As holidays abroad become increasingly uncertain amid the Iran War, and the cost of staycations continues to surge, cheap and cheerful caravan breaks are firmly back in.
Holiday park operators including Haven, Away Resorts and Waterside Holiday Parks have reported a boom in bookings, while Gumtree has seen demand for campervans, motorhomes and caravans surge by 133 per cent since the start of the year.
Yet today’s portable homes are a far cry from the plastic-lined sofas, chipped cupboards and worn weatherboard cladding of the past.
Many are now better equipped and more comfortable than some houses and hotel rooms – and have even become a flashy status symbol for the wealthy who spend upwards of £120,000 on luxury models.
But according to one woman who renovates old caravans in her spare time, transforming a tired motorhome from drab to fab doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
In fact, she says it can be done for less than £1,000.
Hayley Rubery, 35, from Essex, has made something of a name for herself in the online world by sharing her budget-friendly renovation projects – so much so that she’s been dubbed ‘The Caravan Girl’ by her loyal following.
Having moved to Norwich with her boyfriend Ben eight years ago for a slower pace of life, she found the creative freedom and financial flexibility to tap into the art of thrifting and upcycling – turning unwanted items into something special.
Hayley Rubery, 35, from Essex, has made something of a name for herself in the online world by sharing her budget-friendly renovation projects
Hayley Rubery spent £500 on an old caravan she found on Facebook Marketplace (pictured)
Hayley set herself a strict renovation budget of £500, bringing her total investment in the project to £1,000. LEFT: What the lounge looked like before. RIGHT: What it looks like now
From £1 charity shop finds to £1,000 home makeovers, her transformations have attracted millions of views online.
But when she came across an ageing caravan on Facebook Marketplace for just £500 two years ago, it not only brought back fond memories of family holidays, it inspired a new project – or, three.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Hayley said: ‘I went on caravan holidays religiously as a kid.
‘Every year we used to go to Great Yarmouth, and me and my brother would always take a friend. I’ve got such fond childhood memories – it feels really nostalgic.
‘Although we bought our family home this time five years ago, it’s like a huge renovation project. So, as much as we love to travel, we felt like we don’t have like loads of excess cash for all these holidays every year.
‘So, I was like, “Why don’t we look at a little caravan, you know?”‘
After buying the two-berth, 20-year-old motorhome, Hayley set herself a strict renovation budget of £500, bringing her total investment in the project to £1,000.
To keep costs low, she retained the caravan’s existing layout and worked her magic with new floors, improved furnishings, fresh curtains, modern decor and a lick of paint – much of which was purchased second-hand or at Home Bargains and Poundland.
LEFT: What the kitchen looked like when Hayley bought it. RIGHT: What it looked like after she renovated it
LEFT: What the bathroom looked like when Hayley bought the caravan. RIGHT: What it looked like after
She explained: ‘I love a bargain and I love shopping second-hand. With older caravans, everything’s wooden and sort of blends into one. But, if you can change that one simple thing, it can make a massive difference.’
‘We have tins of open paint that we’ve used for house projects, so I’ll use that. We also buy stick-on floor tiles for £35 from TikTok shop – we’ve used these in our own kitchen and they’re so good.
‘I always try to keep as much of the original caravan as I can, so I’ll give the sofa cushions a deep clean, switch out the door handles, and spruce up the cupboards.
‘And I think it’s really amazing what a lick of paint can do. We painted the outside white with £100 worth of paint and sprayed a green stripe down the side using a £20 can from Amazon – it looked so cool.’
Completed in just four months, the revamped motorhome sold for £1,500 – earning Hayley a modest £500 profit that sparked the beginning of a newfound passion.
She soon invested £500 into a second motorhome from Facebook Marketplace, before sinking another £500 into a third that she’s currently working on.
Hayley’s second flip – a 30-year-old, four-berth caravan – has been her most successful project yet. After just a few months, she completely transformed it and made a tidy £1,000 profit – marking her biggest payday across all three renovations.
She said: ‘We’d only spent about £800 on the caravan, yet we sold it for £1800 to a lady who now travels around in it with her husband and their two kids. Sometimes she sends me pictures of them travelling!
‘It’s weird as I was never in it to make thousands of pounds. I was just really happy that someone could use it for their holidays, and I just really enjoyed the process, which I think is what mattered the most to me.’
However, restoring older caravans isn’t always smooth sailing.
Pictured: The bedroom in the caravan once Hayley had renovated it
Most of what Hayley used was second-hand or from Poundland
A major drawback is managing damp and mold. If you’re looking to stick to a tight budget, Hayley advises avoiding completely gutted models, as restoring them will end up costing you significantly more.
She said: ‘With older caravans it’s kind of part of the parcel, but it’s important to know how to treat damp before buying. If the floor is quite spongy, this could indicate the floor is also damp. This isn’t a great sign and I would avoid buying.
‘It’s equally crucial to check windows – where damp often retains – and the inside of cupboards.
‘I would also avoid investing in a shell unless you plan on turning the caravan into a business. Motorhomes that have been ripped out will result in a complete rebuild – that is much different to replacing a floor or treating a bit of damp.’
These are hurdles Hayley has faced with her current project. She recently tackled a minor damp issue and is currently sourcing and installing a portable toilet to replace the one stripped out by the previous owners, who also removed the shower.
However, she’s confident she can manage these tasks and hopes to finish the renovation soon.
The influencer is even eyeing up a fourth vehicle – though she has vastly different plans for it that remain top-secret for now.
While Hayley loves the creative process and sending families off in a brand-new motorhome, what truly drives her is helping them afford quality UK holidays amid the rising cost of living.
She said: ‘Staycations went wild post-COVID, but on the same page, they can be really expensive and can cost just as much as going abroad. So I had to think: “How can we still have that adventure in the UK, but not pay two grand for a cabin?”
‘With caravan holidays, all you have to do is tow it up to the car and pay £15-a-night at the campsite, and you can still go hiking and go on all sorts of adventures.’
Hayley isn’t the only one jumping on this trend. She has noticed a massive surge in people purchasing and upgrading motorhomes – some to resell for a profit, and others to enjoy on their own holidays.
She said: ‘I have seen a few people on TikTok over the last year or two starting it. I think mostly it comes from the cost of living and everything going up. People are feeling tired of not being able to afford anything anymore.
‘I see people that renovate houseboats and buses, and they live in them just so they’re not paying a mortgage – I’m all for that.
‘Once we’re trapped in this system, the interest on mortgages is crazy – you don’t really own a house until you’ve paid it off for 30 years.’
Once her fourth project is wrapped up, Hayley intends to shift her focus away from caravans and seek out alternative modes of transport for her next renovation.
She said: ‘I think something on a bigger scale, some kind of bus, or an old ambulance, or a truck, would be so cool. I’ve toyed with the idea of a horse trailer as well.
‘I definitely don’t think this is me hanging up my boots. I love being creative, and I love inspiring people, and if I can inspire people to do something without breaking the budget, that’s always my goal. You really don’t have to spend £30,000 to live that life.’
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