These four items determine:
- The park’s current value
- Future expansion
- Maintenance costs
- Whether lenders will finance the park
- What upgrades are needed
Here’s how each works:
1. Water System
Your water system may be:
- City water (easiest & preferred)
- Well water (common in rural parks)
Buyers must consider:
- Water pressure
- Age of the well pump
- Water line material (PVC, galvanized, poly, HDPE)
- Known breaks or leaks
- Testing requirements (weekly, monthly, annual depending on system classification)
- Winterization
- Backup systems
🚨 Red flags:
- Low pressure
- Repeated line breaks
- Galvanized pipes
- Undocumented well maintenance
- No frost-free hydrants in cold climates
- No isolation valves
2. Sewer / Wastewater System
Most complicated part of a campground.
Types:
- City sewer (best)
- Septic systems (most common)
- Multiple septic fields
- Wastewater treatment plants (more complex)
- Holding tanks (high cost)
- Lagoon systems (older parks)
Buyers need to know:
- Size and capacity
- Age of tanks & fields
- Pump replacement history
- If tanks are steel (bad), concrete (good), plastic (okay)
- Code compliance
- Future replacement timeline
🚨 Expensive risks:
- Drain field failure (can be $50k–$300k+)
- Tanks collapsing
- Illegal hookups
- Combined grey/black lines
- No accurate map of where systems are located
3. Electrical System
Buyers MUST understand electrical because it is one of the highest upgrade costs.
Key questions:
- Is the whole park 30 amp? 50 amp? Both?
- How many sites share each transformer?
- Wiring type?
- Age of pedestals?
- Condition of breakers?
- Is electrical properly grounded?
🚨 Costs buyers never expect:
- Upgrading to 50 amp can cost $2,500–$5,000 per site
- Transformer upgrades cost $10,000–$40,000 each
- Underground line replacement can exceed $100,000
- Miswired pedestals can cause fires
Electrical determines:
- Whether big rigs stay
- Whether monthly guests overload lines
- Whether you can raise rates
- Expansion capability
4. Roads & Infrastructure
Roads matter more than buyers think. Bad roads = bad reviews.
Types:
- Gravel roads (most common)
- Dirt roads (low-cost parks)
- Chip & seal
- Asphalt
Costs buyers underestimate:
Paving roads: $100k–$400k
New gravel each year: $5k–$30k
Full grade + gravel: $30k–$150k
