I am planning to embark on a dream of mine, building a houseboat. I've seen all the various types of boat kits available and have pretty much decided that a "pontoon kit" would work best for me. I'm thinking that around 50' x 12' would be ideal. I thought about all the time involved in the building process and the cost to do all the wiring, plumbing, superstructure, etc. and was wondering if it was reasonable to build the pontoon deck structure and instead of doing the actual building of the "house" structure if I bought a 35' to 40' travel trailer and fastened it to the deck? By the way, I would be using the houseboat on closed lakes. Other than the proper fastening of the rv to the deck I cannot think of a reason why this would not work, perhaps others have done this or have heard of this...it seems so much easier and cheaper to have a ready made house (rv) than to do all the work of building one. I realize that there would be modifications needed to make this work. Any imput or advice on this kind of setup would be greatly appreciated....thank you!

GROC

If you want to build a houseboat from scratch as a hobby you will have a lot of fun and it will take from 2 to 5 years depending on how much time you can devote to the project. If you are doing it to save money you are way ahead to purchase a commercially produced product or rebuild a junker. Homade boats have very little value when it comes time to sell.

Adding a trailer to pontoons eleminates a portion of the work however you will have to make additions and changes to bring it up to Coast Guard standards and make the finished product insurable and Marina acceptable.

In truth you are farther ahead to buy a good used boat and work the hours that you would have done building it, at what you do best to pay for it. You can enjoy the boat years/s earlier.

However, if the pleasure is in the craftsmanship, go for the dream.

On a 50' boat consider 14' minimum width.
OLD HOUSEBOATER38963.3290972222

I have a 34' by 8' pontoon houseboat, under construction at this time. I purchased the pontoons with a full aluminum deck to start. It will be powered by a 150 hp OB. Trailable. I believe I could have purchased a complete running in good condition houseboat, cheaper! If you can put 10 hours a week into the construction, it will take 3 years to build. BUT, I have a lot of fun in doing it MY way. Like testing the roof structure, took 3 poker buddies and a case of beer. The roof is STRONG. If it never gets in the water, I've still had a lot of fun in the building process. If you never try, you will never do it. GOOD LUCK!

Thank you OHB, for your advice. I think I may make a smaller "trailerable" houseboat...8' x 30' to 35' for my first one then go up from there..."time" is of the essence with me...of which I have very little of..lol...I'm sure I'll be seeking lots of advice from the forum members as well as yourself over the next several months.

Thanks again,

GROC

I like your plans allard, as a matter of fact it made me change my plans, for now. It seems it might be a better idea for me to start smaller..something I can trailer and get a feel for where I want to travel with it and eventually stay ..long term. I like the strong roof construction thats what I want on mine too..for that upper deck. Hopefully, at some point you can post pics of yours..I'd be interested in seeing how you are doing with it. Thank you for the wish of luck with mine...good luck to you too!

GROC

I agree with old houseboater felling on the subject.

Not the pontoon houseboat using a travel tiler have done several time before.

But you would spend as much money on that if you built from scratched. And never be happy with what you got.

Come by my site and there will be free blueprints with way to modify them into some thing you like.

I am building a pontoon electric-houseboat

I prefabed the cabin with 1" square steel tubing. The front 8' is 1' taller then the back 12'. Weld up the complete wall, on the shop floor on 16" centers, window openings and all. Build the end walls with windows and door opening. Stand up all four sides and square and fasten them together in the shop. For rafters I use 2" steel tubing on 16" centers. The aluminum skin was obtained from a semi trailer supply house. They have .050 aluminum rolled sheeting,for trailer roofs, 104" wide cut to your lengths. Cut to size and rivit it to the studs. Cut out the doors and windows later. The roof has 1/2" marine grade plywood screwed down with the aluminum sheeting gluded and rivited on the 2" overhang. No LEAKS. Put the completed cabin on some pipe rollers and move it outside. I used 2 forklifts to raise it enought to roll the pontoons and trailer under it. Bolt it down. Cut 1" blue strafoam to fit between the wall stud and glue it in. Use 2" on the roof. We are finishing out the inside at this time. Most of it is a one man job. It took 2 to hang the 20' sheets on the sides. Good luck on yours.

Must be a welder by trade.

I am going the conventional house grade construction. no more freezing the winter and sweating in the sumer

I using rotonics.com pontoon's if the are good for the coast guard to use the are good enough for me. The _frame_r wood is all wood. This leaves me with 8" to fill with insulate for the bottom. The roof will 6" think so it leave with 6' insulating to the too.

Using 2 x 4 for the wall leaves me with 4" insulation there too.

And I can build it piece be piece with stopping place at every 3'

party barge, 1 room houseboat, 2 room houseboat, 3 room houseboat

I'm going to build it in the water.

good luck with you too !