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Photo: East Coast Campers
There are many suitable vehicles for camper conversions. Vans are by far the most popular, but school buses are worthy alternatives. Today, I’m checking out a school bus turned into an awesome tiny home on wheels for a young couple.
Why would someone choose to create a home out of a school bus? Long story short, they’re widely available, cheap, and provide a ton of space to lay out your dream interior design. Of course, school buses come in various shapes and sizes. If those 40-foot (12.2-meter) ones sound like too much of a hassle to drive or convert, consider a shorter bus.
The rig I’m checking out today is also based on a short school bus. Meet Steve, Alana, and their mobile home, a 2008 Chevy Express 3500 sporting a 6.0-liter V8 gas engine. They’ve been living in it for the past six months.
The duo didn’t make any drastic modifications to the vehicle’s exterior. They painted it dark green and installed two 200 W solar panels on the roof.
You’ll discover the biggest transformation on the inside. The couple wanted an open, spacious interior, and that’s exactly what they created. Well, not them; they paid East Coast Campers, a specialized camper conversion company, to bring their vision to life.
Photo: East Coast Campers
Regarding aesthetics, Steve and Alana opted for a modern look consisting mainly of black and white accents. They also did one thing differently than most other bus dwellers: they kept the original walls and ceiling instead of covering them with wood.
One significant advantage of this setup is that the bus’s metal panels can support magnetic accessories. This bus has plenty of magnetic items, including racks, towel hangers, spice jars, and more. The two also kept the original emergency hatches, through which they can climb through to get on the roof.
If you choose items with strong enough magnets, you can rest assured that they won’t detach even when driving, at least on asphalt. It might be a different story if you plan on going off the beaten path.
The top part of the driver’s cabin is covered in stickers from the couple’s travels. You’ll also notice an overhead door that hides an electrical panel. Moreover, on the left, there’s a large overhead compartment.
Photo: East Coast Campers
Behind the driver’s seat, Steve and Alana devised a seating area. It comprises an L-shaped couch with a table mount, three cup holders, and storage space underneath. It also doubles as a workspace, as there are four USB and two 110 V outlets to which you can connect your laptop.
On the opposite side, you’ll find the kitchen. It features a massive, deep sink with a cutting board cover, a decent amount of counter space, a 12 V fridge/freezer, and a two-burner propane stove connected to a canister in a cabin underneath. Furthermore, the sink’s faucet can be swiveled outside through a window and transformed into an outdoor shower.
For storage, the duo can use four lockable drawers and two cabinets, including the one I just mentioned. The other one houses a freshwater tank connected to a water pump. However, the largest storage spot in this rig is an enormous pantry opposite the fridge. What’s more, the magnetic accessories allowed the couple to increase the available storage space.
Like in many other rigs, the bedroom occupies the rear part of this skoolie’s interior. It boasts a full-size bed with a comfy 10-inch memory foam mattress, a sizeable bookshelf with two large drawers underneath, and a cabinet underneath the bed.
Photo: East Coast Campers
How about a bathroom? Clearly, there isn’t one inside this skoolie, which might be a deal-breaker for many adventurers. Steve and Alana shared that they typically use public restrooms or the facilities provided by the campsites where they park. However, in case of an emergency, Steve and Alana use a Trelino composting toilet.
The last remaining area I want to discuss is the garage underneath the bed, accessible after opening the vehicle’s rear emergency door. It offers a ton of storage space and also houses a diesel heater and the bus’s electrical system. The latter’s highlights are two 100 Ah batteries, a 2,000 W inverter, a DC-DC charger that charges the batteries from the vehicle’s alternator, and a charge controller connected to the 400 W solar panels on the roof.
All in all, this skoolie is an awesome tiny home on wheels packing many creature comforts. The only thing I personally would’ve added to this build is an interior shower, at least a hidden one. However, Steve and Alana prefer using public facilities or gyms, like many other bus and van dwellers, so not having a shower isn’t an issue.
You’re probably curious, as was I, about costs. I reached out to Steve and he shared that the total cost for the project was $30,000 (€27,466) – that’s an excellent deal considering everything the rig has inside.
Originally Appeared Here