Guide
Park models, explained plainly.
For first-time buyers: what a park model is, what the factory builds, what your site adds, and what to check locally.
What a park model RV is
A park model RV is a small, factory-built recreational vehicle. The category is built to no more than 400 square feet under the RV Industry Association definition, and it is designed for recreational and seasonal use — a weekend place, a seasonal site, a retreat — rather than as permanent housing.
It is not a manufactured home. Manufactured homes are built to a federal housing standard for permanent residential use, and they are regulated, titled, financed and sited differently, so the underlying category matters.
The RV Industry Association publishes useful background on what counts as an RV and on the standards and regulations that apply to the industry. Neither we nor those references say that a park model may be used as permanent housing or an accessory dwelling on any given property — only your local jurisdiction decides that.
If you are still sorting out the language, start with our overview of park homes and the U.S. park model RV category. This guide then takes the next practical step: preparing a real site.
Factory build versus site work
Two separate projects sit behind every park model. The first happens indoors: the unit is framed, clad, wired, plumbed and finished in a factory, on a schedule, out of the weather.
The second happens on your land: clearing and access, a level pad or support, utility connections, and any permits or inspections your area requires. Site work is usually arranged locally, and its cost and timeline depend on the parcel, not on the unit.
Planning both at once — rather than buying a unit and solving the site afterwards — is what makes the difference between a calm delivery and an expensive one.
Four questions to ask about a site
Access
A park model arrives on a large transport. Road width, turning radius, overhead lines, gates, bridges and soft ground all decide whether a unit can physically reach the spot you have in mind.
Ground and support
Slope, drainage and soil determine what the unit sits on and how it is levelled. This is site work, arranged locally, and it is separate from the unit itself.
Utilities
Water, sewer or septic, and electrical service. Distance to each connection point is often the single largest site cost, and it is worth measuring before anything else.
Local approvals
Cities, counties and campgrounds each set their own rules for park model RVs — where they may be placed, for how long, and for what use. Ask your local authority before you commit to a site.
Built to a national standard, placed under local rules
PARQ works with buyers in more than one state, so this is general guidance. In the United States, park model RVs are generally built to ANSI A119.5, the national standard for park model recreational vehicles. It addresses construction, fire and life safety, plumbing, heating and electrical systems, which is why the same category can be built in one state and placed in another.
Ratings are specific to each home. Electrical service size, water and sewer connections, insulation and heating or cooling equipment depend on the model and options, so read the manufacturer's specification sheet rather than a general figure. Before site work starts, have a licensed electrician and your utility or septic provider confirm what your site must supply.
Placement is the local part. Titling, taxes, permits, length of stay and where a park model may sit are set by your state, county, city or campground. Confirm with the authority where the home will go.
What the Parq priority list does
Parq is in prelaunch, launching in 2027. The priority list is free: you give a name and an email, we record them along with the order they arrived in, and we contact people in that order as plans firm up.
It is not a purchase contract, it does not reserve a specific unit, and it does not set a delivery date. Signing up asks us to contact you; broader updates are a separate optional choice. We do not publish or sell the list.
Planning more than one retreat?
A 50–100-unit destination adds feasibility, approvals, utilities, circulation, phasing and operations to the conversation.
Explore destinationsCommon questions
- What is the difference between a park model RV and a manufactured home?
- A park model RV is built as a recreational vehicle for recreational and seasonal use. A manufactured home is built to a federal housing standard for permanent residential use. They are regulated, titled, financed and sited differently.
- What happens in the factory versus on my site?
- The unit itself is built and finished in a factory. Site work — access, a level pad or foundation support, water, sewer or septic, electrical service, and any local approvals — happens separately on your land and is usually arranged locally.
- What should I check before choosing a site?
- Delivery access for a large transport, ground conditions and slope, utility availability and distance, setbacks and easements, seasonal weather and drainage, and the approvals your city or county requires for a park model RV.
- Can a park model be used as a permanent residence?
- Park models are designed and regulated for recreational and seasonal use. Whether any longer-term use is permitted is determined by local law in your jurisdiction, not by us.
- What standard is a park model RV built to?
- In the United States, park model RVs are generally built to ANSI A119.5, the national standard for park model recreational vehicles maintained through the RV Industry Association. It covers areas such as construction, fire and life safety, plumbing, heating and electrical systems. Ask any builder to confirm the standard for the specific home and how it is certified.
- How big can a park model be?
- The category is generally limited to 400 square feet in setup mode, with lofts and porches treated separately under the standard's definitions. Exact dimensions are specific to each floor plan; confirm them on the manufacturer's specification sheet.
- What utility connections does a park model use?
- Park models connect to electrical service, a pressurized water supply and a sewer or septic connection, similar to RV sites. Electrical service size and connection details vary by model and options, so confirm the rating on the specification sheet and with a licensed electrician before planning your site.
- Does the same guidance apply in every state?
- The construction standard is national, but placement is local. States, counties, cities and campgrounds each set rules on where a park model may sit, for how long and for what use, and on titling, taxes and permits. PARQ works with buyers in multiple states; confirm the rules with the authority where the home will be placed.
- What is involved in planning a 50 to 100 unit campground project?
- Typically market and site feasibility, approvals and utilities, unit mix and phasing, delivery logistics, and an operating plan. Scope and terms are confirmed with the Parq team.
Something not covered here? Email hello@parqhomes.com or send a message.