Most people who want to build a tiny house on wheels don't have the wealth to invest in it. For such people, we recommend that you consider converting your school bus. Today I'm checking out a budget-friendly skoolie that serves as a full-time mobile home for a family of four.
In fact, you can create an affordable tiny house on wheels using almost any base vehicle, including an RV, truck, camper, or school bus. But in general, my opinion is that skoolies and ambulances are the best low-cost options.
We understand that campervans are more popular, but skoolies and ambulances are also worthy options. If you still prefer a campervan, check out this recent article about the costs of vanlife, including buying and converting a campervan.
Meet the Geese family, specifically Hannah, Luke, and their two children, Essence and Levi. Six years ago, they bought his 1996 Bluebird school bus with a front engine and a flat nose. In length he is 38 feet (11.6 meters) and is powered by a reliable he 5.9 Cumming engine. So far, the engine's reputation has proven true for this family.
They spent $7,000 (€6,559) on the base vehicle and another $8,000 (€7,496) on the conversion, bringing the total price to just $15,000 (€14,055). Even if you're new to mobile homes, know that it's a great deal. Most of the schoolies I've written about cost around $30,000 to $40,000 (€28,111 to €37,481) to convert.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Tiny Home Tours
By comparison, you can expect to pay about the same amount as a professional van conversion (excluding the base vehicle). You can do a DIY conversion of a van for $15,000, but you don't have as much real estate as a school bus. Anyway, let's take a closer look at this bus.
The outside of the rig is very simple. It's finished in white paint throughout and boasts two huge storage compartments. It's time to board the bus, as big changes have taken place inside.
The family left the cab intact, except for adding some storage options and various decorative items. Go to the back of the bus and you will arrive at the seating area. Most bath residents devise two sofas, one on each side, leaving a space in the center.
However, Hannah and Luke installed a larger L-shaped couch on the passenger side and a smaller couch with a shoe rack underneath behind the driver's seat on the other side. Both sofas cover the front wheel storage space. Additionally, the L-shaped one has a large storage space underneath that also houses the rig's electrical system.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Tiny Home Tours
Highlights of the power system include the bus's starting battery, a 200 Ah battery, an inverter, a DC-DC charger and a solar charge controller connected to the 800W solar panel on the roof. Most buses I've written about come with more solar power capacity, but these panels are quite expensive, so this family wanted to keep costs to a minimum .
next, “Heart of home”: Kitchen. When traveling alone or with a partner, having a fully equipped kitchen is helpful. However, this is not the case if he has more than one mouth to feed. “It's better to have” It's now a necessity.
Like the seating area, the kitchen has an interesting layout. It's on the passenger side, “C” shape. Features ample counter space, oven/4 burner stove combo, huge refrigerator/freezer, farmhouse style sink, and water filter. Additionally, there are plenty of storage options including cabinets, drawers, and shelves.
One striking design detail is the countertop. Hannah and Luke sourced materials from trash cans and burnt them to create a beautiful finished product. The duo was inspired by “Sho Sugi Ban”also known as “Yaki cedar”, this is a traditional Japanese wood-burning technique designed to preserve wood. As well as giving the wood a nice textured finish, it also has the practical benefit of increasing waterproofing and preventing the development of mold and wood rot. Another advantage is that this process is not very difficult to perform.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Tiny Home Tours
The countertop isn't the only recycled feature on the bus. The couple found a sink in an old cabin in West Virginia and sourced an oven/stove from a wrecked RV.
It is located past the kitchen and next to the bathroom. The bathroom has two green cabinets, sliding doors, a shower, waterproof walls, a mirror, and a toilet. Given the size of the bus, one would expect it to have a larger toilet. But Hannah and Luke sacrificed some of that size to make room for their huge kitchen.
The next part of this rig is the children's room. The Essence and Levi each have their own sides, with a bed on top and storage space below.
Finally, there is the master bedroom, separated from the other living spaces by a door. It features a queen-sized bed, under-bed storage, a large wall-mounted TV, a skylight, and a large closet with drawers underneath. Additionally, the mural that Hannah painted on the back wall is lovely.
It's amazing how beautiful and well-equipped this tiny house on wheels is, considering it was built on a relatively limited budget. Hannah and Luke prove that you don't have to go into debt to convert a school bus. I would like to end with some beautiful words that we both shared. Mobile he who is interested in living may agree. ”The smaller the house, the bigger the world. ”
