Not sure about the different between static caravans and touring caravans? Maybe you’re booking a holiday and want to know the difference between a holiday lodge and a static caravan.
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
In this guide, you’ll get a clear answer to “What is a static caravan?” – as well as some surprising facts about static caravan holiday homes!
What is a static caravan?
A static caravan (also known as a “mobile home” or “holiday home”) is a prefabricated structure usually designed for temporary holiday accommodation. Unlike touring caravans, static caravans are placed in a permanent location and are not intended to be towed frequently. Statics feature amenities such as bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living areas, offering comfortable and convenient holiday or residential accommodation.
What kind of features do static caravans have?
Modern static caravans have virtually all the luxuries and creature comforts you’d expect from a home – just usually on a smaller scale. Typically, a static caravan will feature:
- Plenty of plush fixed seating
- A dedicated kitchen area with oven, hob and fridge
- Two or three bedrooms
- At least one bathroom with at least a toilet, basin and shower cubicle
Some higher-end models will go beyond this too, often featuring:
- Double glazing
- Central heating
- Home-style appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and full height fridge-freezers
- King or queen-size beds
- Walk-in wardrobes
- A full-size bath
Most static caravans will stand on their own ‘pitch’ – the area they are parked and then secured on. This pitch will usually feature plenty of space for outside furniture, games, a barbeque, and a parking space for a vehicle. In some cases, the park or the owners of the static caravan will opt for a decking (sometimes known as a ‘verandah’) that wraps around some of the caravan, offering lots more outdoor space.
Are static caravans suitable for permanent living?
Whether or not you could live in a static caravan depends on what it’s been designed for. More often than not, statics are designed for holiday use only – which means they don’t have quite everything you might expect from a home. However, as you can see from the list above, some come with even more than a typical home might have – which makes them suitable for use all year round.
Despite this, there are very strict rules around living in a static caravan as a main residence – not least for council tax purposes. These are the rules that dictate whether or not you can live in a static caravan on your chosen location. If you’re thinking about ditching the bricks and mortar in a favour of a static caravan, you’ll need to make sure you’re looking at parks that have residential status – rather than holiday park status. For a better understanding, check out our blog: Living in a Static Caravan in the UK – and its sister blog Do you have to pay council tax on a static caravan? (for everything you need to know about a static caravan being council tax registered – and more).
Why is it “static”?
Duck down to take a look under a static caravan, and you’ll usually see at least one set of wheels – so why exactly are they called “statics”?
Well, unlike a touring caravan that can be easily moved from your driveway to a holiday park, a static caravan isn’t designed to be moved very often. Typically, a static caravan will remain on one pitch for a number of years.
So, static caravans aren’t exactly static – but since they’re moved around the country with an articulated lorry, they’re definitely more static than a touring caravan you can hitch to the back of your car!
What are some other names for static caravans?
Confusingly, static caravans are referred to by lots of different names. Take a look at each of those names – and why some confusion occurs!
Don’t worry, we’ve included pictures to make things 100% clear.
“Holiday home”
Static caravans are often referred to as “holiday homes” – since that’s what people use them as. This can sometimes be confusing because the term “holiday home” could mean everything from a static caravan through to a château second property in the South of France! That said, holiday homes on UK holiday parks are almost always static caravans (and they’re a lot more convenient and fun than châteaus!)
“Holiday lodges”
You’ll sometimes hear people describe static caravans as “holiday lodges”. This can be a bit confusing because the word “lodge” typically describes a kind of accommodation that’s a bit wider than the typical 10ft or 12ft caravan. More often than not, holiday lodges are either specialist caravans that are double the width of a typical static or log-cabin-style accommodation that’s also a bit wider.
“Park homes”
Occasionally, people will refer to a static caravan as a “park home”. Although some particularly comfortable static caravans are used as residential park homes, this term tends to be more commonly used to describe a specialist kind of accommodation that’s designed as a permanent residence on a residential park (not a holiday park).
How much do static caravans cost?
A little like brick-and-mortar homes, the price of static caravans can vary depending on the size and level of luxury the caravan offers.
Perhaps more significantly though, the price of a static caravan depends on where it is. For example, a park may charge a premium for a luxury location – and a park that’s in a particularly desirable location will usually mean the caravans for sale attract a premium too.
As a very broad guideline, static caravans can range from around £15,000 right up to £250,000 or more. While those might seem like very large figures, most people use a finance package to buy a caravan, a bit like you would a car. As such, many park operators will be able to provide finance packages that suit the amount of deposit you have and the monthly payment you can justify.
3 surprising facts about static caravans
Fact 1: Static caravans can be 20ft or more wide!
If you haven’t wandered around a static caravan park for a while, you might be surprised to learn that statics are now available in widths of 20ft or more. These specialist holiday homes are usually referred to as “double-wide lodges” or similar and usually come in two parts before being secured together when they’re on their pitch.
Fact 2: There are static caravans still in use from the 1960s!
Since many holiday parks have abolished rules limiting the age of caravans, it’s not uncommon to see static caravans from the 1990s or early 2000s. There’s one Haven holiday park that apparently has a caravan from 1980, and we’ve personally seen a 1967 caravan on a private park in the North East of England!
Fact 3: Some companies have experimented with double-decker static caravans!
A few years ago, Park Dean Resorts played an April Fools prank on their audience by claiming to launch a double-decker caravan – but some manufacturers have actually taken a shot at a caravan with stairs! The Tingdene company showed a double-height static caravan at the annual Lawns caravan show in Hull in 2008!
What is a static caravan: A summary
A static caravan is a pre-built holiday home that’s designed to be placed on a holiday park – or sometimes on a residential park. Unlike a touring caravan, a static caravan can’t be pulled by a car – hence the name “static”.
A static caravan will almost always have everything you need for a comfortable holiday – including comfortable seating and beds, kitchen white goods, and plenty of space for you and your other guests to stay. Most static caravans are designed for holiday use – which means they’re sometimes a little more basic than a home – but some have lots of luxuries, especially as the price creeps up.
In short, a static caravan is the perfect place to spend weekends away and holidays – and many of the parks that sell static caravans have superb facilities to make your time away from home even more relaxing.
