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Old 02-05-2016, 08:15 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by PigPen View Post
Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence of what a skoolie can sell for? I've also spent a lot of time thinking about what a business based around skoolies would look like (haven't we all???)

Based on the numbers I've crunched, the best potential may be in prepping the buses but not actually converting them. This allows people to get their custom build, without the hassle of finding a bus.

To get more in detail, I would set up shop in a state with loose re-titling rules so that the buses could come with an RV title. Buy buses, service all the major systems, gut the interior, put in floors, ceilings, insulation etc and perhaps do roof raises on some. Retitle it as an RV, and you've got the ideal buses for people wanting an easy way to build their own bus...
Lots of us are thinking this.
I just want to buy the good buses at auction and resell them either with or without seats or interior.

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Old 02-05-2016, 09:10 PM   #22
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I think someone approached the main issue:
- custom - has a wide variety of interpretation, and a huge range of budget. I spent the day with Tango and the diifernces are very apparent.

Tango has talent, taste and style, and a very apparent focus on the custom aesthetic.
I, on the other hand, need a box to haul my shite around in.

But my "box" is custom, yet nowhere near the value of a ground-up, custom, one-off build like Tango's.

I would be happy to sell my conversion for $10k, and Tango would be a fool to sell his for less than $30k when he is done, but, would there be a bigger market for a redneck, $10k box, or a $50k, classic, art-bus-conversion?

I don't know, but I would not risk the time and money hoping there is a market for premium, "used" bus-conversions.

It would be awesome to think there is a huge market for an Ideal-skoolie-conversion, show me the evidence
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:32 AM   #23
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Lots of us are thinking this.
I just want to buy the good buses at auction and resell them either with or without seats or interior.
I like this idea. In my opinion it's not really practical with the consumers demands for quality and affordability unless you help put it into perspective. Otherwise they're better off with vans or rv's. If I were to do it though, I would have different stages of pricing.

1. "company approved" DIY ready bus: A school bus which has been mechanically inspected and sold with desired margins (20%?)

2. DIY ready bus for our truckless do gooder: A hollowed out bus with markup + service fee (hourly rate/desired margins).

3. Insulated custom bus

+electricity package
+gas package
+water package

4. etc.

It's worth noting, that it would be good to study/imitate prefab container housing companies.


Other ideas would include

selling warranties at X% of cost.

selling DIY packages/KITS, that include "COMPANY APPROVED" insulation, solar, flooring, whatever. But to make these profitable you'd have to get them shipped from china by the container.
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Old 02-06-2016, 05:01 AM   #24
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I already do this for a living. It didnt take an investor to get me started, just a positive winning attitude and about a decade of experience.

I also do consulting on it which is basically the best thing ever.

Everyone wants some of that tiny house money.
well theres plenty of positive winning attitude to go around at my place, so how do you sell the skoolies? do you gut them then sell, build then sell? title?
also what kind of money are you making consulting, ie how are you charging for it?
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Old 02-06-2016, 11:07 AM   #25
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Im chargin 30 an hour for anything I do. There isn't a market for prebuilt skoolies that i have found that is profitable. Though I have a friend who is trying to build a spec bus and sell it--we'll see how it goes!

There is a market for making them for people who have the vision and money but not the skills/tools. I like working with people to make their dreams happen and teaching them stuff along the way. It makes them more knowledgeable owners and they can decide what they want and dont want.

I do sell stock school buses that meet my standards and there is a market there. The risk is still present--about 1 in 5 buses we buy at auction aren't resellable due to unseen/unnoticed defects. We generally will part out/scrap/sell at loss those buses. Happend 3 times last year.

Anyone seen the price of scrap iron?? It tripled in the last couple weeks down here!!
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Old 02-08-2016, 11:06 AM   #26
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From a penny a pound to 3 cents a pound?
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Old 02-08-2016, 11:27 AM   #27
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Wow! Now I can make $60 bucks for hauling a ton of it!?
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Old 02-08-2016, 11:54 AM   #28
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That makes a lot of sense. You eliminate a lot of the risk by only working with people with a vision from the beginning too (especially since they're buying everything). Sounds like charles has the right idea.

Speaking of scrapping, anyone here ever scrap a full bus?
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Old 02-08-2016, 12:34 PM   #29
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When I "cleaned my yard" in prep for buying a bus, I sold 21K pounds at an average 12.50 a hundred and paid for my bus and 90% of what I did with cash.
My bus was 2K higher that summer than the year before due to China buying scrap.
Now at 1.85 for shredder steel it is not worth my gas to haul anything off

What is a bus worth? whatever someone will pay for it...
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Old 02-08-2016, 08:31 PM   #30
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Scrap down the road from me is $180 a ton. So a 9 ton bus is about 1600, minus what they charge if it's still got tires on it.

I pull all the copper battery cables (thick and nice copper!) and engine components (alt, compressor, PS pump, Injection pump, etc, whatever's still good, and the trans if it's still good. Lights, switches, all the handy goodies and keep them. Buy then you're about a ton lighter but still, probably pull in about 1200 for a big bus.

When it was lower, we would sell them to a farmer who would strip em even more and turn them into chicken coops and pig pens. Pretty funny stuff...
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Old 02-08-2016, 08:37 PM   #31
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$180/ton in Colorado? I gotta ask my friend(yes I have one). He is in the metals business.
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Old 02-08-2016, 09:54 PM   #32
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YEP! that's what the digital sign said on friday when I drove past it. crazy!
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Old 02-09-2016, 06:03 AM   #33
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how much does that make a bus worth for scrap?
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Old 02-09-2016, 09:42 AM   #34
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My advice to you is to use the back arrow on this thread where I posted what that makes a bus worth.
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Old 02-09-2016, 07:20 PM   #35
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wow chuck_m, could have typed (1600)something in air today on skoolie.net? borderline pompous.
could be those skinny pants i guess, not sure. i wont ask you anything more about your bus scrapping business. started this thread to generate talk and info on skoolie related business ideas , i see you have been in the business a while, if you don't want to post on it don't?
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Old 02-09-2016, 07:57 PM   #36
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https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...J1yo8s9dAXHzsg
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Old 02-10-2016, 05:50 PM   #37
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Haha
Sorry if that was rough, but there are so many double posts and so many people asking the same questions over and over, even in the same thread. That's bad etiquette and a waste of time to rehash things said literally on the previous page.
Passive agressive **** like that is gross, so I apologize.

No reason to make a comment about my jeans. Like wtf is that all about? They are Levis 501s---literally the oldest style of jeans out there. Not skinny, just regular old jeans with the button fly. Sure, they're purple, but whatever.

Many people could stand to learn to use the site more efficiently. I give much more advice than I take, and I think it is considerate to read what is said all the way before asking questions. But hey, we all miss things and sometimes the inner asshole in me makes a cameo. I apologize. Its not what skoolie spirit is about.

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Old 02-10-2016, 06:22 PM   #38
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Couldn't agree more, Chuck.
I lurked and read for a LONG time before ever joining or posting. But I have had quite a love affair with buses spanning a little over a decade.
Already had my current bus picked out without asking ANY questions. And I got a bunch of the info I needed by reading through this site. Also the school bus fleet forum had a TON of extremely useful, practical info. I really recommend lurking over there.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:25 PM   #39
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no worries, just a bit of humor about the jeans though, in avatar they look like skinnys. i dont have much of a humor filter, no offense meant, just banter, apologize as well.
i hear that about the repeat questions, i do try and read before i type as well but sometimes, well, i don't for one reason or another.... any who, value the threads and info you have shared chuck , and hope to over the years share some back. good times, pavement under the bus and no hard feelings.
we're all bus brethren of sorts.

i'm ready to start framing walls and counters in R1 next week! i'll try and get some pics up then for you folks!
thanks for the link CB.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:33 PM   #40
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No problemo, senor! I've found that site to be very informative with a bit of digging around.
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