| Building your own camper van is a great way of | | | | home conversions completed in a weekend, |
| creating your own custom made leisure vehicle without | | | | comprising of a futon in the back of the van, some |
| having to pay the high prices of professional | | | | simple furniture secured to the walls, curtains, a little |
| conversions. Creating such a vehicle is not as difficult | | | | carpet and a camping stove for cooking. |
| as you might think. | | | | The first phase is to consider carefully what you will |
| Having your own camper van offers the freedom to | | | | use the vehicle for, and who will use it. If you are going |
| go camping and exploring in luxury. It's much more | | | | to occasionally go to beaches, lakes and parks and |
| convenient that a car and tent or a caravan, as you | | | | simply sleep in the vehicle you should buy a small van |
| can simply put everything away and drive to your next | | | | and keep the fittings simple. If you are going to use the |
| destination, without having to pack away a tent or | | | | vehicle for sports such as surfing or kayaking then you |
| prepare a caravan for the road. | | | | need to factor in storage for your equipment. If you |
| Professional camper van conversions cost a lot of | | | | have 5 children when obviously sleeping and seating |
| money because as well as the price of the empty | | | | quarters are you first priority. Choose which length of |
| vehicle, the conversion company have to cover the | | | | vehicle and what height suits you best. Short vehicles |
| cost of the materials, the labour and make a profit. | | | | are easy to drive and park, but longer ones offer more |
| Because camper vans are sold in reasonable small | | | | space. Lower vehicles are more fuel efficient and can |
| numbers they are not mass produced and so prices | | | | pass under most height restrictions, but you wont be |
| are high. Even used models many years old still | | | | able to stand in them. High top vans allow almost |
| command a high price. | | | | anyone to stand in them. |
| Building your own camper van is a great way of | | | | The second phase is to buy the base vehicle. A panel |
| owning a camper van without having to spend a lot of | | | | van, such as those used for deliveries are the best |
| money buying one. If you have DIY experience, have | | | | vehicles for most people. In Europe vehicles such as |
| some mechanical experience or you are confident at | | | | Mercedes Sprinters, Ford Transits and Fiat Ducatos |
| constructing things you should be able to design and | | | | are some of the best vehicles. Good Japanese |
| build a great camper van that is tailored for your | | | | vehicles include the Toyota Hiace. Larger vehicles, |
| needs. If you little experience at any of the fields don't | | | | such as those with box backs are good for those |
| worry, you can still out together a good vehicle. | | | | needing more room. Smaller vans are good for solo |
| One of the most important factors is to establish your | | | | travelers. |
| budget before your start. Don't keep building until you | | | | The third phase is to plan the internal fixtures. Things to |
| run out of money, as the unfinished vehicles can sit on | | | | consider are how much seating you need, how many |
| the drive for a long time waiting to be completed. Set | | | | beds are require, whether you want to be able to |
| you budget - an amount for the empty vehicle, an | | | | cook inside, whether you need to store large items like |
| amount for the fittings you will fit, an amount for | | | | sporting gear or bicycles. Once you have agreed on |
| insurance, and an amount to at least give it a test run | | | | the plan you need to start collecting materials and |
| once it is finished. | | | | constructing the internal fixtures. |
| The best home made camper van conversions are | | | | Items such as electrical wiring, wall insulation, wall |
| better than those one can buy professionally. With | | | | panels, ceiling materials, flooring, seating and storage all |
| every luxury you could imagine, but they always cost | | | | need to be prepared in the correct order, otherwise |
| a lot to build. However, I have seen excellent budget | | | | disaster can raise its head. |