some sort of clubhouse structure.  Nothing fancy, again, just something where people can hang out, an office, rentable party space for locals.  

Don't want to get too involved with thinking about that right now, I need a "yes" or "we will look into it but it sounds good" or something like that before I start seriously planning a phase 2. I have phase 2 in my mind already as it stands. 

My Verizon business credit card came in today as well. As with the AMEX card, I will be using it in a limited fashion and paying it off monthly.  The idea, of course, is to build up business credit score. 

I did force myself to go back over. Someone had dumped a bag of trash on top of an already full trash can instead of putting it into a completely empty trash can next to it. ??? I just don't understand people but I am not saying anything about it to anyone, it's not worth it. I'll just deal with it and bite my tongue.  

But while I was over there, it dawned on me to go ahead and measure out the area for Hipcamp, I'm glad I did. It gives me some perspective.  There is ample room for pickups and even medium sized trailers in there. Just no sewer connection or water.  And no 50 or 30 amp electrical service. I'm not trying to drag that crowd in there unless they are just looking for a spot to stay overnight on the cheap. I've been trying to decide what to charge. I was thinking $12 per night, but that is too cheap. I'm going with at least $15. That gives them a 20 amp electrical connection, access to fresh water if they want to fill up their tank on the way in with a "community spigot" and access to the shed with all that will have in it. I think that's more than  a fair deal and should hopefully bring some people in.  I'm going to heavily advertise it, that's for sure.  

Well that's enough.  I am going to log into quickbooks and start scanning more receipts. Fun, fun.

 All of that stuff is done.  I'm burnt out and I'm taking the rest of today and all of Sunday off.  The only thing I'm going to do is go back over there and deal with trash.  

The Hipcamp area is much larger than I originally was going to do it, but it needed enough room for vehicles pulling trailers to be able to maneuver in and out of there.  I think I succeeded - by far - in that regard.  I am rather pleased with the outcome. It's not perfect, but it's definitely going to work.  

Now, there is still a lot of work to do, of course.  I have to go buy more sewer and water pipe for one thing, install it and then I will end up backfilling the rest of that by  hand. Work on it for an hour a day and I'll have it finished in a few days after I start the process. I see no need to wear myself out with what's left for backfilling, it's next to the shed, it's caution-taped off, it isn't in anyone's way and most of it you can't even see from the park to begin with.

I just won't rent that machine again for near $400 for what would be 30 minutes work if that on it and then return it.  

The idea of just planting grass back there is solid.  A natural appeal, that's what hipcampers like for the most part anyway.  A lot cheaper and I will have to mow grass elsewhere as it stands.  That's another expenditure I have been dreading.  A new riding mower isn't cheap, a used one isn't terrible but they always seem to need some kind of work done to it. I don't need or want someone else's project, they can fix it and then sell it.  Or not, but I won't be buying it.

Lot 14 is as done as it's going to get.  I'm not buying another $700 load of gravel but I did scoop some of the new stuff up from the driveway - where it wasn't bad when it rains - and put it over on that pad.  The people that paid for that site never showed up and never called.  Standard policy for the industry - if you aren't showing up, call and tell us. If you don't call or email, you will be charged one night's rental. They had a 2 day stay going.  I don't know, maybe they got hung up somewhere and couldn't make it and perhaps are coming today? If that is the case - a legitimate excuse anyway - it'll just be a one night's charge.

There is another one showing up today and has paid for the night as well. Just one night stay.  After that, I have nothing until the 9th of next month.  I am hoping there will be some overnighters that pop up out of nowhere and reserve spaces.  I am letting the folks on the pull through back into 14 and that will free up a pull through lot.  I'll have 2 pull throughs for overnight stays and one back in - for now.  Until I figure this out - meaning how many of these short term spaces do I really need? ... I'm leaving it like that.  I may figure it out quick, money is a thing and I don't want to leave any on the table if it doesn't pan out to have 3 of them.

Monday I'll go buy the rest of the pipe and then I'll start figuring out the electrical and how I want to bring the drain for the washer and the water for the washer into the building.  I will have another inlet for water at the other end of the shed.  It's going to take some figuring and I'll probably be standing in the plumbing and electrical aisles at Lowe's for quite a while trying to figure what I need to do. It may sound easy enough, but it really isn't lol. A pro that does it all the time would instantaneously know what to get for what applications - I am no pro.  

I'm going to install all of the electrical outlet boxes first, run the wire that I bought for it and then figure out how much more wiring I will need. I am adding a lot more outlets than I originally anticipated.  2 light switches - bathroom and main room, 2 ceiling light fixtures, a 4 outlet setup at the kitchen area, 2 electric dryer hookups, another double set up for 2 washers and an outlet near where the window AC unit is going to go.  I think that's it.  Well I guess an oven also has a 30 amp or 50 amp outlet I'll need to install for that as well.  There will be no electricity in the bathroom. Or, I will run the wiring but won't install an outlet.  I may change my mind and if I do, I don't want ot have to fish wire through walls.  

I'll have to get some insulation and then I'm going to have to frame and drywall the shower area - after I install a shower stall.  Toilet first too, might as well get the hard stuff done first before framing.  Framing is relatively easy, I can also hang drywall, I'm not the greatest at texturing.  

A new kitchen base counter with counter top and sink are well into the $600 plus tax range. 

No thank you.  I will look outside of the area on both craigslist and facebook.  Dallas, for example. Yes, I'll drive to Dallas to save hundreds of dollars. Bigger cities? You can frequently find people who are remodeling their homes that are selling the old stuff cheap.  Take the trailer, pick it up, spend a bit in gas and time but save a ton of money.  And if I have to do that, I'll see if I can find a used bathroom vanity. NO used toilets, tho, they are $100 for base model and that is what I am getting - new.  I just can't and won't deal with a "used toilet".  

Shower stall is also going to be a bit pricey.  It's time to start looking around and see what I can find on the cheap. I don't need expensive, fancy stuff, I need base model, cheap stuff, new or used.  I won't be able to get away without a shower or a toilet, I could save the kitchen for later - tho I really don't want to.  The first priority is to get laundry going. I have most of the stuff already. I need to build the small shed and put the water heater in it and get water lines going to and from it.  So that just reminded me that I need to do a T off of the underground line and run it to the heater.  I'm glad I just thought of that.  

I think I'll build that shed Monday, get the water heater in it and go from there. I want that shed built, it's just laying there in a box and vulnerable. There is no-one driving back there, yet, I just want to build it before anything happens to it. As it stands, I came very close to running over both of them with the Bobcat, gag.  

Maybe I'll build both of them Monday - if you can indeed build 2 of them in 1 day.  I'll need the other one for my tools.  Yes, I think it's prudent to get that out of the way and get it done before anything happens to them. After that I can figure out the water line to the water heater and the washing machine. That 'should' be relatively easy.  Yeah, we all know how that ends up going.

The hardest part is going to be electrical.  I know it, I can feel it and I am just going to face it last.  It's important to get water and drain lines installed first - electrical wiring can be routed around it.  I'm sitting here planning this as I go along, writing this entry.  I have to have a plan and I usually make one and at least try to stick to it.  Sheds, water heater, water line, drain line.  

So, anyway, I can spend today and tomorrow searching for the things I need, and work on paperwork/billing/inputting expenses and sales.  Well, I don't really have to do sales if it's done with credit card online.  That gets deposited automatically into my bank and then Quickbooks automatically adds it to my "paperwork". Pretty cool, actually, for $15 per month.  I just have more receipts for various things going back months that I am working on getting into the system.  It's quite tedious, at least for me.  

I've accomplished a lot in the past 3 days, I'm fairly proud of myself.  It has been a lot of hard work, a lot of physical labor and yes, there's more to go but still, I got a lot done.  

I'm tired. I feel like I could just fall asleep, sitting here in my computer chair. The contractor that built the park just contacted me out of the blue asking what I am charging? I don't know why he was asking that - perhaps for his own park that they may end up having to operate because no one is buying it/not for that much money. I told him my current rates and said I would be raising them eventually, but for right now I'm just trying to get on the map.  

He's a nice guy, he just doesn't communicate very well - he tries to carry too many hats in the company.  He gets so many calls and texts, he says by the end of the day, he's got over 100 missed calls/text messages.  I can understand not getting back to everyone right away - or even at all.  But I did ask him to throw out a number for a house sized septic system.  He hasn't responded lol.  Oh well, I'll keep asking him until I get a number. No, I can't get one right now. It's a goal.  More RV lots is a goal.  Hipcamping is no longer a goal, it's spend more money but get it done.  I'm trying to spend no more than a thousand more dollars on that setup, which is why I need all of that stuff cheap.  

Frankly, as much as I don't want to, the kitchen area may have to be put on hold for a while.  Hipcampers will come as long as I have a toilet and a shower, the kitchen is an added bonus.  I don't know if it's really mandatory. I did some looking on Hipcamp and saw places that were offering a basic kitchen.  I suppose I could just start out with an oven with stove top. No, that won't work. You can't clean the pots/pans/utensils without a sink.  However, instead of having a base cabinet with a kitchen sink, now that I think of it, I could just have an oven, a small countertop only and a utility sink.  Have pots/pans hanging from hooks on the wall instead of cabinets.  Keep kitchen utensils all in one, revolving-style can. We have one, they work great.  This would cut down 

They are calling it a "rugged tub" and I am looking at the whole setup for $116. That's substantially cheaper than buying a base cabinet, plus a counter top, plus a sink and faucet. Unless I think of something even better, this is probably what I'm going to do.  I'm looking at used electric ovens for $200, one of them as it an actual store and giving a warranty. 

Looks like Home Depot has a complete "industrial" shower - it is glass and it doesn't look shoddy - for $339. But that's just initial searching.  ` 

I've got too much on my mind, time to de-stress. 

Saturday, morning -early.

If that alarm hadn't gone off, guaranteed I'd still be sleeping.  I'm just going to work on the Hipcamp area this morning and then take the machine back.  I was going to work on the front, but I think Hipcamp, being a potential money-maker, takes priority.  

It's going to need some sort of gravel tho. 

The cost of SB2 went up $250, I am not spending that much on a Hipcamp operation.  It is likely I'll go with the other place that quoted $500 for crushed concrete.  Of course, their prices may have gone up as well? 

I'm not doing that today tho.  I could leave it dirt and still rent it out to people who don't particularly care.  That's the Hipcamp group, they end up in all kinds of places that aren't official Rv parks or any other type of business for that matter. A lot of it is people with land that.  I have the land part!  I suppose I could plant grass on the areas where people will park.  Actually I could plant grass on the whole thing and then just drive in and out of there to keep a driveway clear of it.  Grass = $35 per bag - 2 bags would cover it.  

That sounds better, actually and much cheaper.  

I haven't even gotten a riding mower.  Most of the grass I planted grew to a certain height and has just stayed there. It's odd, perhaps it's the layer of clay underneath the top soil?

Well, whatever the case, it's time to get outta here. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday have rain forecast for next week.  I'll get a few bags and spread it before then and see what happens.

C'y'all later!