A few days ago, I wrote an article about why skoolies and ambulances make for fantastic camper conversions – one of the perks of both these vehicles is that they’re typically much cheaper to convert than the popular cargo vans.
What we have here is an awesome, affordable DIY conversion based on a 2005 GMC Savana 3500. According to Stephanie, its owner and builder, it gets about 15 MPG (almost 19 L/100km).
Stephanie, like many other people, experienced some difficulties during the pandemic. She found herself in a tough spot, about to lose her job and her apartment. Her solution was to convert a mini school bus into a full-time tiny home on wheels.
Given her situation, she tried to find the most affordable way to embark on this mobile lifestyle. That meant finding and building a rig herself, as employing a specialized conversion company would’ve significantly increased the conversion cost. One advantage she had was that she was a woodworker by trade, an instrumental skill to have if you plan on converting pretty much any type of vehicle into a camper. Together with her mom, who is also a woodworker, they built the rig in just three months.
Stephanie bought the vehicle for a mere $3,500 (€3,239) from Facebook Marketplace. Then, she invested about $4,500 (€4,164) into the conversion, bringing the total cost of the rig to just $8,000 (€7,403) – believe it or not, that’s how much some van dwellers pay for the utility system on their camper vans. Just like on many other budget-friendly projects I have covered before, Stephanie managed to keep costs to a minimum by using salvaged materials and shopping for deals.
On the outside, the minibus is finished in white paint paired with wood siding boasting a wood-burned accent depicting dandelions. Another notable detail is a wood deck on the roof. To get up there, Stephanie uses a telescopic ladder.
Like most of the features and materials in this bus, the ladder was purchased for a lower-than-average price. While most telescopic ladders are in the $200 range, she bought this one for just $44 because it had a damaged box; that’s why it’s so important to constantly research deals if you want your budget to be as low as possible.
When you hear a camper was built for $8K, you might expect to find a not-so-cozy interior. Well, Stephanie managed to make the interior not only comfortable but also aesthetically pleasing. Yes, it’s a no-frills conversion, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your living space look and feel good, provided you use some creativity.
The interior is finished with light wood all around. Its open layout means no room inside is separated from the entire living space. The driver’s cabin underwent no significant modifications, so I’ll skip that part.
Stephanie’s Incredible Skoolie Transformation: A Tiny Home on Wheels
In a stunning display of creativity and resourcefulness, Stephanie has transformed an old minibus into a fully functional tiny home on wheels. With a limited budget, she has managed to create an interior that rivals even the most expensive builds. Let’s take a closer look at the remarkable features of her skoolie.
The first area we encounter is the kitchen, located on the passenger side of the interior. With its light green cabinetry and a magnificent butcher block countertop made from 100-year-old hard pine, it is a sight to behold. The kitchen also boasts a dual-burner stove, a fridge/freezer box, and a convenient long shelf with mason jars attached underneath. A round stainless-steel sink completes the setup. The plumbing system, cleverly installed in the cabinet below the sink, includes a 12-gallon freshwater tank and a 7-gallon greywater tank, both easily removable for convenience.
Moving on, we come to the seating area, situated opposite the kitchen. Here, Stephanie has created a cozy and inviting space. A long couch with a table in the middle serves as the main seating arrangement. Adjacent to the couch is a cabinet with a beautiful rattan insert, which hides a surprising secret. Stephanie has ingeniously devised a tiny crib underneath the cabinet for her pet rabbits. This unique feature sets her skoolie apart from the rest. The seating area also features a long overhead shelf, mirroring the one above the kitchen, and a versatile table that can be slid out and used as a footrest.
At the rear of the interior, we find the bedroom, a common layout in skoolie builds. Stephanie has made the most of this space by incorporating two storage areas. One is a closet, where she houses the rig’s electrical system, including a Yeti 1500X portable power station connected to solar panels on the roof. The other storage space serves as a pantry. The bedroom itself is equipped with a full-size mattress, two spacious shelves, and two nightstands. Stephanie has also retained the bus’s original A/C, which is cleverly concealed within a wooden cover featuring a rattan insert. For heating, she relies on a propane stove.
One of the most impressive aspects of Stephanie’s skoolie is the vast space underneath the bed. Accessible from both inside and outside the rig, this area serves as a garage for storing bulkier items such as a portable toilet. It is a testament to Stephanie’s ingenuity and practicality.
In conclusion, Stephanie’s skoolie is a testament to what can be achieved with limited resources and a whole lot of creativity. Her interior design is on par with much pricier builds, offering all the functionality one needs for comfortable mobile living. Stephanie has truly created a home on wheels that is both inspiring and impressive.
