Structural condition: roof, sub-frame, damp and decking
Static caravan roofs are typically flat or shallow-pitched, so drainage and the condition of the roof covering matter more than they would on a house. Look for sagging, ponding water, patched felt or rubber, moss building up in the valleys, and any staining on ceilings inside that suggests a past or current leak.
Walk around the underside where you can see it, and ask to look beneath the skirting if it lifts easily. Rust on the sub-frame, visible sagging, or timber that feels soft to the touch are all worth flagging and asking about.
For damp and condensation, trust your nose as much as your eyes: a musty smell, flooring that feels soft or spongy near windows and external walls, discoloured or peeling wallpaper, and black spotting around window frames are the usual signs. Some condensation is normal in a damp coastal climate, particularly without good ventilation — but persistent black mould is worth a closer look before you commit.
Outside, external decking, steps and skirting take the brunt of the weather. Check they’re solid, don’t flex underfoot, and aren’t rotting where they meet the ground.
Services: glazing, heating type and boiler age
Ask whether the double glazing is original or has been replaced, and open a few windows and doors while you’re there — seals perish over time, and hinges and latches should still feel sound rather than sticky or loose.
Central heating on a static is usually one of three types: bottled or tanked LPG gas (the most common, since mains gas rarely reaches a park), electric panel or convector heaters, or a wet system run from a boiler. Each has a different running cost and a different set of things worth checking, so it’s worth knowing which you’re looking at before you view.
Ask the age of the boiler or heating source and when it was last serviced. Older systems aren’t automatically a problem, but a unit that’s never been serviced is one where you should budget for attention sooner rather than later. It’s also worth asking about the size and location of the gas bottle or tank, and who currently supplies it.
Kitchen and bathroom: condition and appliance age
In the kitchen, check that cabinet doors and drawers open and close smoothly, that worktops aren’t swollen or lifting at the edges (a common sign of past water ingress), and that the sealant around sinks and worktop joins is still intact.
Ask the age of the oven or hob, the fridge, and any washer or dryer, and whether they’re original to the unit or have been replaced. Older appliances aren’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but it’s worth factoring a likely replacement into your budget if they look close to the end of their working life.
Bathrooms in a static are compact, so problems tend not to stay hidden for long — which works in your favour as a buyer. Check shower pressure, look at the sealant around the shower tray and bath, and have a look under the vanity unit and around the base of the WC for staining or softness that would suggest a past leak.
What “double glazed and centrally heated” actually means here
Those two specs turn up in almost every listing, and it’s easy to read past them — but on an exposed stretch of the Cornish coast, they do real work. Wind-driven rain and salt air are harder on external fittings and seals than an inland climate, and a caravan that holds its heat and keeps the damp out will feel usable well beyond a typical summer season. One that doesn’t can feel damp and cold even when it looks perfectly presentable on a dry viewing.
It’s worth asking whether the heating reaches every room evenly, or really only warms the lounge, and how the glazing performs in bad weather — the kind of thing that’s hard to judge for yourself on a still August afternoon, but makes a real difference come January.
Questions to ask about age and any work done
- How old is the unit, and how does that compare to the park’s licence if it’s still sited, or to the typical age for that model?
- Has it been re-sited, re-skirted, or had any structural repair carried out — and if so, when and by whom?
- Has the roof been recoated or replaced at any point?
- Is there any history of leaks, damp treatment, or replaced flooring?
- Have the gas and electrics been tested or certified, and can you see the paperwork?
- Was it privately owned or used as a park holiday let? Let units generally see harder day-to-day use than a family’s own holiday home.
How we do it at Kernow Static Homes
Every unit we sell is on the ground at our showground at Wainhouse Corner, so you can walk around it, open the doors, sit in the lounge, and check everything above for yourself before you decide — nothing here is sold unseen or from a photo alone. All sales are sold as seen, by appointment only at our showground.
If you’d like a hand working through this checklist in person, Brennan is happy to walk it with you.