Living in Bus While Converting?

[khaira]

I apologize because this is probably a dumb question.
Backstory: My family of 3 is very seriously considering converting a skoolie. We've been interested in tiny house living for years, but more recently came to the conclusion that a skoolie would be the best option for us. And we already have somewhere to park.

Question: Our lease is up in a few months and I'm really itching to jump head first into this project. Do you all think it's possible to live in a skoolie while it is being converted and if so, what are the bare minimum renovations needed in order to move in?

Additional information: Family includes me, husband, and our 6 year old son. We will have access to a home, for bath facilities, as we will be parked on family property, but there's not enough room for us to live in the home while we are converting.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JDOnTheGo]

Howdy and welcome Khaira,

It is certainly possible and many of us have done it.

That said, it is FAR from ideal and terribly uncomfortable at times.

 

[pbeggs]

first off welcome!
I would think after seat removal and flooring removal and fixing rust & new flooring/insulation install you could start camping out in it as the build progresses. we could have a better idea of what you need if we knew where you are located,.. fill out your profile,.. if you have a bus we gotta see pictures,.. others will be able to advise you more (im the weird one here I use my shuttle bus as, well,.. a bus to haul my family and wheelchair around)
good luck,!
keep us updated and whatever problems you come up with this group will be more than willing to help ya solve it.

 

[Rivetboy]

Buy a tent set it up next to it so you can have a place to put everything while you are building, a table some chairs and a refrigerator and then you have a place to go. Do not know what your weather situation is though.

 

[david.dgeorge07]

Totally depends on your appetite for being uncomfortable.

I imagine there will be many times it would be nicer to sleep outside.

The tin can nature of a bus makes it much colder in winter and much hotter in summer.

For sure feasible, but not for faint of heart.

My family lived in an older travel trailer for a year while building a house. My guess is that an older travel trailer would be more than worth the investment for living next to a skoolie build. You could likely sell it for close to what you pay for it and you can mine it for design lessons.

As a build progresses you won’t be able to really work inside the bus much.

If you have a junk drawer in your house, that’s what my garage has turned into, filled with bus and RV components as they are prepared to be installed, or in some cases sold.

I think if you put up a temp storage shed, and an old camper - even a pop up - you would be glad you did.

 

[khaira]

Thanks for the responses.

@JDOnTheGo Thanks for the welcome. I figured it would be pretty uncomfortable, but I think it will give us to a kick in the pants to get the work done.

@pbeggs :greetings: Sorry, I'm in Baltimore,MD. We have not purchased a bus yet. My husband and I are very type-A and have to plan, plan, and plan again before taking the leap.And thanks for the luck! We will need it as we are not very handy by any means. I'm sure I will be posting questions quite often.

@Rivetboy A tent is a pretty good idea. I'm in Baltimore and it's getting pretty warm as we're going into spring and summer.

@david.dgeorge07 A trailer would work too, but I would really need to shop around as I really want to keep cost low. We want to allocate the vast majority of our funds to the conversion.

:Thanx:

 

[dan-fox]

Welcome to a Baltimoron! I'm in Burtonsville just south of Columbia (most of the time). I'd be happy to give a hand when needed. PM me if you desire.

The camper trailer idea has a little going for it. You could live in it while doing the beginning steps of demolition/insulation/floor planning/construction of floor/outer walls/ceilings etc then move in and camp in the trailer while fitting it out by cannibalizing the trailer. Problem is, you'd have to buy a usable trailer rather than a junker; both are cannibalizable, but one is better than the other to live in. But run the numbers; what you save on appliances + what you save on living expenses over a month-to-month rental might pay for it. Or you might want to invest the negative balance in living more comfortably than a tent offers.

The good news is that at age 6, everything is an adventure! Your kid will not only have a ball, they will brag to their friends about how cool their life is.

 

[khaira]

@dan-fox Yay, a local! Now that you've offered I will definitely get on your nerves with my questions lol. And my son is super excited about the idea of living in a school bus. He has already made two different floor plans!

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Thanks for the responses.



@pbeggs :greetings: Sorry, I'm in Baltimore,MD. We have not purchased a bus yet. My husband and I are very type-A and have to plan, plan, and plan again before taking the leap.And thanks for the luck! We will need it as we are not very handy by any means. I'm sure I will be posting questions quite often.


:Thanx:

You will be working a project that is "organic", rather than prescribed. Stay open-minded about your plans because one thing is sure ... Whatever your plans are now, they will change as soon as you write the check for the bus

 

[PNW_Steve]

I moved into my first bus when it was over 80% complete and finished it on the road.

It worked out OK but I am not going to do it again.

I will take some short trips before it is finished but significant projects are easier when you have someplace else to cook, sleep etc.

Just my $0.02

 

[dan-fox]

@dan-fox Yay, a local! Now that you've offered I will definitely get on your nerves with my questions lol. And my son is super excited about the idea of living in a school bus. He has already made two different floor plans!

Don't assume that just because I'm local to you that I know what I'm talking about. :biggrin: I can lift heavy things, though, and break almost anything given a big enough hammer.

I don't have a bus yet, but I've been hanging around here going on 4 years and I've watched a lot of mistakes being made.