If you’re looking for helpful tips and tricks, these guys have just the thing
If you are thinking about embarking on the van life and are looking to convert a van of your own, getting advice from people who have been there and done that is a really good idea. Taking time to decide exactly what you need your rolling home to do is a must and spending even more time planning the design and layout is absolutely crucial. After all, if all goes well, you could be spending a lot of time in this home on wheels.
There is a lot of information out there and it can be difficult to know what would work best for you. With this in mind we have compiled a short list of a few of our favourite eBooks out there right now. We would recommend any one of them for beginners, or more experienced hands hoping to add something new to their rolling home, so look no further.
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Off-grid Van Conversion Guide, Nate Murphy, £6.50
Nate Murphy has travelled across Europe, the U.S. and Asia, all from the comfort of his self-converted rolling home. On his Off-grid Van blog he shares his adventures as well as his advice on van conversion. His eBook combines all this with tons of extra information, including details part specifications, links to suppliers and a full bill of materials, and is available here for £6.50.
With a background in industrial design, Nate understands a lot about electronics and construction and this comes across in his book, but he says, “there was no super-specialist knowledge in making this van, if you can measure, cut and screw together wood you can probably make this van.”
Nate adds that it is important to work out what is right for you. That is why this eBook contains some tips about buying a van that will best suit your needs. Plus, he says it can save you cash. According to the author, “It will save you money through fewer mistakes – if I could have read this book before I started, I would have saved about £280!” For the small cover price, this is surely worth every penny.
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From Van to Home, Mike Hudson, £10
In 2013 Mike Hudson quit his job to convert an old van into a new rolling home. After five months he was on the road, travelling Europe, and loving it.
The author of the immensely popular blog, vandogtraveller.com, which details the process of the conversion as well as his present adventures, Mike has plenty of experience in knowing what works and what doesn’t.
His eBook is available here for £10 and contains everything you need to know to begin converting your own van. In 276 pages, Mike says, “this book will show you – from start to finish – exactly how I converted an old, rusty van into a highly functional off-grid home.” Including chapters on tricky installs including water and gas systems, and information on safety equipment and getting legal, From Van to Home walks you through every step of the process with handy instructional photos.
Plus, if you are not completely satisfied in the space of 30 days, which should give you more than enough time to have a little read, Mike will issue a full refund.
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Always on the Road: Van Conversion, Peter Thuli, Taylor Bucher, £12
Peter Thuli and Taylor Bucher have now been on the road in the US for around a year. Their eBook, available here for £12 ($15), consists of their entire conversion process, from purchasing a used van to custom building the entire interior.
Usefully, they have also included links to the exact products they used in the process, so you can almost guarantee the same results. Taylor says they, “Wanted to help those who are in the process of converting, are planning a conversion in the future, or are simply interested in how we built our unique home on wheels. We wrote this book so that you can learn from the things we did right and avoid doing the things we did wrong!”
The couple know that finding correct and helpful advice online can be a mammoth task. When kitting out their own van they found the process of digging through reams of information became stressful as there seemed to be no simple, direct answers to their questions. That is what they hope to provide, and with chapters on everything you could possibly need, including a ‘Fantastic Fan Install’, it seems to be what they have achieved.
