When we started building our Toyota Coaster, we were completely new to the idea of building our own tiny home. There was so much we didn’t know, and so much we had to learn. Our motto was always “wing it”, or “let’s just see how it goes”. We are now on our second bus build; our Mercedes Vario. We have learnt so much in the process, and so far it has made this bus build go a lot smoother. That’s why we thought it was finally time to share with you the things we wish we had known before starting a bus conversion.
The Emotional Rollercoaster –
The first and foremost thing we need to talk is the emotional rollercoaster of a ride your bus conversion will take you on. Everyone knows about budget, and time, and we will talk about those things too, but not everyone tells you about the journey of emotions that goes along with it.
When you start your bus conversion, you might think you know someone. It could be yourself, a partner, family member or friend. You know how they work, what causes them stress and how they handle certain situations. Well, this build will test everything you thought you knew!
There will be breakdowns and many different levels of stress. The bus conversion will occupy every second of your thoughts. We would spend hours looking at inspiration on how we can achieve a design or look we want, only to then spend hours more lying in bed unable to sleep thinking about the same thing. Sometimes you will want to give up, but other times completing a job no matter how small will give you the motivation to keep on going.
If you are building with someone it will test your relationship. There will be arguments and conflict, disagreements and differences in opinion. You will be trying to explain something and there will be trouble understanding. Both of you will have different ways of wanting to do the same thing. You won’t agree on the plan, or the design of everything.
This all sounds horrible, and you are probably thinking ‘why would I start with this?’, and ‘is it even worth it?’ Well the answer is yes! It absolutely is! Even though this is a huge undertaking, it is all part of the journey.
As much as there a lows, there a highs as well. After each completed task there is a sense of pride, along with the joy that comes from seeing it take shape.
From our experience, we have learnt that sometimes we just need to step completely away. Take a day to remind ourselves why we wanted to do this in the first place. If we don’t agree, we can work on something different or each come up with a new idea that the other may agree with. There is always ways to overcome this.
In the end, when it’s completed, you won’t look back and think of the stress, or all the arguments, you will stand there and look at what you have created with a smile on your face. It may not be perfect but it is yours, and you did this.
Budget –
The main question we get asked is ‘how much does it cost to do a bus conversion?’
This is probably the hardest question to answer, and when starting your bus conversion, you may have no idea. There are so many different factors which can result in huge price differences. Some people think it is cheaper to do their own conversion, and others to buy one already done and remodel to their liking. Whilst it can be cheaper starting from scratch, it can also end up more expensive, take longer, and is definitely a lot more work! But when you are getting exactly what you want, does that make it worth it?
So, what costs the most money?
A couple of questions on what you want will start to determine your costs –
- Do you want to be able to live off grid? How long for?
- Do you want a shower and toilet?
- Will you want a kitchen inside, or are you happy with outdoor cooking facilities?
- What about hot water?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, already your costs are going to start creeping up.
So having a clear idea for your budget is a necessity. It might mean you need to look at second hand items, or compromising on some of the initial things you had planned.
Not only is there the expense of buying all of the items and appliances you want, but there could be service costs. For example, if you are having gas or 240v electricity, you will need a gas plumber and an electrician. Or if you are starting from scratch, you will need to pay an engineer to certify the bus into a motorhome. There could also be diesel heater installers, air conditioner installers, solar installers, mechanics, panel beaters, glaziers, automotive tinters, and so much more! Not to mention registration costs after all that…
For our original Toyota Coaster, we had a budget of $40,000. This was to buy our Coaster, and fit it out.
Our bus cost $21,000. After buying this and adding up what we wanted for our electrical system, kitchen and bathroom, we quickly realised the costs were going to blow out. Eventually the end figure was closer to $60-$65,000.
However, we did purchase everything new, had no tools to start off with, and bought almost the top of the range of everything at the time. So we literally were starting from scratch!
Our biggest tip when starting your bus conversion is not to forget about the small stuff. It adds up! For our new Mercedes Vario build, so far we have spent almost $300 just on screws, bolts, and silicone alone! Not to mention we used any of the previous stuff we had left from the Coaster…
Time to build the bus and time of year –
Something to consider when you are looking to convert a bus into a motorhome is how long it will take to do.
If you have experience in building, have the funds on hand, and have the time than building a bus may only take you a few short months.
If, however, you are like us, with no experience and are still working, then the reality is it could take a lot longer. We had anticipated for our Toyota Coaster to take around 6 months. With work and life commitments, it ended up taking us 13 months to complete.
So it is definitely a good idea to be realistic with your timeframe. Keep in mind things like work, family commitments and holidays. Have a general goal and regular targets to keep your plan in line.
Trades like gas plumbers and electricians can also have long lead times. For our Mercedes Vario, we learnt to book well in advance. If you aren’t ready you can always reschedule as you get closer, but at least you are booked in just in case.
Another very important thing to consider is the weather. When building our Toyota Coaster, we did the majority of work in the Summer. Each day was well over 40 degrees Celsius and it slowed us down tremendously. When working outdoors in the heat (and also when its freezing in Winter!) it can be very difficult. Not only more physical exertion, but jobs like silicone and painting are not achievable.
In saying that, when working outside, the rain also affects what can be done too; roof hatches, and holes in the bus become no longer possible.
So that leads us into our next thing to keep in mind…
Where will you build the bus?
This is extremely important! Converting a bus into a motorhome takes space. It is a good idea to plan where you will build prior to purchasing a bus. If you own or rent your property and have a large enough yard with a good storage shed or similar then you are set.
If like us, you do not and have nowhere to park a bus while you work on it, then you may need to look at other alternatives; family members, friends, rentals, or storage facilities. Try and think of things like electricity, water and shelter, and anything else that you may require.
Our Toyota Coaster was located 45 minutes away from where we lived. This meant that it was hard to do a few hours after work. We could only really work on it in full day blocks.
If you are lucky enough and can park it inside a large shed or undercover area, then the weather will not affect your build as much.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you need to rent a property, or move elsewhere, then try and make sure you have close access to a decent hardware shop! Sometimes we ended up at Bunnings 3 or 4 times a day! Our current Mercedes Vario is located around an hour from a Bunnings, so we have to plan very carefully and make our trips worthwhile. This can be difficult as not everything always goes to plan.
Buying the bus itself, and what to look for –
Now we are definitely not mechanics, so if you have a trusted mechanic friend, best to take them with you! But there is a general list of things to look for when buying a second hand bus or motorhome.
Shape of the bus – A bus with curved walls makes building hard! Our Toyota Coaster walls were curved and everything seemed more difficult. One of the reasons we opted for a Mercedes Vario the second time round was the walls have much less curve to them!
Water damage/leaks – Check the bus floor/walls for water damage. If you see anywhere that may look like there is water damage this could be an indication of a leak. Leaks, depending where they are could be an easy fix. Replacing the entire floor due to water damage however is not, and can be costly!
Rust – This may sound like a small thing, but rust is kind of like the tip of an iceberg; you may only be able to see a small bit on the surface, but there could be a whole heap underneath!
Surface rust is to be expected, especially on older vehicles, and with some sanding, and repair work can be fixed. When looking for rust, you want to be looking around things like the chassis, and the windows, or anywhere that could indicate a much larger or structural problem.
Transmission – Something small, but do you want a manual or automatic. Will it bother you driving either large distances?
Tyres – Check the tyres for acceptable tread, or any indication of uneven wear. Also have a look at the wheels/rims for any cracks or damage. Replacing 6 bus tyres isn’t cheap.
Chassis – As mentioned above, it is a good idea to check this for rust. This is the bones of the vehicle and you want it to be in good order. Also check to make sure there are no cracks, bends or repairs, to ensure no damage has been done.
Engine/leaks – Check the engine and see if there are any leaks or faults. When you take the vehicle for a test drive, return it and park in a different spot. This gives you the chance to look at the ground underneath where it was parked, to see if there is any oil or anything left behind.
Age of the bus and history – Always good to know the history of a vehicle and whether things like services and repairs have been up to date. Online checks can be done for a fee which will tell you if a vehicle has been written off/repaired.
Knowing what the bus was used for will give you a good indication of if it has had a hard life.
Again though, we are not mechanics, and this is very general information. It is best if you can have someone review the vehicle or go with you. Mechanics can be booked and charge a fee to perform a pre-purchase inspection.
Licence types –
One thing which may not even cross your mind when buying a bus to convert is what sort of licence is required.
C (Car): Vehicles up to 4.5 tonne Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). Vehicles that seat up to 12 adults, including the driver.
LR (Light Rigid): Rigid vehicles with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes, but not more than 8 tonnes. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes. Vehicles can carry more than 12 adults, including the driver.
MR (Medium Rigid): Rigid vehicles over 8 tonne GVM, but no more than 2 axles. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes. Vehicles can carry more than 12 adults, including the driver.
HR (Heavy Rigid): Rigid vehicles over 8 tonne GVM, and 3 axles or more. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes.
It is highly unlikely that you will require a licence other than those listed above. It ultimately depends on the weight, axles and towing capacity of your vehicle.
To give you an example, our Toyota Coaster had a GVM of 4.99 tonne, which falls into the LR licence category. This meant that Claire had to upgrade her licence in order to drive the vehicle; in turn costing more money.
Our new Mercedes Vario has a GVM of 8.2 tonne. This falls into a MR category licence – once again Claire had to upgrade further.
There are courses available for this, and typically cost upwards of $1000.
Just something to keep in mind is that the bigger and heavier you go, you may be required to upgrade your licence.
The design of the bus –
Before you go buying a bus and starting your bus conversion, it is a good idea to have an idea of a design or layout. If you have a general idea, then you will know what kind of bus and what size to look for.
There are a few factors which you should consider when designing your bus.
- If you are going to be living in it full time, you should consider things such as a shower/toilet, full fridge, cooking facilities and storage. Whereas if you are going to be living in it part time, these things may not be as high a priority.
- What are the seating requirements, and how many do you need to sleep.
- Do you want to be able to live off grid? This means not requiring access to water or electricity and having your own onboard.
- What is important to you? Living spaces, desk areas, entertaining space etc.
Once you have a general layout planned, you can work out what size bus might meet your requirements and this will narrow down the options available for you. Because we planned ahead we knew when changing from our Toyota Coaster to our Mercedes Vario that we would need a bus that was around 8m in length and at least 2m wide (It helps when you have done one before). This allowed us to narrow our search to a specific few vehicles.
Are you going to start your bus conversion from scratch, or buy one already done and remodel?
There are pros and cons for both buying a bus and starting from scratch, or buying one that has already been converted.
If you buy a bus from scratch, they are typically cheaper than one already classed as a motorhome.
You then get to design it yourself and have everything as you want it. However, depending on your design, by the end of the build, it may end up costing a lot more than buying one already converted to a motorhome.
By building it yourself, you will know exactly what has been done to it, so if there are any problems, or any questions, you will have the answers the majority of the time or know where to look.
However, buying a bus and converting it from nothing is hard work. Do you have, or are you willing to learn the skills required? For example there is generally wood working, welding, plumbing, flooring and more.
Do you have the money? Even though the vehicle itself may be cheaper, turning it into a motorhome can be expensive. Having a budget, and expectations of things that could go wrong here is a must.
Do you have the time? If you are on a time limit, it may be much more beneficial to buy a bus already converted to a motorhome. If you can find one close enough to the design you are looking for, it could save you a lot of time and money if you only need to make minor adjustments, you just might not be getting exactly what you want.
Buying an already converted bus will still give you the luxury and convenience of buying a motorhome, but typically at a much cheaper price.
It’s a good idea to review all options to decide what is going to best match your budget, and any other restrictions.
Our final thing you should know is to enjoy it!
Converting a bus into a motorhome is hard! It is such an emotional journey. It is tiring, overwhelming, and will physically and mentally exhaust you. But it is also a fantastic time in life. If you do get the opportunity to do something like this, appreciate it, learn new skills, and take pride in what you accomplish.
You will watch so many Youtube videos, read blogs like this, join Facegroup groups and chat to other like-minded people. There are so many people these days who are looking for alternative lifestyles that this idea of bus conversions is booming.
When it gets hard, and it will get hard, just remember this, it might help to keep the motivation going!
Good luck ?
