School bus becomes off-grid, transformable, tiny home

bansil · 01-04-2013, 02:08 PM

interesting,how tall is it you reckon?

I wasn't to keen on the way to get up and down from 2nd level though,I would bust my arse

lornaschinske · 01-04-2013, 03:31 PM

Quote:

from http://faircompanies.com/videos/view...ble-tiny-home/Their home is currently registered as an automobile, but Richard and Rachel hope to eventually change that to RV status (achievable with the right amenities- a tub, toilet, bed- and a DMV inspection). “The reason this is important is that RVs get home owners rights, which is helpful for taxes and credit. Also the police cannot search your vehicle without a warrant when it has RV status.”

That depends on what state they are in. Many states view RVs as vehicles, no different than a car. Other states it's a grey area and subject to interpretation, otherwise known as what ever suits their purpose. As for taxes, you can submit anything but the IRS may reject it.

I can't believe they spent $12K on this conversion... on what? As for their $100 per month... Where do they park? What are they eating?

bansil · 01-04-2013, 06:27 PM

Lorna I agree,I don't see $9000 worth of upgrades...but hell a $1200 toilet....I hope it wipes for you.they have $1500 in solar plus batteries....
Maybe they will join so we can see.....
I didn't understand the florida type states and hurricanes anddriving vehicle thing...I was at work watching and ugh working at same time :lol

lornaschinske · 01-04-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bansil

Lorna I agree,I don't see $9000 worth of upgrades...but hell a $1200 toilet....I hope it wipes for you.they have $1500 in solar plus batteries....
Maybe they will join so we can see.....

With what we have spent already (includes the most expensive stuff... plumbing and we still have to buy 3 sink baskets & drain), we are still coming in under $4K not including the price of the shell. Okay, I do admit to using stuff we already owned. And we have bought a lot of our lumber as "culls" at work (yesterday I bought a 4X4 sheet of 3/4" oak veneered plywood for $4.01... full sheet is $35 & change.... that's the countertops for the stove side of the galley). But if buying new, I would not have the expensive range I've got (David got a fantastic deal on it) nor would I ever buy a Kohler cast iron sink (FREE FREE FREE). I simply would not put that kind of cash out. There's lots of stuff I could buy with the same amount of money that those two items alone would cost me today (roughly $1900). So I do not see where the $ went. What I really can't figure is how they will live on $100 per month for utilities/etc. They are in CA. That isn't a cheap place to live and I don't think CA is terribly friendly to street camping. Unless the folks are going to be living someplace like the Slabs. I don't think this has gone very far. The blog is dated 2009. No info on completion cost or current reality.

ol trunt · 01-04-2013, 10:33 PM

Check out the chalk marks on their tires-- I'll bet they park for free on the street and save money by eating the parking tickets rather than food.

lornaschinske · 01-05-2013, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richlindquist

I believe the $100 per month was in reference to their housing expenses. They use solar for most of their power needs (which are very small). Food expenses would be the same no matter where they lived.

Living with little can leave room for more life.

Rich

I don't know about the solar, most folks with solar that I have run into end up running a generator due to weather. I don't have personal experience with solar. As for living on the street... Whatever happened to the Hubbly Bubbly bus. Weren't they living on the street? Around here (Roswell, NM) they will stay for a few days in the parking lots and then disappear. I assume they move out to the BLM land around here. Hard to keep a job when you move all the time. Food expenses vary quite a bit depending on where you are!

When we lived in Tiftonia TN (west side of Chattanooga) we could drive to the Albertsons in Ringgold GA and come out ahead over shopping at the Albertsons in Hixson TN (which closed). Reason, we saved more on tax alone (TN taxed food, GA did not) than it cost us in gas.

Pretax food prices were 1/2 to 3/4 higher in Newport Beach VA Wal-Mart than in Jasper TN Wal-mart. Pretax food prices were 10% - 15% higher in Panama City Beach FL Wal-Mart than the Cordele GA Wal-Mart. Prices in Socorro, Los Lunas & Albuquerque NM Wal-Marts are higher than in Clayton GA Wal_Mart. The highest price difference has been Newport. We checked prices on food we bought often (and therefore were pretty sure of the price) on our way out to NM from NC. Prices jumped when we hit TX and NM. Maybe food is cheaper in CA?

I'll have to work on that "Living with little can leave room for more life" stuff. I thought we had little. I certainly get "little" paychecks since I am working part-time normally (and the "fat" paychecks have been poured back into the bus). I'm pretty sure that our income for last year is either below or right at poverty level for a family of 2. But perhaps I'm wrong. I've been told lots of times that I'm wrong.

So is there any more to this story since 2009?

crazycal · 01-05-2013, 01:56 PM

They are parked by Berkeley near the freeway.

ol trunt · 01-05-2013, 09:23 PM

In a tow away zone.

Stuff · 01-07-2013, 12:20 PM

the van on top is on backwards

I 'd really put it the other way around if keeping that back window. not as strong as a windshield.

too expensive of a toilet imo
solar fridge? a good 120v bar fridge would have worked just as well with a good solar panel/battery/converter setup. mine makes ice too! keeps it cold in there and keeps it from running as much.

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