For machinery and valuable tools, you would not only want it sturdy, but also enclosed and secure to prevent theft.

The vehicle that you will use to pull the utility trailer will also help determine the dimensions. For example, a utility trailer to haul groceries behind a bicycle will necessarily be much smaller than a utility trailer for a Suburban, built to haul a table saw.

Gather the materials and tools.Working according to a utility trailer plan will help you gather the right components. Once you have located a source for the materials, check with the customer service representative to arrange delivery. If you are a skilled welder and have the equipment you’ll need, follow the manufacturer’s recommended safety and procedural instructions.

Most designs consist of a bed, a hitch, a “tongue” (the wedge shape that extends from the front), an axle with wheels, taillights, and a license plate frame.

Many of the components for utility trailers (tongue, hitch, axle, jack, and taillight assembly) can be purchased fully assembled, allowing for easier construction.

Weld the angle iron rods together for the bed frame. Assure the corners are squared.

Weld support beams made of flat iron across from side to side.

Bolt pressure-treated 2×6 inch (5.1 X 15.2 cm) boards to the frame, parallel with the sides inside the lip of the angle iron.

Cut lumber with a circular saw. Drill holes in the angle iron with a variable speed drill and drill-bit designed for metal.

Attach boards to frame bed.

Attach the axle and tires.Use a hydraulic jack to raise up the frame. Block all 4 corners to keep it elevated. Weld the axle under the framing. On a rectangular frame, the axle should be attached with 60 percent of the frame in front and 40 percent in back to distribute the weight of the bed.

• Using the lug bolts and nuts included with the axle kit, install the predetermined sized tires on the axle.

Understand that you may need to have the utility trailer examined and submit it to a safety inspection. Most branch locations for the Department of Motor Vehicles have safety inspection stations on-site.

• Know that if your utility trailer requires a safety inspection that you may be provided with a temporary registration. The length of the temporary registration and the fee is determined by your region’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

You probably can’t tow an 8,000 pound full-size camper trailer with a Honda Civic. Depending upon the particular trailer you need to haul, you need to check to determine the weight limits in the owner’s manual and determine the appropriate hitch to have installed.

• The weight should be generally specified by the manufacturer and listed in the owner’s manual. Look online if you’re missing the manual, or check at an auto shop.
• You need to find two numbers, the gross trailer weight (GTW), which is the combined weight of the trailer and the gear on it, and the maximum tongue weight for your vehicle to determine the class of hitch you’ll need to tow the load.

Get the appropriate class of hitch for your load installed. Generally, you’ll get a hitch receiver installed that you can use for different size trailer hitches, for class 3 and up. These receivers include a removable draw-bar that you can use to install different sized hitches for different loads you might use.If you get the largest receiver installed on your vehicle, you’ll be ready for any sized load your vehicle can handle, classified according to the following specs:

• Class 1: 2000 pounds GTW/200 pounds tongue weight
• Class 2: 3500 pounds GTW/350 pounds tongue weight
• Class 3: 5000 pounds GTW/500 pounds tongue weight
• Class 4: 7500 pounds GTW/750 pounds tongue weight
• Class 5: 10,000 pounds GTW/1000 pounds tongue weight

The larger the ball, the more weight it can carry. Basically, the ball of the hitch will come in one of three sizes:

• 1 ⁷⁄₈ inch (4.8 cm)
• 2 inch (5.1 cm)
• 2 ⁵⁄₁₆ inch (5.9 cm)

Use the tongue jack to raise the trailer and align it with the ball. Make sure that the hitch lock is unlocked before lowering the trailer onto the ball and securing the tongue. Cross the safety chains to the hooks near the vehicle hitch or the vehicle frame, making sure there is enough slack in the chains but not so much that they drag on the ground.

• Using the tongue jack, try to raise the tongue off of the ball. If you are able to do this, the ball and tongue sizes do not match, or the ball is not locked properly. In this case, replace the ball with the correct size, or lock it properly and try again.
• Once the tongue of the trailer is on the ball, you can lock it in place by placing a bolt or padlock through the ball lock mechanism to prevent it from accidentally opening.

Generally, these employ a simple color-coded connection that makes it easy to hook up the lights to the harness should make it easy to install the connector properly to the tow vehicle’s harness.

• After you’ve hooked up the lights, do a quick brake check to make sure everything is functioning properly. It’s critical to make sure that your turn signals and brakes work on the back of the trailer to ensure a safe trip (as well as no traffic tickets).
• To keep the connection from corroding, you might consider spraying the contacts with a small amount of dielectric grease.

You want the amount of weight resting on the hitch to be roughly 10 to 12 percent of the total weight of the trailer. You can use a regular bathroom scale to place under the beam to check.

• If the weight out-weighs your scale (which is likely for 4000 lb. and up trailers) place the scale farther up the trailer to get a smaller measurement. If you go a third of the way up, triple the weight on the scale to get the approximate weight.
• Depending on the weight of the trailer, you might consider using an equalizing bar to even out the pressure on the hitch. These are generally long metal brackets that transfer a bit of the weight more toward your vehicle’s front axle. If you’re hauling at the upper end of the specs, use an equalizer.

Depending on the load you’re hauling, you might need to use a tarp to secure lose objects in boats or refuse trailers, since you’re responsible for anything that flies out and causes damage.

• You can also take this opportunity to make sure the hitch height is set correctly, your trailer’s tires are inflated to the appropriate specifications, and that you haven’t overloaded the trailer in such a way as to negate the careful checks you’ve already performed.

Before you hit the road, get out your tape measure. Does the trailer make your rig considerably taller? By how much? How much length is added to the back of your car or truck? These will be important considerations any time you’re trying to park somewhere you normally wouldn’t give a second thought to squeezing into.

• If it’s your first time towing a trailer, it’s best to practice some in a big empty parking lot before taking it out on the road. You want to be as familiar as possible with the vehicle’s response time and turning radius.

You must always compensate for the extra weight, especially when slowing down, and especially when driving on inclines. Play it safe and be cautious. You also need to pay especially close attention to the added length of your rig anytime you’re: #*Changing lanes

• Merging
• Exiting the interstate
• Parking
• Stopping for gas
• Pulling over

Towing a significant amount of weight will negatively effect your fuel economy, so keep a close eye on the gauge. Making frequent pull-offs in crowded gas stations can be stressful for first-time towers, so try and anticipate your fuel needs ahead of time to avoid difficult maneuvers.

Even if you checked and doubled checked your connections and everything is up to code, there’s always the possibility that something in the road will jostle the trailer lose a bit. It’s best to stop sometimes, especially on long or especially bumpy trips, to make sure everything’s still hooked up. Seeing your trailer careen off the road isn’t the time to double-check.

It’ll probably happen eventually that you’ll mis-time a turn, or lack sufficient space to clear a turn like you figured you would. Don’t panic. Make sure there isn’t traffic behind you and back up slowly and as straight as possible to give yourself the clearance you need. Get a passenger to hop out and watch the trailer from a different angle to give you steering tips, and use your mirrors judiciously.

To get yourself oriented properly, pull more or less straight perpendicular to where you want the back end of the trailer to go, keeping the truck and the trailer straight. Pull past the spot by 8–10 feet (2.4–3.0 m) to give yourself adequate room to back up.

• When you’ve got it lined up, turn your wheel opposite the direction of the parking spot. So, in other words, if you’ve pulled up perpendicular to a spot on your passenger side, enough ahead of the spot to back up, stop the car and jack the wheel to the left, or the driver’s side.

Basically, to get the back end of the trailer to go right, you need to make your car back up going left and then straighten it back out to avoid a jackknife. Start backing up slowly and quickly straighten the wheel back out by turning it back toward the right. Watch your back end closely and straighten it back out if your angle gets too sharp. This’ll take some practice.

• Go extremely slowly. If you’re in an automatic transmission, the idling speed should be plenty fast to make you nervous. Use gas only sparingly and don’t make unnecessary or fast changes.
• Avoid jackknifing. If, at any point, the angle of the truck to the trailer becomes smaller than a right angle, straight it back out and give it another go. Don’t try and force it, because it won’t work.

Slowly give the vehicle gas, still holding the brake just enough so you want roll backwards.

• If your rear wheels start spinning try to get more weight in the back if possible.
• If all else fails then you’ll have to do a burnout to get the tires hot so they will stick to the ramp better.

Put the car in 1st gear. On Automatic cars just put the Shift Handle all the way down to 1 or L in some cars.

• Give it gas and hold the brake a little too so you won’t slide back into the water.
• Give enough gas to get the wheels spinning real fast but don’t over rev your engine. Watch the RPM meter to make sure it doesn’t redline.
• Shortly your vehicle should start inching forward up the ramp. If you’re still not moving then let off the gas and hold the brake. Then slowly give it gas trying not to burnout.
  If all this fails then you’ll need to find someone that’s capable of pulling you out.

Use the bare, unprinted side of the cardboard for the outside.

• This is easier to draw on and paint sticks to it much better because the primer soaks in and seals it as well.

Consider whether there are there any semi-permanent lodgings on the grounds not owned by the campsite. This will vary from country to country but many campsites do rent plots to owners of chalets or log cabins. This is very important as the following points indicate.

Don’t make the assumption that if you buy a campsite you will own everything you see.

Find out what the terms and conditions are for the owners of those chalets; in short how long are you legally obliged to continue to rent out the space to that particular owner? Do you have the right to change the rental rate? Under what terms could you evict a problematic client.

Be open to having such tenants. Clients of this nature often represent a desirable and steady income – the benefit in terms of peace of mind of a reasonable guaranteed income, rain or shine, cannot be underestimated when you are making monthly repayments on your business loan.

Find out whether such chalets have their own toilets and showers, otherwise they may be counted as users of your toilet facilities and therefore limit the number of visitors you can accept for a given star rating. This is an very important issue that is the subject of the next section.

Be conscious that star ratings vary from country to country, region to region and indeed from camping organisation to organisation. For instance, you may have a two star with the local authorities and have a three star in a particular camping guide. Star ratings usually take into account the number of toilets and showers available to a given number of guests; for instance, one toilet to twenty people might deliver a two star and one toilet to forty people might deliver a one star. Be aware then that expansion of the campsite without similar expansion of facilities may lower your star rating.

Be realistic. Unfortunately many camping authorities give star ratings for facilities that campers are not interested in, so don’t be surprised to find a campsite littered with table tennis tables that no-one is using – the owner is probably just “chasing stars”.

Note whether there a swimming pool on the campsite. If so, then does it conform to local regulations? Is the equipment in good order with evidence of maintenance? Local regulations may stipulate that the pool is surrounded by a childproof fence and also that a qualified lifeguard is on duty when the pool is open. Fully researching this issue properly is an absolute must. For instance, in Italy a full time “pool boy” or bagnini is required for any campsite pool. This raises issues of needing to employ an additional employee with the associated running costs. However, in Denmark no such provision is required. Prospective buyers in the US are advised to consult state authorities.

Understand what pool ownership involves. A pool may be a must in hot locations but do not underestimate the work or commitment involved in running a clean, legal and safe pool for your clients. What is the peak season temperature of the water without any additional heating? Will you need heating and if so is solar an option?

Be pragmatic. Not all campers consider a pool a bonus, those seeking a quiet retreat often view pools as a bonus in terms of an additional facility but as a negative in terms of attracting other campers of a noisier disposition. Some campers on balance actually seek out campsites that lack certain amenities that are judged to be attractions for a different sector of the market.

Learn what the local rules or regulations demand. Once again this will vary from country to country but the types of things you need to think about include the width of roads and the passable width of any gates. Emergency vehicles will need to turn around when they exit the campsite; the ‘turning circle’ of a fire fighting vehicle is not small. It is worth talking to the local fire-fighting agency to find out what is required for the larger fire-fighting emergency vehicles. At the same time, get any oil or gas fuel tanks checked over and ensure any required permits are in place.

Find out what your obligations are in terms of simple First Aid and public fire-fighting equipment and training. Don’t assume that the existing owner has ticked all the boxes – the authorities will not excuse any serious omission on your part, on account of the conduct of the previous owner.

Check out what local taxes or fees you may be eligible for. In many countries, businesses pay higher rates for services than private homes.

Consider whether permits have been obtained for the number of spaces or pitches already operated. Similar with any semi-permanent buildings.

If you plan to expand the campsite, talk to the relevant authorities before purchase. It is not just a matter of permission for more pitches – it is also a matter of what obligations you may have in terms of upgrading existing infrastructure, electricity supply, water supply, sewerage, access, security, health and safety. For instance, the electrical supply may only be sufficient for the electric current demand of the existing number of pitches so existing cable work may need replacing.

Remember that sewerage does not travel uphill, at least not without specialist sewerage pumps, so you need to consider the existing layout when considering expanding into areas of differing elevations. Is the capacity sufficient for current use and any expansion plans? Has the system been inspected by the relevant state or local authorities – have they issued any demands for improvements and, if so, how long would you have to comply and how much would it cost?

Find out who the most important camping bodies and organisations are for the relevant country. Most will have a website or year book; check if to see if the campsite is listed and if so, what comments and ratings are given. Most large camping organisations also have inspectors who visit sites – find out what they are looking for when they rate a campsite. For instance, a certain governing body in Europe stipulates a minimum shower cubicle width as a condition for a certain star rating – if cubicles have already been built but are too small, then obtaining higher star ratings may prove expensive. You could choose to view the inspector’s demands as a hurdle to jump but actually he only represents the wishes of the majority of campers in the organisation he represents, so really his comments should be seen as valuable commercial advice – ignore the wishes of your campers at your peril!

Don’t buy a campsite until you have slept in it a few nights – seriously! Take your tent or your camper van (or RV in America) and stay for a few nights. Use the toilets, showers, and the facilities and ask yourself if you would stay there yourself? Try and time your morning visit to the washrooms and toilets to be right in the middle of peak demand – this when you will get to see if the existing infrastructure can handle demand and whether the mood in the air is satisfaction or impatience and frustration. Remember that these people are potentially your future clients, so you need to get inside their heads and understand exactly how they feel about this campground.

Get chatting to other users of the site. Some may be regular clients who can tell you a lot of useful information about the campsite and also the surrounding attractions – how many times have they returned and what keeps them coming back? Regulars will be able to tell you whether there are any noise issues or similar disturbance problems associated with the immediate area that might be a problem. Do not base your decision to buy a campsite on one overnight stay; spend a week or longer if you can.

Be aware of any seasonal issues. Floods, storms, nuisance insects such as army ants or mosquitoes, etc. can be an issue. Familiarise yourself with regional climate and animal or insect life that may affect your clients.

Be aware that one of the primary considerations for anyone thinking of buying a campsite, hotel or other small tourist business is that you must know your market. This includes knowing your clients’ age ranges, whether they are families or retired couples, and understanding their idea of a perfect vacation. If this aspect of research does not interest you, it is recommended that you re-consider whether a small tourist business is really a good choice for you.

Know your target market and what their standards are. For instance, in continental Europe the Dutch are very keen campers but they are also known for their expectation of high standards of cleanliness. As such, you will not penetrate this lucrative sector of the market without spotless toilets and very regular cleaning schedules.

Look around to find out what the main attractions are in the area. Beach, sea, mountains or cultural cities? How does this affect the type of client and their duration of stay? Do most people stay a week or are they passing through. Neither is necessarily best; a steady stream of people staying only two nights on their way to some other destination might be a very good line of business but it will mean you spend more time settling arrivals into their allotted pitches.

In the initial author’s experience, some campsite businesses do very well in areas that seem rather unremarkable. This might be because there does seem to be a type of camper who just enjoys being in a field, cooking on a barbeque and enjoying fresh air. However it is considered that such a prospect is at best risky and should only be considered on the evidence of several years worth of financial figures. In general, the first maxim for tourist businesses does apply to campsites equally well and that maxim is: “location location location”.

Never buy a tourist business while only looking at it as a lifestyle business, namely, with a view to your personal lifestyle. Always take the view of your customer – ask yourself the question would you come and stay as a paying customer?

It is usual for small family run campsites to come with a house for the owner to live in. Some naive buyers fall in love with a great deal on the house and forget that the rest of the campsite has no really strong attraction for the camper.

Another way to summarise what is being said here? Think of your customer first and then consider your private living circumstances second; the reverse priority is unlikely to favour your long term financial prospects. Few people get rich running small campgrounds or hotels. Those who do get rich usually do so by massive expansion and end up leaving what may be called the lifestyle end of this business sector. In general if you favour quality of life above financial income you have a more realistic view.

Get the relevant professional advice to establish the legal boundaries of the campsite. Don’t trust wire fences or wooden fences. Urban houses tend to have very well defined boundaries but visual indications of boundaries on a campsite may be misleading. If the previous owner has constructed anything of a permanent nature, or relies on access that transgresses a boundary, you may be in for complications.

Consider the road or track leading up to your campsite as your lifeline. Make sure you understand who owns the road and what protection you have for the continued access of your clients. Is the road easily passable in all weather conditions that are likely to occur during tourist season? Find also how service pipes exit the campsite, they may well travel alongside or underneath the service road.

Arrange to talk to a local figure of political authority, such as a mayor, councilor or politician. Take the opportunity to find out whether the local authorities are supportive of the business. In many cases, local authorities are keen to encourage tourism and you will find a favourable response. You may find yourself applying for permits from these people, so it’s important that they look favourably on you and your business.

Check out the local competition, in particular any sites run by local government, council or authority, as these may have very competitive rates, superior advertising muscle and high standards.

Provide food options. Food is a big subject but starting out from the customer’s point of view, a lot of campers would like the option of restaurant food and also appreciate somewhere that they can cook for themselves. There are advantages and disadvantages to getting into the restaurant side of things; for one thing, you will need to ensure that cooking and eating areas meet local regulations and even if you franchise out the responsibility of cooking, you will still be the person who is responsible overall. There is a twofold advantage to supplying food: firstly, your revenue will increase on account of direct sales but secondly, you will generally attract more campers if you provide food.

If you are not keen on being responsible for a restaurant yourself, then another option is to buy your campsite within easy reach of existing restaurants and then form a co-operative relationship with these businesses.Distance will, of course, be the main factor here – people will tend to want to be able to stroll to a restaurant in the evening, especially if they are drinking alcohol, so the acceptable range may be only one or two miles or kilometres.

Have refrigeration storage options available. Many campers consider some form of refrigeration essential. Camper vans or RVs will have their own fridges but those in tents will appreciate somewhere to keep their milk fresh. A recent online poll conducted by the authors on a European website showed that refrigeration was one of the most important considerations for those staying in tents.

In most cases the revenue generated from campers in tents is much lower than that collected from RV owners (in Europe these are known as campervans) and caravans. However it’s always worth catering for those who favour canvas.