How much does a RV & Boat Storage Facility cost to buy?

A typical RV & Boat Storage Facility sells for 4x to 8.5x seller's discretionary earnings. With estimated SDE of $315K, expect to pay roughly $1.3M to $2.7M before adjustments for assets, debt, growth, and local market quality.

How much does it cost to start a RV & Boat Storage Facility?

Startup costs range from $350K to $3.5M depending on location, equipment, and scale.

Physical

RV & Boat Storage Facility

Q: What are the profit margins for a RV & Boat Storage Facility?

The average profit margin for a RV & Boat Storage Facility is around 42%. Costs include land or debt service, property tax, fencing, gates, cameras, lighting, insurance, software, snow or landscape maintenance, and repairs. Mature facilities often target storage-like expense ratios, but returns depend heavily on occupancy and land basis.

Big toys, monthly rent, low daily drama

Bottom line

Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.

RV and boat storage facilities rent outdoor, covered, and enclosed spaces to owners who need secure parking for recreational vehicles, trailers, campers, and boats. The surprise is how simple the operating model can be when land is cheap enough and demand is strong: gated access, cameras, autopay, and recurring monthly rent.

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Acquisition score

Fair

Avg Revenue

$750K

Profit Margin

42%

Acquisition Multiple

4x - 8.5x

Startup Cost

$350K - $3.5M

How It Works

The operator leases storage spaces monthly, manages gate access and billing software, maintains fencing, lighting, cameras, drainage, and pavement or gravel, and upsells covered spaces, power, dump stations, wash bays, and winterization partnerships.

Revenue Range

Low End

$180K

Typical

$750K

High End

$3.5M

Pros

+Recurring monthly revenue with low touch operations
+RV and boat owners need secure space outside HOA-restricted neighborhoods
+Automation can reduce staffing needs
+Covered and enclosed spaces command premium rents

Cons

-Land cost and zoning make or break the deal
-Seasonality can hit occupancy in some markets
-Security incidents and weather exposure create reputation risk

Best For

Self-storage buyers, landowners, or operators who can underwrite local vehicle ownership and zoning constraints

Operating Costs

Costs include land or debt service, property tax, fencing, gates, cameras, lighting, insurance, software, snow or landscape maintenance, and repairs. Mature facilities often target storage-like expense ratios, but returns depend heavily on occupancy and land basis.

SBA Financing Estimator

Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service

$-20158/mo

after debt service

Deal price — $4.5M

Range: $2.6M (4×) to $7.1M (8.5×+)

Down payment — 15% ($675K)

SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership

Interest rate — 8.00%

Current prime-based SBA rates: 7.5–10.5%

Loan term — 10 years (120 mo)

Standard SBA 7(a): 10 years for business acquisition

Down payment

$675K

15% equity injection

Loan amount

$3.8M

85% SBA-financed

Monthly payment

$46K/mo

$1.7M total interest

Monthly profit

$26K/mo

at 42% margin

Monthly cash flow after debt service

$-20158/mo

Margin does not cover debt service at these terms. Lower the deal price, increase the down payment, or extend the loan term.

Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.