Hello everyone

[Taxidriver308]

Hi, I am new to skoolie life and currently working towards getting my first bus.

I have been in the corporate world for far too long and ready to get back into the country but doing it on my own terms. I am looking forward to living and breathing in nature again.

I am currently looking at getting a 29' flat nose front engine bus to live in full time. The optimal "plan" would be to follow the weather. Travel north in the spring, stay mostly put in the north in summer, then travel south over the fall and stay put in the south over winter.

My plan is to build out the bus such that if needed I could boondock for a month, but normally plan on moving every 2 weeks. I would need to make sure I have my solar big enough to handle working from home, some entertainment, cooking, and running the shower. Need enough water storage (clean and grey, planning on using composting toilet) so that it will last for at least 2 weeks. Hopefully the only things bringing back to town will be water and food.

I am currently single (makes all the above much easier ). I plan on getting the bus and moving back with the parents for the build. This will allow me to save on bills so I can then put that into the bus. That will allow me to build it out much faster, and staying with the folks will be a good motivator to build as quick as I can lol.

Right now I am waiting on my full payout from insurance after my motorcycle accident. Once that is complete then I will be able to get started on this journey. Until then I am just searching everywhere to find the right bus and making lots of layouts.

 

[Timeline]

Do spend some time finding out which engines, transmissions and years of buses to avoid. There are various interior heights, a taller inside is a big plus. Take your time finding the right bus, hopefully it wont be any kind of rusty.



Ask here when you have questions and the search box above it very helpful too. Good Luck!

 

[Corbi]

It all depends... Welcome to the site. There really isnt one way to build out a school bus. Yes, we do read about builders who share their accomplishments installing expensive electrical systems, solar, water heating, tanks and so on. They are not typical of posters on this site. I'm guessing that you'll find much more gradual builds over long time periods. Building a bus for full time living seems to have good and bad features. There is the idea or fantasy of getting to be self sufficient and off-grid. Then you have the expectations that people around you will be supportive of your quest. The other side is the skill level you have in the trades. If you are a beginner everything takes more time and money as you improve. Then like any vehicle that may be 20 years old and high mileage, parts break. Will you be able to diagnose and fix stuff in the field? My advice is not to expect a bus conversion to heal yourself or solve a life crisis. You'd be better off with an RV or Sprinter to get away from it all if that is really possible. Thoughts?