How does your build compare to a "professional" conversion?

rossvtaylor · 01-19-2022, 12:48 PM

I already know the answer to that. Every single build I've seen here in the Skoolie.net group far and away exceeds the work done by this builder. Nobody cares about your build as much as you do...even if you pay them big bucks.

I made this skoolie inspection video as a public service and an opportunity to learn. There are electrical dangers, fire hazards, systems which are poorly designed and/or not functional, bus components which have been blocked off (like the circuit breaker panel!?...really?). In short, there's a lot to see and be disgusted by. And, for any new owners out there, there are things to avoid in planning your conversion.

Enjoy...or cringe...or just be thankful you're doing better work yourself.

https://youtu.be/CXzHD5PRYco

TheHubbardBus · 01-19-2022, 01:00 PM

Don't have time to watch right now, but this looks like a beauty (in a very bad way). Huge lulz at the electrical panel you can't access.

Looks like it just gets (better?) from there. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to break out the popcorn tonight and watch the whole thing. I don't see how anyone could do something like this to their own bus, much less have moral vacuum necessary to charge someone else for this work. Karma... cleanup on aisle 9!

peteg59 · 01-19-2022, 06:10 PM

Looks like a small claims court session would be appropriate in this instance.
Just about everything done was done incorrectly and shoddily at best.

As long as there is a good paper trail covering what they wanted the builder to do, they might get lucky and actually recoup some of their money paid to this fraudster.

Thanks for posting this Ross.
Even though the builder is not named, it should be a lesson to the newbies that not everyone who claims to do conversion work is reputable...

rossvtaylor · 01-19-2022, 07:56 PM

Here's another video, which another "victim" just posted a few hours ago. They paid $75k for theirs! Check out the roof raise hack job...the builder left the cut edges exposed and covered the side with sketchy welds. What were they thinking?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbAqn3laW84&t=1s

HamSkoolie · 01-19-2022, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peteg59

Looks like a small claims court session would be appropriate in this instance.
Just about everything done was done incorrectly and shoddily at best.

As long as there is a good paper trail covering what they wanted the builder to do, they might get lucky and actually recoup some of their money paid to this fraudster.

Thanks for posting this Ross.
Even though the builder is not named, it should be a lesson to the newbies that not everyone who claims to do conversion work is reputable...

I'm not sure small claims limitations wouldn't be far exceeded by the costs to repair the unsafe conditions let alone the insanely shoddy work. Old work is always harder than new work. While most of the repairs look like they wouldn't be too expensive in parts, the labor in getting access to the outside electrical panel for instance and then to redesign (for accessibility) and rebuild would be significant,

HamSkoolie · 01-19-2022, 08:22 PM

I just paid a visit to the youtube channel for Lone Star Skoolies

Surprisingly (sarcasm dripping) comments were turned off on every video I opened.

TheHubbardBus · 01-19-2022, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

I just paid a visit to the youtube channel for Lone Star Skoolies

Surprisingly (sarcasm dripping) comments were turned off on every video I opened.

Is that who they are?

I was going to say, Ross... I appreciate your professionalism, but they need to be outed. You don't have to sell anyone on your intentions. It's obvious your motives aren't malicious or self-serving. That build was malicious. They have no business building anything, for anyone, any time. The electrical alone... 12awg mains... lol

What a sh$tshow.

Oh yeah, favorite quotes:

"I'm disgusted"
"I take it as a personal afront"
"They're 1/10th of the way there"

rossvtaylor · 01-19-2022, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

I just paid a visit to the youtube channel for Lone Star Skoolies

Surprisingly (sarcasm dripping) comments were turned off on every video I opened.

I saw that...and am, also, not surprised! Did you see the one where he talks about the "flat front, front engine pusher" bus. Maybe I've led a sheltered life, but I've not yet seen a front engine pusher...unless it's going in reverse?

And the video about the "pecks" water tubing. And the demo of the Eco Smart water heater, which he claims can provide over 6 gpm of hot water? I looked those up and the biggest one can provide just over 1 gpm...and Eco Smart specifically writes, "Do not use with a shower or multiple fixtures."

gotjuice? · 01-19-2022, 09:22 PM

Wow, what a poor business. It should be shut down.

I looked at their website a couple of month ago as I am in San Antonio and had never heard of them. Hopefully no one will ever use them again. We need to all spread the word to stay away so they will close.

Rwnielsen · 01-19-2022, 09:32 PM

The problem you can run into is where to draw the line on repairs. You put yourself on the line for issues not yet apparent and also you become "the last one out the door". The workmanship on that bus is just horrible, one red flag after another. In a perfect world it would be re-done from scratch.

musigenesis · 01-19-2022, 10:18 PM

That is the worst thing I've ever seen. But what blows my mind is that for $45,000 these schmucks still probably didn't even make that much of a profit when considering labor. Even work that poor quality takes some time.

Loved your comment about that godawful countertop being "live edge".

TheHubbardBus · 01-19-2022, 10:34 PM

Tanks are for sissies!

Plus how venting really (doesn't) work.

Is this for real?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSXVWSAAPfk

Tejon7 · 01-19-2022, 10:40 PM

Whoa. That is heartbreakingly shoddy work.

I can see why you didn't want to make this one, but people need to be warned. Thanks for sharing Ross!

Iceni John · 01-20-2022, 01:05 AM

Ross, I think you're being overly generous to think that this "conversion" (I use that term very loosely) can be fixed! I've seen far better old conversions that were torn out to make way for updated interiors. I didn't see one single thing at all that is worth saving. It should all be torn out, the bus's basic mechanical underpinnings should first be brought up to standard, then the interior should be rebuilt from scratch.

Without your explanation, I would have assumed that this clusterf@ck of a "conversion" was just a prank, a practical joke, or revenge for something really bad. Even those contrived "reality" TV shows of house flipping or car/bike builds have far better workmanship than what those TX idiots have done, and that's not saying much.

I'm still completely gobsmacked by it all.

John

Iceni John · 01-20-2022, 01:22 AM

Just for morbid fun, here's what Lone Star Skoolie Conversions has to say about themselves on their YouTube channel:

"We combine our industry knowledge with the highest quality building supplies and equipment, with our dedication to delivering exceptional service to our clients. We will work with you to meet deadlines and coordinate with other related projects. At Lone Star Skoolie we maintain open communication with you to keep you up to date on the progress of your tiny home.

We do this to guarantee that the project is completed per your preferences."

Yeah, whatever.

WIbluebird · 01-20-2022, 07:13 AM

I don't think paying other people/companies to build skoolies is a very practical idea. If you don't have the time or place to build a skoolie out yourself then you're most likely better off buying an RV. This couple should've taken the 45 grand they wasted on this subpar...conversion and just bought a stix n staple RV that has a slightly better chance of not catching on fire.

This build is just so bad on so many levels. That water heater and the exposed wires held on with wire nuts just flopping around on the floor...the stuff of nightmares. And that's before we even get to the circuit breaker panel

The thing I hate to see is that it's builds like this one that are prompting insurance companies to get out of offering policies on conversions. Makes life harder for all of us.

Booyah45828 · 01-20-2022, 07:37 AM

Wow.

That's one of the worst I've seen, and to be charged 45k for it.....

Unscrupulous would be an understatement, as this is downright fraudulent.

I'll be honest, the whole skoolie scene seemed centered around the DIY aspect of it. I agree in that there would be no way I'd pay 45k, 75k, etc for one, especially one so shoddily done. I get why someone would though, as there is a huge skillset and a mammoth amount of ambition required to do such a thing. So I guess I kind of respect a person that would do that, but holy ****, those buses are bad.

WIbluebird · 01-20-2022, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

Here's another video, which another "victim" just posted a few hours ago. They paid $75k for theirs! Check out the roof raise hack job...the builder left the cut edges exposed and covered the side with sketchy welds. What were they thinking?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbAqn3laW84&t=1s

Just got done watching this one. $75k for that?!?!?

and they didn't even bother painting it!

I don't even want to know how bad the roof raise was done. Wouldn't surprise me if they just used 2x4s between the rib cuts.

It seems like the builder lures sellers in with the promises of fancy Instagram catch phrase features like Nature's Head toilets and Ikea murphy beds and then just slaps the rest of it together using bottom of the barrel materials.

With the sheer amount of time that even a basic conversion requires, I don't think paying someone else to build out a bus makes any sort of economic sense.

Rucker · 01-20-2022, 08:47 AM

Quite the video. Reminds me why I do my own work.

TheHubbardBus · 01-20-2022, 08:53 AM

Building a bus for your own use wouldn't make a lick of sense if you were to put a price on your labor. Add in the necessary margins a business would need to bake in to acheive profitability, and anything approaching quality is going to cost a pretty penny. There's just no way around that.

I could understand if this was just a couple young guys with a dream to start their own business, learning the hard way it's a tough way to turn a buck and that they didn't know as much as they thought they did. But it seems like instead of learning from their mistakes and coming to terms with their limitations, they're doubling down.

I don't see how you could look customer after customer in the eye as you hand over the keys to these rolling death traps and not want to hang yourself afterwards in a bathroom stall.

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