Advice please - living layout 7.5t lorry

Sauchentree_lady

Sauchentree_lady

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Hi,
I'm currently looking at a 7.5t horse box which I really like. The horse area is finished to a high standard and I am happy with the chassis.

Only problem is that its stalled for 4 with a small living. I don't really want to get into a discussion on payload because I know a 7.5t will not carry 4 horses legally! If we buy the lorry we will move the internal partition to give us a larger living area. But what I really want to know is what are peoples experiences/must haves/ no no's when it comes to the internal layout?

I event so will probably stay in the box a few times a year but sometimes for several days. I think a toilet room is essential but don't think I need a shower but do you think you're as well to get a shower put in aswell to make full use of the toilet room? What are your opinions on what is the best layout for seating / worktops? This lorry has a Luton.
Do you recommend a separate 'corridor' between living and horses for leaving muddy boats, coats etc? When we move the internal partition the external door will take you straight into the living unless we make a corridor area. I suspect this will make a lot of 'wasted space' but would be good to get others opinions/ experiences of this!
 
Sauchentree_lady said:
Hi,
I'm currently looking at a 7.5t horse box which I really like. The horse area is finished to a high standard and I am happy with the chassis.

Only problem is that its stalled for 4 with a small living. I don't really want to get into a discussion on payload because I know a 7.5t will not carry 4 horses legally! If we buy the lorry we will move the internal partition to give us a larger living area. But what I really want to know is what are peoples experiences/must haves/ no no's when it comes to the internal layout?

I event so will probably stay in the box a few times a year but sometimes for several days. I think a toilet room is essential but don't think I need a shower but do you think you're as well to get a shower put in aswell to make full use of the toilet room? What are your opinions on what is the best layout for seating / worktops? This lorry has a Luton.
Do you recommend a separate 'corridor' between living and horses for leaving muddy boats, coats etc? When we move the internal partition the external door will take you straight into the living unless we make a corridor area. I suspect this will make a lot of 'wasted space' but would be good to get others opinions/ experiences of this!
Click to expand...
I think you need to make the best of what space you have and I would look at other lorrys
for ideas... and yes I would add a shower which is easy if you get a thetford swivel toilet and the maching tray with the cut out ... if you look up magnum motorhomes they sell all the bits and the proper caravan wall board and lightweight ply for making the seat boxes and the cupboards... do not be tempted to use or let anyone use domestic kitchen stuff or chip board as this knackers your payload.. hope this helps ...
 
We've just had a new lorry which originally only had a loo. I had it changed to a 'wet room' as it is a better use of the space and will add to the value on resale. I wouldn't worry about having a corridor, if you have a slanting wall into the horse section you could always put some coat hooks on the living side of the wall. We also just had a hob and grill with a microwave underneath instead of a full oven as in all the years we've had lorries I've never actually cooked a full meal in one:eek::eek: Good luck and have fun with your new lorry!
 
becca1305 said:
http://floorplanner.com/projects/21577960

We decided against a shower due to extra weight/cost of a water heater compared to the amount we would ever use it!

Hope that helps :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Great website, might need to go and have a play!
Yeah, that was also my thought about having a shower fitted. Surely it would never be powerful / hot enough to be worth the hassle / payload in a 7.5t?

Thanks aswell Perfect, good ideas!
 
Sauchentree_lady said:
Thanks for that. Great website, might need to go and have a play!
Yeah, that was also my thought about having a shower fitted. Surely it would never be powerful / hot enough to be worth the hassle / payload in a 7.5t?

Thanks aswell Perfect, good ideas!
Click to expand...
Yes a shower will work ok in a lorry not like a power shower thats almost painfull.. but pleasant enough and better and cleaner than the yukky showers at some of the show venues !!!! can run out of water depending on the size of tank you have so you need to be quick and remember to turn it off when doing the soap shampoo bit :D
 
I have a sliding door from my living to the horses - it saves a lot of space, and fits onto runners which are very secure and I can leave it slightly open to let air through to the horses.

I never use my fridge, as it is gas operated, so it has to be off when you drive which means you still have to use cooler boxes with frozen freezer packs to pack food, and when I arrive I can rarely be bothered to get it to work so everything stays in the cooler box. I should have it taken out as it adds to the weight.

Also never use the large water container, because the water goes off very quickly and it is hard to completely drain it. I guess if you opt for a shower then you would need a lot of water, otherwise its just another thing that adds extra weight.

I have once used the hose attachment - it made such a noise none of the horses would go near it - another waste of time!

It depends how sociable you are as to how much space you have. My seating is in an L shape, quite narrow seats, and a piece of board makes it into a bed. It could do with being wider to comfortably sleep two and I would definitely prefer that. But it means I can ram a whole host of people in there on a rainy day :)

If you are never likely to take more than two horses I would go for a corridor, which could also have room for a saddle rack too. Three horses would put you over, but I like to have the option of taking 3 ponies so wouldn't want a corridor.
 
If it were mine I would definitely be putting in a shower...would also go for 10tonne rather than 7.5 though. It is so nice to be able to go into your own shower after a long day and not be faced with show showers
 
Bit late to this post but we fitted ours out and have a shower/loo wet room arrangement and the shower does get used. On a hot day (if I can remember what one of those is) it is nice to have a hair wash after riding even if not staying away.

Tend to use the oven quite a lot for pasties, garlic bread, quiches that type of thing and the hob lots as other half drinks tea like it is going out of fashion.

Fridge is gas which you change to electric when driving and we use that if we are away for more than a day.

Did think about putting in a "corridor" but we haven't. I think they are a good idea but not having one is not a problem.
 
Many thanks for all the opinions so far!

Its actually really helpful hearing peoples experiences and reasons for why they have their opinions. Of course everyones needs / experiences are slightly different so good to hear all opinions!

Obviously the best thing would be if you had a lorry before and work out exactly what you want or what doesnt work and then get all those little things worked out for your next lorry...

IF we get this lorry we'll probably keep the tiny living as it is in the meantime until we work out exactly what it is we need (and try and have a sneaky peak in as many lorries as we can before we take the plunge of lorry renovating!)
 
I had my lorry built 11 years ago, just about to upgrade (hopefully!) It's been very good, but things I would do differently are: 1) I had a loo and no shower, this time I would have a shower as some of the event showers are desperately inadequate; 2) I had a corridor for coats etc and was sold this as being useful for the reasons you'd expect but I'm not convinced, on a wet day/few days everyone still wears muddy boots etc into living and it still gets filthy. Sure you can hang your coats there but as someone has said, you can have hooks in the living, and the doors take up an awful lot of space. It's pitch dark too when all the doors are shut! 3) I would have a full oven - currently have microwave and hob - I have been to a 3 day with a friend who had one and we used it constantly: can bring meals cooked ahead and warm them through, or what we used it for a lot was cooking baked potatoes while we walked course/did horses, which we then ate later with cheese and salad - perfect :) So I suppose everyone's different but next time I'd do without the microwave (hate ready meals anyway) and have the oven and hob. There you are - a few more suggestions!
 
Make sure you put the hob on the side away from the door... It's a nightmare having it right next to the door as if the wind blows and either the living door or the door from the horses to the living is open it goes out!
 
must for me:
- proper cooker and hob (bacon butties no problem :), follow by proper tea cooked in oven.
- siding doors
- as much storage cupboards as poss for both horses and humans (good water-tight boxes in body of box)
- small circular battery power light as a back to your leisure battery lights (if not running generator) pennies from B&Q
- as many cushions as possible, so all mates can be confortable :)
- table must be able to either be removed or fold away cleanly
- NO tack to be storaged in day living (total pain if wet!)
- wet coat storage (mine is in horse area)
 
My lorry is stalled for 3, but I use the 3rd stall for all my stuff I don't want in my living. I have a corner sofa bed, no luton, and it is great.

The advantage of a proper oven is that it really heats up your living, makes it bearable to sleep in.

Also make sure you have plenty of insulation, especially the ceiling, this stops all the condensation, and also stops you basically sleeping in a garden shed in the freezing cold in sept/oct etc.
 
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