The Journey Begins

[whitaker]

First wanted to say hello to the community. My wife and I have five kids ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and 2. We purchased an a 2002 83 passenger Thomas MVP-EF and currently in the process of converting it into a tiny home. Our plan is to take two to three years to travel the U.S. and then come back home before my eldest goes into 9th grade.

Below are the latest pictures of where we are at in the process.




And here is a crude floor-plan as of right now of how I basically want the bus laid out.


I've already learned so much from the other members of this site and already know I'll be coming back here to the further I go in the process.

-matt

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

welcome
be careful with that grinder the sparks/slag will stick to the window glass.

[whitaker]

Thanks, I'm planning on raising the roof so all the windows will be removed and RV windows installed.

[MNbusboy]

How did you do the floorplan? That that an app/program that anyone can use? We also have 5 kids, 11, 8, 8, 6, & 3. We aren't going to be full time, just cross country camping trips. Our ceiling is at 6' and I'm not planning to raise it, since we won't be full time and are on a budget. Our floorplan looks similar except we have 2 double bunks and a loft bed with storage underneath.
I definitely look forward to watching your build!!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by MNbusboy

How did you do the floorplan? That that an app/program that anyone can use? We also have 5 kids, 11, 8, 8, 6, & 3. We aren't going to be full time, just cross country camping trips. Our ceiling is at 6' and I'm not planning to raise it, since we won't be full time and are on a budget. Our floorplan looks similar except we have 2 double bunks and a loft bed with storage underneath.
I definitely look forward to watching your build!!

Are your 8yo's twins? My brother and I are the same age for another week.
I chuckle when I see whitakers diagrams, the guy inside is only 4'3" tall.

[whitaker]

There's measurements on the side and bottom. Everything is to scale, I'm 6'3 so I'll be raising the roof.

[whitaker]

So I'm using Sketch. It's just what I'm used to working with for work. It's like illustrator but a lot better for what I use it for.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by whitaker

There's measurements on the side and bottom. Everything is to scale, I'm 6'3 so I'll be raising the roof.

So the diagrams show a 2' roof raise.

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by whitaker

There's measurements on the side and bottom. Everything is to scale, I'm 6'3 so I'll be raising the roof.

You are six foot, three.
There's lots of space over your head in this pic. You have extremely high ceilings already. I love the drawings. Easy to read.

[whitaker]

Originally Posted by o1marc

So the diagrams show a 2' roof raise.

yes, I haven't gotten to the raising the roof yet. Almost done gutting the inside and then going to tackle the dash and replacing all the gauges.

[whitaker]

Originally Posted by DeMac

You are six foot, three.
There's lots of space over your head in this pic. You have extremely high ceilings already. I love the drawings. Easy to read.

well I'm bent over in this pic. When I stand straight I only have about an inch clearance in the center. My plan is to raise the roof two feet.

[Jonzee]

Yo is that John wick on your bus? Lol

[Diverdude0075]

Nice plan! It’s gonna be a cool adventure!!

[DeMac]

Six foot, six inches, plus two feet. What is the planned ceiling height, with finish floors? The additional height will feel more spacious inside & kids will appreciate the bunks' space. We're looking forward to seeing your progress.

[LargeMargeInBaja]

Nice drawing [reverently sets aside, proceeds without].
.
I process information primarily on a feeling level, so a blue-print or computer lay-out of the overhead does me little good.
Accordingly, after clearing an interior to the bare walls, I set cardboard boxes -- about the three-dimensional shape/size of a bed, couch, shower, library -- in the approximate proximity of my vague-ish goal for that space.
This helps me establish flow and access.
.
For example:
* a cardboard template about the size of a desk -- with me sitting at it -- can give an idea of the amount of elbow bumping I can expect as people move around me ["Coming through, excuse me, oops, sorry..."]
* a cardboard template about the size of a bunk-bed gives an idea of accessibility for changing linens.. a peeve of mine on bunks with one buried under another bunk and one side buried against a wall.
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An advantage I like for my shiftable trying-it-for-fit cardboard furniture:
* placing windows
The orderly spending uncountable hours doing kitchen drudgery might be partially-placated with a nice window offering a nice view and scented breeze.
Suggestion -- tip generously!
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For kitchen staff of different heights/ages/abilities, different height counters offer a smaller person an opportunity to contribute and learn, while simultaneously giving a bigger helper a place to roll dough or dry dishes.
For the shorty crew, can you imagine a lower counter 'cut-out' with a removable standard-height filler?
As the crew ages-out or recovers from unfortunate airborne choices, can an end counter be adjustable so a wheel-chaired helper can contribute?
Picture a flowing assembly line... with at least 18" clear work-space either side of the sink, another 18" each side of the range, plus another 18" from any wall or sitting-on furniture.
.
I owned a restaurant business for ten years; cooks need places to set stuff / chop stuff / mix stuff / measure stuff without interference, pearl-divers need space to splash gleefully.
Accordingly, I design an interior starting with the kitchen, then add peripherals such as shower and sleeping.
Because, sooner or later, everybody needs to eat.
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I like my small wide windows at my standing eye-level to simulate natural light... and discourage peepers.
Opinion based on experience.
I use 3612 (a foot tall by three feet wide dual-pane sliders designed for a stand-still house; I despise RecreationVehicle anything.)
.
A bus is linear, no getting around that.
Traffic travels through the same place each time.
My temporary cardboard furniture helps me with flowing that traffic:
* in-bound, arms loaded with groceries and fresh laundry, do I have an immediate convenient horizontal space to safely set stuff without shoving aside science projects, newly-discovered bones from the beach/cave/cemetery, and out-going laundry
* do the galley staff need to step away from their task so somebody can walk fore-to-aft and vicey-versy umpteenth dozen times in a highly-dramatic panicked search for a sock or hair-brush or that other kid what's-iz-name
By setting my cardboards, I can make the dinette/desk slightly shallower so both parties can move without a sense of interference or obligation to delay supper.
I can fabricate a shallower kitchen counter to minimize 'urgent' traffic bumping the potentially-fuming orderly.
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Does my eating area need to be directly across from the food prep area?
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By shifting a couple pieces of permanent furniture, could traffic move through a lazy-S instead of a drag-strip?
For floors, could slate tile designate the kitchen work-space... not to be trespassed under any circumstances, or face the wraith of you-know-who?
Could toss-rugs indicate a resting/sleeping area, a visual and sensory cue to instantly slow and quiet traffic?
Where are the knee-knockers, where does a tripper fall?
An essential part of the entry is the 'mud-room' with places to remove shoes and store rain-gear.
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I like your drawing.
Nice colors.
Unfortunately for me, it gives me no sense of long-term utility.
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A caution:
* avoid thinking 'this rig is my forever rig'
As you grow and evolve, you will modify everything you formerly thought was perfect.
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And never ever think of looking at another rig "...just for Shiny! ideas...".
Inevitably, you will disparage your formerly-perfect set-up, mentally tearing the place to shards, hoping to improve... but, then, you see a Shiny! different rig...
.
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And if anybody tries to talk you into holes in the roof, just smile, knowing they are thinking 'factory RecreationVehicle' and have no clue about rain combined with gravity.
Bless their hearts.