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Old 09-16-2017, 09:18 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Talking Common First time conversion questions?

Hi,

My Wife and I would like to being planning a skoolie project, but I have an infinite number of questions.

1) Which has more interior room, Saf-T liner rear engine?, or Front engine like international buses?

2)What kind of water heater and stove should we go with? (Electric or Propane?)

3) Does the plumbing and electric grid need to be certified by a professional?

4)Where should I look for a school bus for sale?

5)Are composting toilets any good?

6) We are planning a set up of solar and generator power, is this common?

7) What is the order of the build?, floor, walls, ceiling, electric, plumbing etc etc...

Ok I'll post another thread with follow up questions

Thank you!

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Old 09-16-2017, 09:41 AM   #2
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Hi,

My Wife and I would like to being planning a skoolie project, but I have an infinite number of questions.

1) Which has more interior room, Saf-T liner rear engine?, or Front engine like international buses?

........I believe the dog noise bus's have the most floor space for any give length someone will correct me if I am wrong.

2)What kind of water heater and stove should we go with? (Electric or Propane?)

....... If you will be living RV park to RV park then either but any chance of going boon docking get everything in propane.

3) Does the plumbing and electric grid need to be certified by a professional?

..... No it's RV not a house.

4)Where should I look for a school bus for sale?
..... Govdeals your local school bus barn Midwest transit, shy away from craigslist and eBay, find one fresh off the route.

5)Are composting toilets any good?

..... What do you mean good? They are good that they allow you to not to have blackwater and needing to find a dump station or have sewage hookup. Not so good you have to be closer to your waste. I myself am going the saw dust toilet route simple and seems to work well.

6) We are planning a set up of solar and generator power, is this common?

.... Yes very, Again depends on going RV park to RV park or boon docking a bare min you would want a gen set. Boon docking yes then both.

7) What is the order of the build?, floor, walls, ceiling, electric, plumbing etc etc...

...... If you are going to rip out the celling, finish that first then the floor and then frame your side walls and int. walls run your plumbing and electrical then finish your walls.

Ok I'll post another thread with follow up questions

Thank you!
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Old 09-16-2017, 01:13 PM   #3
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Old 09-20-2017, 12:54 AM   #4
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"What is the order of the build?, floor, walls, ceiling, electric, plumbing etc etc...

...... If you are going to rip out the celling, finish that first then the floor and then frame your side walls and int. walls run your plumbing and electrical then finish your walls."

When do you install the new flooring? I assumed when you said floor you meant rip out the bus flooring. Also, is insulation after plumbing and electrical?

I'm not clear on the order, I'm still in the demolition stage, so this is very helpful.
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Old 09-20-2017, 06:37 AM   #5
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I'm also curious about the flooring/plumbing question. If I need to cut holes in the floor for plumbing, doesn't it make sense to put that in before the floor? Or is that something most people do after they put in the subfloor?
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Old 09-20-2017, 07:25 AM   #6
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No, it's going to be hard enough putting the down the sub floor and making the cuts it needs in the first place. And something like the toilet flange need to be on top of your finished floor (Pergo Tile etc), I did not cut my drain lines until nearly done, I got under the bus with a very long 1/8" drill bit to avoid the ribs (after the kitchen and bathroom sinks were in place) and drilled up thought the metal floor though my new floor and up into the base cabinet you may need to adjust back or forward, then drill your cabinet base with a hole saw move that and drill your floor.


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I'm also curious about the flooring/plumbing question. If I need to cut holes in the floor for plumbing, doesn't it make sense to put that in before the floor? Or is that something most people do after they put in the subfloor?
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Old 09-20-2017, 07:28 AM   #7
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What every seems logical at the time, once you frame the walls the pluming and electrical and insulation kind of go all in at once, don't over think it, just start doing it, some plan will start to form.

Yes if you want to rip out the floor, I just covered over mine with new after taking "core" samples and seeing everything was A OK. I did my flooring as follows 2X2 2' on center screws to the bus floor then 1 1/2" ridge foam and 3/4" T&G OSB screwed to the 2x2's.

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Originally Posted by gail View Post

When do you install the new flooring? I assumed when you said floor you meant rip out the bus flooring. Also, is insulation after plumbing and electrical?

I'm not clear on the order, I'm still in the demolition stage, so this is very helpful.
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