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Budget
What design C costs now, after the 2026-10-12 buying research, against the $5,000 target and the $10,000 cap. Every number comes from the price list.
The honest number
Where the money goes, by phase
See Phases for the build order.
What the research cut
Extra savings if Nathan buys used
These options are outside the totals by Nathan's rule.
Design changes that cut more
These change the approved design. They are Nathan's call.
| Line | Change | Saves | What he gives up |
|---|---|---|---|
| estimate | No wet bath: a Porta Potti in a closet, shower outside | About $1,500 (Claude's estimate, 2026-10-11) | The indoor shower and toilet, the black tank and its plumbing. The front 42 × 42 in becomes storage or a bigger galley. |
| estimate | No furnace and no air conditioner in the first build | About $1,500 (Claude's estimate, 2026-10-12 prices) | A space heater and a fan on shore power only. The roof hole and the propane line stay planned. |
| estimate | Back to 16 ft | About $600 (Claude's estimate, 2026-10-11) | The desk. Two feet less steel, skin, foam and lining. |
| estimate | Wood wall framing (2 × 2) instead of 1 × 1 steel tube | About $400 (Claude's estimate, 2026-10-11) | Joe's steel-tube shell. Wood is easier for a first builder, but VHB tape on wood needs a primed, sealed face, and the shell is heavier. |
Tools: buy or rent
What Nathan decides next
- Is the $10,000 cap for the whole trailer or per year?
- Which design-change rows, if any?
- Which used options he wants to hunt for?
- Whether phase 1 starts this season.
Claude's recommendation
Keep the approved design. Take the research picks. Buy phase 1 in build-step order, starting with the tools and the steel. Decide on the furnace after one winter weekend. Keep phase 4 for later. Use the before-tax Now total and the total with tax when deciding whether the cap applies to the whole trailer or one year.