So far, I am very happy with my "home office" setup in a Jayco 806SD pop-up camper, which I purchased for $720 around the beginning of December.
Exterior-wise, most improvements will be waiting for spring. At the moment, I've got it effectively moisture-proofed using tarps, but I may replace most or all of the canvas with wood framing, foam sheathing, and some kind of siding. It hasn't had to weather a hurricane yet, but it's been through several heavy thunderstorm days with no leaks since I put the tarps on. I replaced the opaque yellow pieces of plastic the previous owner used in the window screens with better-fitting translucent acrylic. And the door got its decoration:
Interior-wise:
- I cut a desktop shape/size of plywood, painted it, turned the factory "dinette" sideways and fastened the plywood to it; that's now my office desk, holding my two computers, two monitors, and various accessories.
- I got rid of the "dinette" bench cushions, since it's impossible to sit on the benches (the desktop hangs over them; the benches are now just storage units.
- Between one bench and the rear pop-out, there's a space with tiny ledges, onto which a little wood platform that the previous house owner left behind fits perfectly. That works as a table for a lamp, USB charging tower, Echo Dot, etc.
- I got rid of the original pop-out mattresses, which were basically old two-inch pads. The front pop-out is now a curtained-off storage area. The rear pop-out is a bed with a real 8" memory foam mattress. I can sleep there when I want (i.e. if I tow the thing somewhere for camping, or when Tamara doesn't want me around), or it can be a "guest bedroom."
- Climate control is still somewhat dicey because, well, it's a drafty canvas-sided camper. I've got a decent space heater and a portable AC unit. When the temperature got down into the 20s the other night, it took me a couple of hours to get it into the 60s the next morning; if the temp hits 75 degrees outside, it's closer to 85 in the trailer unless I run the AC. If I frame the thing in, I may increase floor space by using a window AC unit. Third option: I may have an electrician put in a 30-amp breaker and "RV hookup" so that I can use the roof AC. But no matter what, it will need to be draft-proofed and insulated much more than it is.
- A heavy-duty extension cord brings power from the house to a UPS, into which my computer, monitors, lamp, etc. are plugged. A second extension cord is dedicated for use by the heater or AC at need.
When I bought the thing, I pledged to give it six months, both to decide whether I like having my office outside the house and whether it was adequate to the purpose. I do, and it is. But once the six months is up, I may start looking for a good deal on a larger non-pop-out unit instead of putting more money and time into improving this one. The non-pop-outs are structurally better insulated, and a larger one would have room for amenities like bookcases and so forth.
At the moment, the only real down side to this camper that I'm seeing is that it's not noise-proof at all, which might make podcasting difficult (it's only about 10 feet from the house's central air and heat unit, and the neighbors behind us have some remarkably loud chickens).
