How much does it cost to covert a van into a campervan?

Campers love taking their vans on the road. But they always fancy taking a campervan and not a small-sized dinkie like a van to take it out for a road trip. How can any van owner convert it into a campervan? This question worries them and if not worried, they happen to think a lot about it. To convert they need the money and every time they take out a spreadsheet, it is preferred to close and sleep over it. Well, the feel is normal when you are not sure about the expense. On the contrary, you start falling for the budget and make resources to start with the needful – convert a van into a campervan. Here, in this article contributed by Campers Trader UK, we have helped such people in knowing and understanding the answer to how much converting a van into a campervan will cost. However, before starting with the topic, why not list down the areas that will be worked on?

Breakdown of Conversion Cost

Enlisted below is a list of all the areas on which we have noted the expenditure. Everything is paid a bit more than the normal range. Reason being, expensive materials, and fittings somehow work for years as compared to the low-grade materials. We also spent way little than expected on some items because they had perfect quality options in the cheaper budget.

• Windows and exterior items

• Flooring

• Insulation

• A seating area and kitchen place

• Electrical system

• Security

• Water system

• Decoration

• Heating system (a gas mechanism)

• Bedroom

Note: van conversion to campervan will cost between £500 and £20,000. Keep in mind that this amount is when you want to convert the automobile yourself and not through professional help.

Explanation of the Van Conversion Cost UK

Now we shall move forward and explain which area took most of the amount and why we did not spend much on certain items. Assuming we already have a van and now we want to convert it into a campervan.

Exterior, Windows, Vents, Etc.

To save some bucks we decided to not opt for professional help. Instead, we opted for a DIY conversion. For that, we fitted the skylight and windows on our own. It didn’t take a lot of time and the procedure was pretty easy. Also, we got fans to circulate air and didn’t buy an inbuilt fan in a skylight. The total amount that we spend on this area is £611.

Flooring

Flooring is the area on which you will spend the most. If you want to go on a low budget then it is best to buy reclaimed materials. However, in cases where you are looking to get the maximum durability, then we will suggest getting new material for the cladding. Please note that the carpeting and flooring are lightweight. As far as we are concerned, we found flooring from an online reputable store. That didn’t cost a lot. We spent flooring in the form of wood flooring, carpet for lining, and cladding in only £464.

Insulation

Some people want to insulate the van. If you are not among those people, you can simply save some bucks and invest in maintenance. In case you want the van insulated, amount spent on this area is determined by the size of the van. Insulation mostly and generally has a fixed cost and even after buying it online from the most reputable stores, you will end up spending the almost same amount as the retail physical store. Nonetheless, there are four areas in which we made some investments. Thermal insulation system, bubble foil (insulation), strips for sound deadening, and recycled wool bottle. All these components cost us £321.

Sitting Area and Kitchen Place

It is all up to you how much do you want to spend on the kitchen and the sitting area. Buying the most chic and modern sink and tap, a dishwasher, microwave, and utensils to make the meals. All these appliances and items are important for some and a waste of money for others. When it comes to us, we spent on the products from IKEA and not anywhere else. Some aspects that we bore in mind before the purchases were the weight, dimensions, and portability. Durability and price were also added to the checklist.

For the sitting area, we bought a 2 in 1 sofa that becomes a bed. There were cushions and also some high-quality seats in the form of floor cushions.

Therefore, we ended up spending £400 on the kitchen and £250 on the sitting area.

Security

Security is something on which you and I would spend as much as possible. However, the expenditure is based on the type of van you are converting. If it is a van that used to deliver expensive goods and items, you might not need to work a lot on the security. Otherwise yes, you have to spend more and for all the right reasons. Nevertheless, you have to invest something is nothing is there to work on. Therefore, we decided to fix sensor alarms and a GPS tracker in the van. Both these items cost us £57.

Water System

Billing for the water system is dependent on the availability of a shower and toilet. To get the basic and a mainstream water system we would always recommend using a water tank. The one which is somehow connected to the sink. As far as a shower is concerned, you will need a pump and something to collect the used water. When it came to fixing a shower in the campervan, we ought to search for various options. According to some campers, it is always best to install a shower outside the van so that you can have ample space for the toilet. So, we decided to get cheap but high-quality shower rails, hooks, and curtains in the outside setting, between the backside door. That was to ensure privacy during taking a bath. Instead of getting a tank with automatic heating properties, we got a tankless water heater. We connected it to the water trunk and made sure we don’t need a lot of drilling. All these items were less than £500.

Decoration

The decoration is something that can be fun to shop but you can spend too much on this area. Since we already had cushions, blankets, and other items at home, we used the same in the campervan. For curtains too, we used the same that we had in the house. However, to get something new, we went to the sale and got all that fascinated us. Making sure not to spend a lot, we maintained a budget of £300 and bought all that we liked within the set budget.

Heating and Gas Mechanism

Since working around gas and heat is risky, we recommend you hire professional help. It will charge a minimum of £700 and a maximum of £1000. If you want to avoid such an expense, then try to do it yourself. Remember, it is not easy and can be dangerous. However, buying an automatic heater will cost a maximum of £300 if it is a preloved item. Otherwise, the cost can go up to £500. So, see your ease and budget before deciding.

Bedroom

To turn a van into a campervan you have to know what to buy for your bedroom. There will be many items you would like to buy. Therefore, we would recommend you to make a budget. In a case where the budget is low, don’t fret and sweat. Instead, buy preloved items or bring in materials from your house. Get a bed, mattress, and pillows or duvet covers. This all will cost you somewhere between £200 and £300.

Electrical System

Electronics is the only sector contributing to our total camper van conversion cost, and we, therefore, thought it was necessary to invest in this sector. We could have spent a lot more money considering we went for flooded lead-acid batteries that don't require maintenance or top-ups like liquid batteries but last less than AGM and Lithium-ion batteries. We chose FLA considering it would aid us in affording the required Amp-hours. We also bought a quality charge controller and a battery monitor that would prolong battery life.

We could have purchased lower-cheaper alternatives. However, good reviews from an online store refrained us from doing so. It's surprising how much the cost of wires, connectors, and other items increment your total camper van conversion cost. If someone converted a camper van, ask them for the spare pieces—it could save you money.

Moreover, we have decided to make all of the electronics ourselves. We think it's a good way to save some money. Also, numerous camper van electronics videos and posts are available to help you make create one. In this area, we spent almost £1,500. You can cut the expense if needed by not buying what we did. Yes, we got batteries, battery monitor, battery controller, inverter, fuse box, lights, solar panels, smart VSR, switches for lights, wires, connectors, and Wi-Fi booster for a hotspot.

Last Verdict:

How Much to Convert a Van into a Campervan? All in all, it is going to cost between £5,000 and £6,000. It all depends on how and where you spent.

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