Property type guide
Lake Havasu RV garage homes: how to tell if one will work
The words "RV garage" in a listing tell you a tall door exists. They do not tell you whether your motorhome clears it, fits behind it, or can make the turn to reach it.
Short answer
An RV garage works for you only if five things check out: the door opening is taller and wider than your rig, the lowest point inside still clears your roof, the depth fits your length with the door closed, the driveway slope will not drag your overhang, and there is room to swing in from the street. A 14-foot door clears nearly any road-legal RV. A 12-foot door does not.
What "RV garage" means in a Lake Havasu listing
These terms show up in listings here. They are not standardized, so treat each one as a hint, not a measurement.
| Listing term | What it usually means | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| RV garage | An enclosed bay with a door taller than a standard garage door | Door height and width, clear depth, lowest ceiling point |
| Boat-deep garage | A standard-height bay that is deeper than normal | Depth, and door height if you have a tower |
| Pull-through | Doors at both ends of the bay | Rear door size, and what you would pull out onto |
| RV parking or side parking | An open space beside the house, often gated | Width between house and wall, gate opening, surface, slope |
| RV hookups | Some mix of power, water and sewer | Which ones, where they are, and whether the outlet is 30 or 50 amp |
The five measurements that decide it
1. The door opening
Measure the opening itself, not the wall above it. Height is floor to the bottom edge of the open door or the header, whichever is lower. Width is side to side at the narrowest point.
Most RV garage doors here are 12 or 14 feet tall. A 14-foot door clears almost any RV that is legal on the highway. A 12-foot door will stop many Class A motorhomes and fifth wheels.
For width, a 12-foot-wide door is comfortable. Ten feet works but gives you inches to spare past the mirrors on an 8.5-foot-wide coach.
2. The lowest point inside
Getting through the door is only the start. Look up once you are inside. A center-mounted opener rail, a light fixture, a duct or a beam can hang lower than the door opening. Some RV garages use a side-mounted opener to avoid this.
3. Clear depth
Measure from the back wall to the inside face of the closed door. Then subtract anything on that back wall: a water heater, shelving, a step into the house.
4. The approach
Many lots here slope. Where a sloped driveway meets a flat garage floor, or where it meets the street, a long rear overhang can scrape. A motorhome with a low hitch or a toy hauler with a long tail is most at risk.
This is very hard to judge from a photo. It needs someone standing at the curb.
5. The swing
You have to turn in from the street. A narrow street, a parked car across the way, a mailbox, a block wall or a neighbor's landscaping can make a deep garage hard to reach. Check whether you would back in or pull in, and how many moves it would take.
Typical RV sizes, as a starting point
These are common ranges. Your own rig is what matters, so measure it.
| Type | Common length | Common height | Door to look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A motorhome | 26 to 45 ft | 12 to 13.5 ft | 14 ft |
| Class C motorhome | 21 to 35 ft | 10 to 12 ft | 12 or 14 ft, measure first |
| Class B van | 17 to 24 ft | 8 to 10 ft | 10 to 12 ft |
| Fifth wheel or toy hauler | 25 to 45 ft | 12 to 13.5 ft | 14 ft |
| Travel trailer | 12 to 35 ft | 10 to 12 ft | 12 ft, measure first |
Beyond fit: what makes an RV garage good to live with
- Power. A 50-amp outlet where your cord reaches.
- Water and a dump point. A spigot and a sewer cleanout near the bay.
- Room to open things. Can you open the entry door, a storage bay and at least one slide-out inside?
- Cooling. Insulated walls and door, and a mini-split if you will work out there in summer.
- Lighting and outlets along both walls.
- A floor that drains toward the door, not toward the house.
- A second use. When the RV is on the road, a 50-foot bay holds a boat, two cars and a workshop.
RV garage, side parking, or storage across town?
| Option | Good | Less good |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosed RV garage | Out of the sun, secure, allowed in most communities | Costs more. Fewer homes to choose from. |
| Gated side parking | More homes have it. Easy access. | Full sun all summer. Some HOAs limit it. |
| Off-site storage | Any home works | Monthly cost, and a stop on every trip |
The summer sun is hard on roofs, seals, tires and decals. That is the main reason enclosed RV garages are so sought after here.
Where RV garage homes are found
They are spread across the city. A few patterns help.
- Newer homes are more likely to have a true RV bay, because builders here learned what buyers want.
- Original no-HOA neighborhoods have many homes with RV garages that were built or added over the years. Sizes vary a lot.
- North Pointe and Havasu Foothills Estates both have homes with very deep RV bays.
- Master-planned communities such as Havasu Riviera follow design guidelines, so what is allowed depends on the neighborhood and the lot.
See the neighborhoods guide for the wider comparison.
What the rules say
Lake Havasu City's code allows a lot owner to park their own RV on a residential lot that has a house on it. That is one reason the city is known as RV-friendly.
HOAs can be stricter. Some require RVs to be garaged. Some limit how long one can sit in the driveway while you load. If a home is in an association, read the parking section of the recorded rules before you write an offer. The guide to HOA and PUD questions lists what to ask.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using the listing's numbers. They are often rounded, taken from plans, or measured wall to wall instead of clear space.
- Forgetting the roof air conditioners. Measure to the highest thing on the roof.
- Checking the door but not the ceiling.
- Ignoring the driveway. A perfect garage at the top of a steep, short driveway may not be reachable.
- Buying for the RV you have now when you already plan to go longer.
Send Paige these numbers
- Overall length, bumper to the farthest point back, including a ladder or hitch
- Height to the top of the tallest roof item
- Width with mirrors out
- Rear overhang, from the back axle to the back bumper
- What you tow behind it, if anything
- 30 or 50 amp
Have a boat too? The boat garage guide covers trailer length and tower height.
Questions buyers ask
How tall should an RV garage door be?
Measure your RV to its highest point, usually a roof air conditioner or a satellite dome, and add at least six inches of margin. Many Class A motorhomes and fifth wheels stand between 12 and 13.5 feet, so they need a 14-foot door. A 12-foot door suits many Class C motorhomes, vans and shorter trailers.
How deep does an RV garage need to be?
Deeper than your overall length by enough to walk around and to close the door. For a 40-foot motorhome, a 45-foot garage is tight and 50 feet is comfortable. If you tow a vehicle or want a workbench at the back, add that length too.
Does "RV garage" in a listing mean my RV will fit?
No. The term is used loosely. It can describe anything from a slightly tall single bay to a 60-foot pull-through. Always get the door opening and the clear interior dimensions in feet and inches.
Can I park my RV on my lot in Lake Havasu City?
City code allows a lot owner to park their own RV on a residential lot that has a house on it. HOA communities can set tighter rules about where an RV may sit and for how long. Check the city code and the recorded HOA documents for the specific home.
Can I add an RV garage to a home that does not have one?
Sometimes. It depends on the lot's size and slope, the setbacks and height limits for that zone, any HOA design rules, and access from the street. Paige can help you ask the right questions of the city and a builder before you buy a home with that plan in mind.
What hookups should an RV garage have?
Look for a 50-amp outlet near where the power cord reaches, a water spigot, and a sewer cleanout you can use to dump. Not every RV garage has all three. Adding them later is usually possible, at a cost that depends on the distance to the panel and the sewer line.