The Costs of Buying and Owning a Static Caravan

One of the most common questions we’re asked about owning a holiday home is the one that’s the most difficult to find an answer to anywhere else on the internet: “How much does it cost to own a static caravan holiday home?”

It’s right that you want to know what kind of charges are to be expected and how much those charges will be. It’s also right that you’ll want to know how much a static caravan will cost upfront too – but prices vary significantly from park to park (even for the same caravan!)

The truth is, the buying and running costs of your holiday home will vary hugely depending on the park you choose; however, the vast majority of parks will be billing you for the same things. Here we’ll delve into what those costs are and some rough guides of how much you would expect to pay.

Don’t forget, if there are any terms you’re not 100% certain of, you can always visit our holiday home jargon buster article for more info!

How much is a static caravan in the UK?

Caravans on UK holiday parks range from around £10,000 up to £250,000 or more.

We realise that such a wide price range might not be a very helpful answer – the problem is, the actual price you’re going to pay depends on a a few different factors.

Generally speaking, the biggest factor is going to be the park you choose. If you’re looking for a caravan on a very quiet park with no facilities, you may be able to find a pre-owned static for around £10,000. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a top-of-the-line new luxury caravan on a all-singing, all-dancing holiday park with lots of facilities could cost you £250,000 or more.

That said, very few people jump in at the deep end and buy a luxury static as their first caravan! An entry-level price for a caravan on a Haven or Parkdean Resorts style park is usually around £25,000 for a package that includes your first year of site fees, the cost of siting the caravan on the plot you choose, and all the accessories you need to get started. Most people will use a caravan finance package to break that cost down too – often paying a 10-20% deposit followed by manageable monthly payments.

Another big factor is the type of caravan you’re opting for. £25,000 will get you a very nice condition pre-owned caravan – but it typically won’t have double-glazing and central heating. Again, the actual price will vary from park-to-park based on what’s in stock – but you can probably expect to pay £35,000 upwards for a caravan with double glazing and central heating that’s a little more suited to winter breaks.

While these figures might sound like a lot, they actually tend to break down into much more manageable payments. While these figures are not intended as an actual illustration of a finance package, you’ll typically find that a 10% deposit on an entry-level caravan at an all-action park results in a monthly payment of around £400 over 7 years (the usual time-period for caravan finance). Each specific park will be able to give you actual finance-approved illustrations that explain interest rates and repayment periods though.

How much is a lodge in the UK?

If you’re looking for a UK holiday experience like no other – a lodge might be the answer! The term “lodge” is used to describe a few different types of holiday home, including:

16ft-wide double-unit static caravans
20ft-wide double-unit static caravans
Wooden purpose-built “log-cabin” caravans

Again, the price range here is wide. A pre-owned 16ft-wide double unit will typically start around £65,000 – and you could easily find a luxury new log-cabin option on a spectacular park with a price nudging towards £500,000.

Like static caravans, the price largely depends on the park. At £65,000 you could expect a nice pitch on a holiday park amongst other similar lodges or caravans. If you’re spending hundreds of thousands, you’ll typically find that your pitch is ultra-exclusive – perhaps with extraordinary views, very elite locations, or even your own mooring for a boat and access to the water in some cases.

Again, most people will spread the cost of a lodge across a number of years, rather than paying all at once. Your chosen park will be able to break down the costs and give you plenty of finance options if this is the route you want to take.

How much are caravan site fees?

This is the cost for keeping your caravan at the park. It covers the rent of the small piece of ground it’s being kept on and the use of facilities and services on the park.

This is normally the largest charge for keeping a caravan – but will usually come with some payment options; direct debit, standing order, etc.

Site fees are normally charged toward the end of the year or holiday season and most park operators will expect those to be paid before the commencement of the following season, so your bill will usually come through around October, with payment expected around January. Some park operators will offer a small discount for prompt payment.

On parks which let your caravan on your behalf will often credit the money that has been made to your account around October or November too, meaning your outlay is reduced.

Different parks – different site fees

As the cost of site fees vary so much depending on what kind of park you choose we’ve given a few illustrations below.

£1000-£2000

This would normally be a very small park and site fees income will be invested in the upkeep of the park rather than being spent on facilities and staff members.

You could expect a manager or owner who lives at the park offering a personal feel to the caravan owning experience. The emphasis for a lot of owners choosing this kind of park would be the attraction of either the surrounding area or the peace and quiet!

£2000-£3500

A park with site fees around this cost would sometimes start to offer some facilities.

The lower end of the price range typically having a ‘club house’ or pub type facility and toward the higher end perhaps having an indoor heated swimming pool and slightly more in the way of entertainment facilities.

Depending on who the park caters for, you might expect to see more for children to be doing on a park like this – perhaps with an entertainment programme offering shows and acts.

On a park that’s aimed more toward adults you could expect to have some more adult orientated facilities – perhaps including a restaurant or gym facilities indoors – and fishing, sports courts and more well-tended-to grounds around the park.

£3500-£7500+

This would be either an ‘all-action’ park in a prime holiday location, or a top end ‘exclusive’ park – again in a desirable location.

Owners on an all-action park could expect one or more swimming pools, eating and drinking establishments, sports facilities and family entertainment venues – all offering activities through the day and into the evening.

If you’re looking at a park with more of a leaning toward ‘exclusive’ facilities – these will often cater more toward adults, perhaps offering spa and relaxation facilities. Sport facilities will have more of an adult feel, a well-equipped gym, tennis courts and even a golf course wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.

Of course, you don’t have to pick one or another – some parks will try to blend both of these approaches.

How much is caravan winter storage?

The vast majority of parks include their ‘winter storage’ fee as part of their site fee cost, however, it’s worth asking if there’s an additional charge.

This can sometimes be a sneaky way of being able to offer an impressively low site fee cost only to have it bumped up when it comes to discussing the exact costs of keeping the caravan on the park.

Although it’s not fair to say it’s always an underhand charge – some local authorities say parks cannot keep holiday homes on their bases all year, forcing parks to move caravans and charge accordingly.

Our suggestion is to always ask the employee of the park you’re dealing with to avoid any nasty surprises.

How much are local authority rates when you own a static?

‘Rates’ are the costs levied on the park by the local authority for services they provide to the park, normally, water and sewerage connections.

This is normally a large bill that the park receives – it’s then broken down into much smaller amounts to reflect what individual owners contribute to that cost. The actual amount varies park to park but will normally be somewhere between £200 and £400.

How much is gas and electric for my holiday home?

There are different ways of charging for both gas and electricity on a park.

Some parks will have meters for both fuels. They will read your meters throughout the year and a bill will be produced. Although we feel we’re coming up a little short by saying this, it’s difficult for us to estimate fuel costs – a lot of larger parks will suggest accounting around £500 for both fuels throughout a season.

A lot of parks use gas bottles, most often opting for the larger 47kg bottles.

Some parks will insist you buy these from the park, others will have no problem with you sourcing your bottles from elsewhere. The average bottle cost is between £65 – £75 delivered and fitted.

Usage will vary hugely based on the type of heating you have and the amount of time you spend in the holiday home.

Ask the person you’re speaking too on the park – if you’re not 100% sure their answer is legitimate – “Ahh! Owner’s here only really use one a year!!” – don’t be afraid to ask a caravan owner on the park.

Buying from a supplier off the park is often cheaper but can be less convenient – not many places other than the park team will deliver at 3am!

How much electricty does a caravan use?

Electricy use in a caravan, as you can no doubt imagine, depends on a lot of things – not least the appliences you have, the devices you’re charging, and how you’re using the caravan.

As a very rough estimate, somewhere between 10-20kWh is a good starting point – although this figure can fluctuate widely depending on specific usage patterns and the efficiency of the appliances within the caravan.

What is the average cost of static caravan insurance?

As you would insure a car or a house, most parks will insist that you ensure your holiday home.

A park will sometimes have a supplier they can suggest and this supplier can often offer a reduced rate based on the amount of business they do with the park or operator. Costs will understandably vary, as there are many different kinds of caravans and associated values.

As a guide, insuring a 10-foot-wide ‘starter’ holiday home will cost somewhere between £150 – £200 per year. This will inflate as the value of the caravan does the same, recent quotes we have done for a 20-foot-wide lodge unit have come to around £600.

How much is a TV license for a static caravan?

Usually, you won’t need a TV license for your static caravan. This is because your caravan will often be covered by the license you have for your TV at home. However, this only applies if the TV (or other electronic device) that you have at home isn’t being used at the same time as the TV or device you’re using at your caravan.

Tricky isn’t it? No problem if you’re all going to the caravan – but harder if grown-up kids or anyone else is staying at home!

If someone could be watching TV at your main home while you’re watching TV in your caravan, you’d need a separate licence. To comply with these rules, a declaration form provided by TV Licensing needs to be completed, indicating that the TV will not be used at both places at the same time.

Of course, we’re assuming you’re using a static caravan as a holiday home here and not as your main residence. If your caravan is on a residential park or a private piece of land and it’s your main home, then you will need a license, the same as you would in a brick-and-mortar home.

Incidental costs

There are some other small ‘incidental’ costs – such as draining your caravan down to protect against winter frosts, however, these will rarely come to more than £80 or so and might not actually be necessary. Ask your park operator.

How much is it to move a static caravan?

Hopefully you’re not going to need to move your static caravan if you’ve found a lovely site for it – but if you’ve bought one with a view to moving it, or you’ve just got itchy-feet and fancy a new location, you’ll need to find a specialist to help you.

Moving a static caravan in the UK involves a range of costs, primarily influenced by factors such as the caravan’s size and weight, the distance of the move, and any specific requirements of the sites involved. The process includes several key expenses:

Disconnection Costs: Before moving, services such as gas, electricity, water, sewer, internet, and TV need to be disconnected, often involving a fee.
Removal Company Expenses: Professional companies charge for the relocation service. Costs can vary, so it’s advisable to compare quotes.
Arrival Costs: Once at the new site, there will be costs for levelling, sitting, and possibly other site-specific fees.
Escort Vehicle Costs: For wide caravans or challenging routes, an escort may be required, adding to the expense.

The overall cost can range significantly, typically from £1,000 to £5,000, depending on these factors. The starting price for moving a static caravan is around £700+ VAT, but costs can exceed £5,000+ VAT for complex moves, such as relocating twin lodge units across the country.

Given the variability and potential for high costs, it’s essential to obtain quotes from several transport companies and carefully plan all aspects of the move. This approach helps ensure you find the best deal and are fully prepared for the associated costs and logistics of relocating your static caravan.

Get ALL Costs in Writing

We can’t emphasise just how important it is to make sure both you and the park operator you’re dealing with agree on a list of charges that relate to your time on their park.

A signed ‘site charges list’ should be kept by both parties. There are very rarely any problems, however, it’s better to have something in black and white documenting what charges you have agreed to should a query ever come up.

If a park operator isn’t keen on doing this, we’d suggest your money might be better spent somewhere else!

The National Caravan Council have done a lot of work in the industry ensuring customers are dealt with in a way that is extremely clear – especially relating to costs – and we’re pleased to say that the overwhelming majority of parks do adhere to this good practice.

Can I sublet my van to cover costs?

Some parks allow you to let your holiday home to paying guests, some will do this on your behalf, others are happy for you to do it yourself.

If this is an option, it means a big chunk of the costs above can be negated.

There are things to consider of course – such as an increase in fuel bills, however, many caravan owners find doing some letting can go a long way toward off-setting their costs. Why not ask the park you’re enquiring with whether it’s possible? And remember, you can always chat with current owners on the park to double check what you’re told!