Searching for van converting friends

Jordaan

My boyfriend and I want to buy a van (probably LWB Transit) and build it ourselves (without a bathroom). Neither he nor I have any manual experience. We have already tried to contact van rental companies or van builders, but without success: fully booked, specialized in other campervans or temporarily closed. We would love to talk to someone who has already converted a van or could possibly even give us a van tour to get a first impression.

Is there anyone among you who would like to meet us and exchange ideas/experiences?

Greetings from Dublin :)

Van Doozy

You don't need to be a master craftsman to convert a van - especially if you are not after a seamless, perfect finish.

If you have a little bit of experience with power tools and you have a bit of common sense, and more importantly if you are extremely patient and methodical, you should be able to do it yourselves. There are any amount of videos on youtube of people who have done it themselves. Fantastic resources there.

In my opinion it's a great time of year to start - you can convert your van over the winter and have it ready for the summer.

I converted a van myself a couple of years ago. I am not a skilled tradesman by any means. I would have what you might call basic DIY experience. I bought a lot of pre made 'pods' and fitted them to the van, used youtube non stop for lessons on how to soundproof / insulate and fit the floor and windows. i got a pro to do the leisure battery and gas because I wanted to be sure it would be safe.

If you have no experience camping in a van I strongly suggest you rent one for a few days. It is not cheap but it could be the best few hundred quid you ever spend, for a few reasons:

1. You might be enamoured by the instagram pics of people opening their back doors onto a beach and perhaps naive re the reality of camping which is not always instagrammable. You need to experience it to really understand if it's for you

2. You'll find out what works for you and your lifestyle. Vans come in all shapes and sizes and everything is a compromise. You might after your trip decide you need a shower and toilet cubicle and loads of storage for extended trips away or working remotely, and you want your bed made up and always ready to hop into. This means you need a big camper. A big van is hard to park, more limited in where it can go and may use a lot of fuel.

Or you may decide that you like nipping away for one or two nights at short notice if the weather is good and travelling light. This is the way I am, generally. A smaller van like a transporter might be much more suitable for this mode of camping. It's also much easier to park in a town and can be used at home as a second car, to a certain extent - in a way a big coachbuilt van can't be.

But my van doesn't have a shower or permanent toilet, My bed needs to be folded out of the seat, and I have to be ruthlessly diciplined in what i bring with me every time because space is so limited.

But the only way you find out is by doing it. Lazy Days hire out transporter vans and they are cheaper for the off season (now). Definitely worth a look. Cost maybe €500 for a long weekend. It's not cheap but it's well worth it.

A lot of the campsites are closed at this time of year, but not all of them. Or if your van has a diesel heater you could wild camp.

If you want to learn a bit more you can often just roll up and ask people about their vans. In my experience (though not always) people love talking about their vans so rent a van and go chat to whoever is beside you at the campsite / park-up etc.