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You have so many decisions to make when purchasing an RV. What type of RV will you get? How much storage space do you actually need? Is a fireplace a necessity?
You can seek advice, but you have to nail down the best RV for your traveling needs. If you want to camp off-grid and in the middle of the woods, a Class A probably isn’t the right choice. If you want to accommodate your family of six, a small travel trailer probably won’t work.
Choosing the right floorplan is a huge decision and one that needs to take time. If you don’t choose the right layout, you may wish you had spent more time deciding before purchasing. You may even regret your purchase and seek to trade in much sooner than anticipated.
Let’s look at why choosing the right floorplan is so important and five of the worst floorplans in the RV industry. Let’s dive in!
How Do I Choose an RV Floorplan?
You should always choose an RV floorplan that works for you. Your favorite YouTube influencers may love their fifth wheel’s huge front living space. However, if you need a bunkhouse for your three kids, you need a different plan to fit your needs.
If you travel full-time and work from the road, you need to find a floorplan that provides office space. Don’t go with the same one your best friend loves just because it worked for them.
If you don’t choose a layout that works for you, you may feel frustrated. It can even ruin the camping experience.
Make a list of must-haves. Perhaps washer and dryer hookups are necessary. If you’re short and want lower storage solutions, write that down. Consider how you live now and what features you must have for camping.
Think about how you move about and what spaces you’ll use most. Do you spend all of your free time playing card games with friends? If so, you want a floor plan that has entertainment space.
Feel free to ask for advice from others, but you have to choose a floorplan that works for you.
What Makes an RV Floorplan Bad?
A floor plan is bad if it doesn’t work for you. One factor is space. RVs already have tiny living areas. If the floorplan doesn’t create an open feel, you may feel like your home-away-from-home is tighter than it is.
Placement is also a factor. You may want the bathroom and bedroom next to each other. Or if you sit down in a chair in the living room, but the kitchen island is blocking your view of the TV, that’s a poor design.
The location of storage can also make a floorplan bad. The cabinets could be hard to reach, or cabinet doors could open the wrong way and block an entry.
You may have an extra coat closet, but it sits far from the door. It may have large storage under the bunk beds, but it’s so hard to get to that you don’t use it.
Not having enough sleeping space is another attribute of a lousy floor plan. Usually, this goes back to picking the right layout for you. Converting the dinette into a sleeping area for your daughter might get old after a few times.
Plus, the area may not be comfortable. Putting the RV Murphy bed up and down over and over may also get annoying. These factors may lead to you quickly trading in your RV for another one.
What Are the Worst RV Floorplans?
Personal preference goes a long way when picking out an RV. If you don’t plan on cooking much, you may not need a large kitchen island.
If you plan on camping alone, you may not want a huge living space. So some of these plans will work for some campers.
However, there are reasons these five models make the list of the worst RV floorplans. Let’s learn more!
Tiffin Allegro Bus 35CP
MSRP: Starting at $450,000
RV Type: Class A
Why This Floorplan Is the Worst: The rear bathroom makes this Tiffin Allegro Bus 35CP one of the worst RV floorplans. Having the bathroom in the rear means you have to walk the entire length of the coach to get there rather than having a central bathroom where you can easily get to it from anywhere in the motorhome.
This also means guests have to walk through your bedroom to get to the bathroom. Expect less privacy and more dirt tracked in with a rear bathroom in a Class A.
Jayco Eagle Fifth Wheel 319MLOK
MSRP: Starting at $100,170
RV Type: fifth wheel
Why This Floorplan is the Worst: The kitchen counter in the Jayco Eagle 319MLOK has the high-rise faucet stuck in the rear corner of the unit. This means your back is facing everyone when preparing dinner or washing dishes.
You might feel isolated and set apart from your guests or family. The center island is used only as additional countertop space and bar seating instead of having the sink, which is more common.
Keep in Mind: This Jayco fifth wheel may not be the best floorpan, but is Jayco a quality RV? Let’s check it out!
Thor Axis 24.3
MSRP: Starting at $149,000
RV Type: Class A
Why This Floorplan Is the Worst: While the Thor Axis is a great adventure mobile, the Murphy bed can be a hassle. It can start to feel cumbersome to put up and down over time. When you spend almost $150,000 on a coach, you don’t want to have to do so much work.
The manufacturer could have made the rear bathroom smaller so that at least a queen bed could fit instead of a Murphy bed. In an RV this size, the bathroom shouldn’t be so large.
Also, the drop-down bunk above the cab is a great idea for additional sleeping space, especially for kids. But this model has the kids sleeping almost on top of the adults, which isn’t ideal.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22R
MSRP: around $120,000
RV Type: Class C
Why This Floorplan Is the Worst: A corner bed is always a pain to make every day. It’s difficult to reach the other side to tuck in the sheets. And the comforter always seems to hang off because of the lack of space around the bed.
If two people sleep here, one has to get in before the other or crawl over each other if their partner has gone to bed early. This unit also has very little storage space.
Another closet beside the dinette could have made room for a booth dinette instead of a U-shaped one. Additionally, the U-shaped dinette is too large for this smaller space.
Keep in Mind: If you’re looking for some of the best Class C RVs, look no further! Here are the 10 Best Class C RVs.
Wildcat Travel Trailer 269DBX
MSRP: Starting at $50,000
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Why This Floorplan Is the Worst: Having a rear bathroom means walking the entire length of the trailer from the master bedroom. Although this travel trailer is only 34’6” long, it’s still inconvenient.
Additionally, it also has no privacy for those sleeping in the bunk beds. If you want to stay up and watch a movie, the kids will watch it with you. If you need to get up and start working early, you risk waking the kids.
It has spacious double beds great for additional sleeping space, but their placement facing the living space without privacy isn’t ideal.
Can You Custom Design an RV?
Most RV manufacturers allow customers to add custom finishes and choose options and upgrades but do not completely design their own RV.
They have standard features and a floor plan already in place. But you can add things like a larger refrigerator or a second air conditioning unit. However, you can’t completely overhaul the design.
However, the higher-end Class A manufacturers do allow more customization. You can contact a company like Newmar and design a more personal space. However, you’ll still have to choose a floor plan.
If you want to spend a lot more money to create your own RV from start to finish, some companies can help you, just not the mainline RV brands.
Keep Reading: If you’re looking for some of the best RVs out there, you need to read about the Top 5 Luxury RVs You Wish You Could Afford!
There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Floorplan
Just because your neighbor has a Class C Forester doesn’t mean that RV is right for you. The type of RV is one thing to consider. The actual floorplan is another. That cabover bed may be entirely useless for you.
You may rather find a fifth wheel you can tow with your F250 that allows more interior space where you can entertain guests. There is no one-size-fits-all floor plan. Just make sure you walk through it and imagine how life will feel in that space.
Think about getting up to use the bathroom at night. Consider how guests will move around your space. Where will the kids store their toys? Once you find the floor plan that suits you, you may feel glad you took the time to make the right choice.
What do you think about these worst RV floorplans? Would any of them work for you?
