La Yole ★★★★
La Yole ★★★★
When you embark on buying a mobile home to install in a campsite, people often talk about the mobile home price as if it were the only cost involved. In reality, this price is only one part of the total budget. For an owner who wants to use the mobile home for seasonal rental, it is essential to anticipate all the year-round expenses: maintenance, plot fees, utility connections, renewal, occupancy rate, and so on. Here is a clear, nuanced overview of the costs to consider, tailored to a campsite like La Yole.
The first major expense is the purchase of the mobile home itself. Renowned manufacturers such as IRM, O’Hara, Rapidhome or Trigano offer models across a range of categories, from simple to high-end. The price of a new mobile home depends heavily on size (floor area, number of bedrooms), finishes, insulation (all-season or premium models), and added options (air conditioning, two bathrooms, covered terrace, etc.). According to industry sources, a new mobile home may be priced between around €30,000 and €60,000, with some very high-end models exceeding this for larger floor areas or premium features.
If you’re considering a second-hand model, the entry price is more accessible: mobile homes can be found between €10,000 and €40,000 depending on the year of construction, condition, model and brand.
But beware: this purchase price is often shown as “ex works” or “model only,” without transport or installation. You’ll need to budget for transport, leveling, connections to electricity, water and waste, as well as installation on the campsite plot or parcel of land.
In the context of your campsite, this “mobile home price” is only the starting point of the total budget.
After the purchase, you have to bring the mobile home to the designated plot in the campsite, level it, connect it to the networks (water, electricity, waste), and sometimes add a terrace, awning or exterior structures. These installation works can represent a significant sum, often several thousand euros depending on distance, access to the site, complexity of assembly and the exterior amenities desired.
This is where the choice of the plot within the campsite is strategic: an easy-access parcel, well located and close to connections, will reduce set-up and network costs.
A fundamental element often underestimated is the rent or annual fee paid to the campsite for the plot. In general, the buyer does not become the landowner: you pay for the use of the land, usually under a lease or mobile residence contract.
Depending on the region, the standing of the campsite, and the services included (pool, entertainment, maintenance of common areas), this plot rent can vary greatly. In Brittany or less touristic regions, more moderate fees are seen, but in high-demand areas they can become substantial.
For an owner renting out their mobile home, this plot rent is a fixed cost to budget for each year and to factor into the rental price calculation.
Within our campsites, we offer plots in fully equipped 4-star establishments, which increases attractiveness when renting out your mobile home to guests.
A well-maintained mobile home lasts longer, but this requires regular spending. Some specialist guides estimate annual maintenance costs (minor works, painting, electrical checks, various repairs) at between €500 and €1,500 depending on age, use and condition.
In practice, you need to anticipate:
Some owners plan around €150–€300 for annual inspections, and a few hundred euros more for unforeseen repairs or major replacements.
A prudent rule is to set aside at least 5% of annual rental income for maintenance. For example, if your rental income is €10,000, setting aside €500 a year for upkeep is reasonable.
Even though a mobile home is not considered a fixed building, insurance is essential, notably to cover risks of theft, fire, water damage or storms. Annual premiums can vary depending on the mobile home’s value, desired coverage, and geographic area. Some estimates place this cost between €120 and €300.
In addition, depending on the campsite’s configuration, extra costs may appear: common-area maintenance charges, household waste, tourist tax for tenants, shared services (lighting, upkeep of pathways).
In the context of seasonal rental, you need to integrate these expenses into your overall budget to determine the model’s profitability.
A mobile home, even well maintained, will not stay perfect forever. Its useful life is often estimated at 15 to 20 years depending on exposure, maintenance and initial quality.
Some campsites also impose contractual clauses requiring older mobile homes to be replaced after a certain number of years (for example 15 years). This means an owner must anticipate this renewal in their financial plan.
To amortize the initial investment and cover these renewals, many owners turn to seasonal rental: renting the mobile home part of the year generates income that offsets plot, maintenance, insurance and other costs.
To illustrate without setting an absolute amount, here’s one way to think about it:
If your rental income sufficiently covers these expenses, the operation becomes manageable or even profitable. But if demand is low or unexpected issues arise (major breakdowns, structural work), the real cost can far exceed initial projections.
At our campsite, we offer clients the possibility of buying or installing a mobile home on plots with attractive offers. We support you with installation, utility connections and commissioning, and we advise on a seasonal rental strategy to amortize costs and plan for future renewal.
By providing this information to our future owners, we work with full transparency and trust, so you can enjoy your mobile home installation in our campsite with complete peace of mind.
In conclusion, the mobile home price is an important figure, but it’s only one piece of the budget puzzle. The true annual cost depends on many factors related to the plot, installation, maintenance, insurance, renewal and the ability to generate rental income. Anticipating these elements is the key to turning this project into a viable and sustainable investment.
