DIY or Professional Van Conversion: Finding Your Best Fit

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Are you thinking of building your dream van? But you aren’t sure if you should choose DIY or Professional Van Conversion. Well in this post we will break down all the things you should know to make the best decision for yourself. For starters, the most significant thing you will need to establish upfront is how much is in your budget for the van and the build-out. If you haven’t already come up with a budget or even a roundabout number that you want to be at by the end of your van conversion we would highly recommend starting there because you don’t want to start out spending too much and then run out of money at the end and not be able to finish your van. 

When thinking about building out your van yourself there are many things to consider so let’s go through all the ones we can think of and proceed from there.

• Do you have a timeline you would like it to be completed? This is important to know because building a van overnight is likely not possible, although we have seen it done by a team of professionals. With no prior experience, van builds can take a long time. For example, our first van took us 7 months to build because we only had nights and weekends to work on it. Our second build took us nearly 4 months working on it full-time. As you can tell it’s not a quick process. Knowing when you would like to have your van complete can help you decide whether you want to build it yourself or hire someone to build it for you.
• How much time do you have to build? This is kind of tied into the last one. If you are going to be building yourself you will need to know how much time you will have to be working on the van. If you are working a full-time job on top of it you can expect it to take a while because your time is limited. If you have the budget to hire someone to build for you it may be worth it since you will only have limited time. 

• Do you have any interest in building your van? This might seem like a silly thing to ask but if you have no desire to build a van and all the things that come with it then you most likely should look into hiring someone to build for you. Building a van is not easy and can be frustrating even for someone who enjoys building so if you aren’t looking forward to this big DIY project it may be worth considering hiring someone for the build or even a partial build. 
• Do you have experience building things or handy? There is nothing wrong with not having experience but some things do take some practice to turn out how you want them to. For example building cabinets, if you have no experience with these types of things it may be difficult to achieve a quality professional look if that is what you are hoping for because they take time and practice to perfect.  
• Do you have all the tools you will need? Tools can be expensive especially if you don’t have any. This is where it can come in handy to know someone who is willing to let you borrow tools so you don’t have to buy them all or consider hiring someone who has them all if that fits into your budget. Here is a list of all the tools we feel come in handy to get a professional-looking build. 

• Is there a certain end result as far as the quality you are expecting? There is nothing wrong with imperfections in your van but if you are really set on achieving a professional-looking end result, and you aren’t sure you will be able to achieve enough of that to be satisfied then this may be where hiring someone could be good. 
• Do you have the space to build yourself? This one is kind of tricky depending on where you live and the space you have available to work and park the van. Some places may not allow building like this especially if you live in an apartment. Shop spaces are also very expensive so another cost to consider if you do not already have a garage or work space available to you.
• How complex is your van going to be? Full-time living or just the occasional weekend trip? Most likely if you are going to be living in your van full time the more complex your buildout is going to be. The more complex, the more comfortable you will want to be with doing all aspects from building to electrical to plumbing. Again this all comes down to how much you are willing to do and what level of quality you want to end up with and how close you feel you can get to that yourself. 

We will say that while the DIY route does have its challenges we feel that it was so rewarding to get to the end and know that we built that. We know that not everyone has the tools and knowledge to do this though and that is where we feel that considering all the above points is helpful to consider whether or not you want to go that route or hire someone to build for you. There is no doubt that with determination and patience, you can learn everything you need to from YouTube or even schedule a call with someone to help you with something you are struggling with. Speaking of if there is anything you would like to ask us more about you can schedule a call with us here and we would be happy to help. There are so many resources out there to help you build a quality van, so much so that it can seem overwhelming at times.

If you do decide to go the hiring someone to build for you make sure to do your research before hiring someone. There are so many people building vans that some companies in our opinion are taking advantage of their customers. No doubt with some builders you are going to get quality but some are charging a bit much for what they are delivering. Obviously how much a builder charges is based on the build you want and all the components that go into it. All we are saying is to shop around for a price that fits your budget but also that makes you feel the most comfortable and valued in what you want. You want to work with someone who will take everything you want and do their best to make it happen while giving you suggestions on designs and products that have been tested. You want to work with someone that is willing to work with you and deliver your dream not just give them a paycheck. If you are interested in working with us you can also click here and we can chat and see if we are the right fit for you and if not make a suggestion for someone who might be. At the end of the day, this is your new dream home on wheels and if you are paying someone to build that for you, you want to be happy with your choice and your new home.

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