Roof Raise, How High?

[FAC]

To the person two posts up

Ours is not a rear engine but it is raised from below the windows in the back and our bed is at the height of the bottom of the windows like you suggest, it is great to lay and look right out the windows as were falling asleep or watch a sunrise from bed

 

[frugalfannie]

I've noticed this about the counter-height blocking a portion of the lower windows and that when you're standing that you can't see out the windows. I believe we'll be doing a roof raise, and will likely take out the windows, which is sad because I like how it maintains the school bus look to the bus, and of course all the light is nice too. But I keep hearing that even with good insulation, it's those windows that play the biggest part in the transfer of heat or cold to the bus. We'll be based out of Alaska, so I need to plan around cooler temperatures, etc.

We wand a rear-engine bus and with the roof raise, I'm thinking about raising the rear windows as well to then be up near the level of our lofted bed in the rear of the bus. Have you known anyone to do this? I keep seeing buses that either raise the section above the windows, or take the windows out completely and replace them with sheet metal.

I looked and looked for R ratings on RV windows and what little info I could found convinced me they aren't worth the cost anyway. Here's a hint - ask anyone with RV windows what they do to keep the heat and cold out. They all end up using reflectix or foam panels or insulated curtains etc. So our thought was, why pay for a bunch of windows, along with having to do all that work of making new window frames and closing up all the old windows, etc when we would end up with windows with no insulating value anyway?

I think I have seen a few people raise the rear window. I think it really depends on how your bus is built. On ours, the whole "surround" is part of the structure of the bus that helps support the engine from the rear. Does that make sense? It's all integrated together.

I think ours with the windows raised looks "perfect."

 

[Bus'n it]

Dual pane RV windows are the way to go. This is what we are doing on our build.

 

[BeNimble]

Nice job on the roof raise to keep the windows! OK if you live in warm climates, but doesn't covering them defeat the purpose of having windows. RV windows don't leak like bus windows do, that is a good reason to use them. They make double panes, and one can make your own DIY double panes too.
I'm actually going to use the glass door on a commercial freezer as a big window in my Nautibus, highly insulated..and was free too. Heavy though.

 

[Timber Moments]

I think ours with the windows raised looks "perfect."

I do like the look of your roof raise with the inclusion of the windows. I'm interested to see how it all comes together. Best of luck!

 

[Ronnie-SKO]

In cold weather the back window by our bed makes my back side cold. So I put 4" upholstery foam inside to cover the window. Much better for sleeping , no more cold backside. I found I did not miss the back window and the warm backside was well worth it. So I took out the back window and put a small boat porthole in, and insulated the back wall, as the final solution.

 

[joeblack5]

Nice roof raise... I always wondered why most people raise above the windows..if you want to keep the windows then this makes a lot more sense..

 

[frugalfannie]

In cold weather the back window by our bed makes my back side cold. So I put 4" upholstery foam inside to cover the window. Much better for sleeping , no more cold backside. I found I did not miss the back window and the warm backside was well worth it. So I took out the back window and put a small boat porthole in, and insulated the back wall, as the final solution.

Yeah, we opted to keep the back window and I have been thinking lately about closing it in because of heat/cold transfer. Since our bed will also be sitting on top of the engine I doubt we will have much access to it. We may just leave it in place and spray foam over it to leave it LOOKING like it's there. Make it look more like a bus that way.

 

[Beirdo]

For future reference: anyone here done a roof raise on a 4-window short bus? If so, do you have pictures?

The "just over 6ft" ceiling is a major downside for me, but with no welding skills yet, it seems like a daunting task. Probably should go learn to weld...

 

[seebryant]

We did a 15" roof raise from under the windows on

Did yall do it yourself? I want to do the same thing! And what part of Texas are yall in? We are in San Antonio.

 

[ISAF2009]

Did everyone do their roof raises themselves or take them to a shop? I am considering it but I am uncomfortable chopping my bus in half...

 

[EastCoastCB]

Did everyone do their roof raises themselves or take them to a shop? I am considering it but I am uncomfortable chopping my bus in half...

It seems really intimidating. I was SO ANXIOUS.

Then we went and just did it. There's really not much to worry about or to go wrong as long as you take your time and do all the thinking/planning.

 

[ISAF2009]

I also don’t have the ability to store my bus indoors for a week or so while I do it. I have about a week to make a decision because I have an appt to use my buddies paint booth so I can shoot it. CA dmv has told me they will not register it until it is a color other than yellow.

 

[Strandlife]

I also don’t have the ability to store my bus indoors for a week or so while I do it. I have about a week to make a decision because I have an appt to use my buddies paint booth so I can shoot it. CA dmv has told me they will not register it until it is a color other than yellow.

If you want some good videos and ideas of how to do a roof raise take a look at YOU TUBE videos from "Transcend Existence". Gave me a lot of good ideas. I will be posting videos and more pictures of the roof raise on our Crown. Good luck.

 

[musigenesis]

I also don’t have the ability to store my bus indoors for a week or so while I do it. I have about a week to make a decision because I have an appt to use my buddies paint booth so I can shoot it. CA dmv has told me they will not register it until it is a color other than yellow.

I don't think you need to worry about having it outside even if it takes a while to finish and gets rained on a few times.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I also don’t have the ability to store my bus indoors for a week or so while I do it. I have about a week to make a decision because I have an appt to use my buddies paint booth so I can shoot it. CA dmv has told me they will not register it until it is a color other than yellow.

Why indoors?

Did ours outside on a **** of a windy day.

 

[ISAF2009]

Its raining quite a bit right now, I am attempting to be done with this in time for maternity leave for baby 2 due april 10th