For those fortunate enough to afford it, should you just buy a prebuilt van? Or should you build one anyway? There are pros and cons to each option, and we’re here to help you make the right choice for you.
Buying a campervan might seem like the easy option but it can be a bit like choosing a partner from a dating app – what you see isn’t always what you get.
On the other hand, building your own campervan might seem like a daunting task. Which – it is – no doubt. However you get to customise your space exactly how you want it, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you built it yourself.
We’ll look at the pro’s and con’s and at the end, you’ll discover the biggest van conversion tip on the entire site.
Lets go:
Pro’s of buying a prebuilt campervan
Convenience: Buying a pre-built campervan is the most convenient way to hit the road and start your adventure. You don’t have to worry about spending months building it out yourself or hiring someone else to do it. Just buy it, drive it off, and start living in it or traveling with it right away.
Warranty and insurance: Pre-built campervan’s typically come with a warranty, giving you peace of mind knowing that any issues will be covered. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy your travels, for a short while at least, without any added stress or worry.
Quick and easy: Prebuilt campervan’s are ready for use as soon as you purchase them. No waiting around for months on end, just jump in and hit the open road.
Professional finish: The vans are finished with high-quality materials and professional workmanship. You’ll be traveling in style and comfort, and your van will look good as new for years to come.
Road tested: The van has been put to the test on the road, and any minor adjustments or additions have already been made to ensure a smoother ride.
All the essentials are already there: From the basics like a kitchen and bed to the more technical features like solar panels and a water system, you’ll have everything you need to hit the road and start your adventure.
Turn-Key solution: A pre-built van is a turn-key solution that comes fully equipped with all the features and amenities you need to live, work, or travel in it.
Reduced stress: Building a van conversion from scratch can be a stressful and time-consuming process. Buying a pre-built van eliminates that stress.
You get to add design touches: With a pre-built van, you can still make it your own by adding personal touches and accessories to make it feel like home.
Saves on cost(?): Although pre-built vans can have a higher initial cost, you – might – save money in the long run by not having to pay for the time, tools, and materials required to build your own van.
Con’s of buying a prebuilt campervan
Higher cost: Pre-built vans are often much more expensive than buying a van and converting it yourself. This could be a significant disadvantage for those looking to travel on a budget.
Limited customisation options: When you choose a pre-built van, you may not have the exact customisation options you want. You might have to make compromises on the layout, materials, or features that you would ideally like to have.
Less control: When you buy a pre-built van, you have less control over the design and materials used in the conversion.
Limited adjustability: Once furnishings have been built into a van’s limited space, adjustments can be challenging. To change one thing, you might need to move another, making for a bit of a Chinese puzzle box.
Possibility of paying for things you won’t use: When you buy a pre-built van, you’re paying for all the previous owner’s choices, which may include features that you won’t need or use.
Resale value: A pre-built van may have lower resale value compared to a van conversion that you built yourself or had built for you. This is because pre-built vans are often mass-produced and not as unique.
Pro’s of converting your own van
Customisation: When you converting your own campervan, you have complete control over the design and can tailor it to your specific needs and wants. No more compromising on that inbuilt shower or that upright fridge you desperately wanted. You can create your dream van exactly how you envisioned it. Plus, a custom build is the ultimate way to make sure your van reflects your unique personality.
Cost: Building your own van can be significantly cheaper, especially if you’re able to complete most of the work yourself. Not only can you save money on labour costs, but you can also shop around, reuse and salvage materials, and choose cost-effective options. It’s a win-win situation!
Satisfaction: The process of building your own campervan can be incredibly satisfying and rewarding. The sense of pride and accomplishment you’ll feel when you hit the open road in your masterpiece is unparalleled.
Parts availability: When you’re building your own van, you can find parts from self-build suppliers or second-hand sources, making it easier to find what you need. No more waiting for that part to come in or worrying about compatibility issues!
Skills development: Building your own campervan can provide opportunities to learn new skills, including DIY and electrical work. Plus, it’s a chance to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to learn something new.
Control: You have more control over the design and materials used in your conversion. This means you can choose the best materials for your needs and make sure everything is up to your high standards. Plus, you can change things up down the road if you want to.
Wide range of options: You have a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to selecting a base vehicle, interior layout, and appliances. [Too much, sometimes] This means you can make sure everything is just right for you.
Understanding: The process of building a camper van can lead to a better understanding of the vehicle and how it works. You’ll be intimately familiar with every nook and cranny of your van, and how it all works, which can come in handy when you’re out on the road.
Peace of mind and quality guarantee: When you build your own campervan, you can ensure that everything is up to your standards. You won’t have to worry about whether someone else did a good job or whether they cut corners. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your van inside and out.
Con’s of converting your own van
It’s a whole lot of work: Converting a van requires a lot of labour, and it’s complicated (as you’ll see on this website).
Requires skill and knowledge: Converting a van requires a broad range of skills and knowledge. If you’re not comfortable with construction, electrical work, plumbing, or other skills, you may need to hire someone to do the conversion for you.
Time-consuming process: The biggest disadvantage of buying a van for conversion is that it can be a time-consuming process. It may take several months to complete the conversion, depending on your skills and knowledge.
Stressful and overwhelming: Building a van conversion from scratch can be a stressful and overwhelming process. You need to have a good understanding of construction, electrical work, plumbing, and other skills to complete the conversion successfully.
Mistakes can be costly: A van conversion can become more expensive than necessary if you don’t set a budget and do your research. If this is your first (or even second) van build you can expect to make some mistakes. Measure twice, cut once as they always say. This has never been more important in a van build as the price of lumbar at the time of writing this article is unusually high and miss cuts may cost you $$$
No warranty or insurance: When you buy a van for conversion, it typically doesn’t come with a warranty or insurance. You’ll need to make sure that you purchase high-quality materials and hire a reliable contractor if you’re not doing the conversion yourself, to give yourself some cover/ peace of mind.
Choosing a good base vehicle: Choosing a good base vehicle that is mechanically and structurally sound is essential to a successful camper van build.
Tools & space: Building a camper van requires DIY skills, as well as a good selection of tools, including those for electrical and gas installations and the space to do a build.
Campsite restrictions: Some campsites may not allow self-built camper vans, limiting your camping options.
Reclassifying: It can be difficult to reclassify the vehicle to meet DVLA requirements, if that’s the route you want to go down.
Low resale value: A self-built camper van may have a lower resale value compared to professionally converted camper vans.
How to Decide?
Ultimately, this is a classic cost/ benefit analysis. How much are you willing to pay for the time and energy of others. Here’s a decision tree that might help:
How much time do you have? If less than 3 months, consider paying
What is your budget? If less than £5,000 consider building.
Go back to your must haves/ want to haves, how many things on that list are you happy to tackle?
Do you have friends in trades? +1 for building
Do you have tools? +1 building
Is it summer time/ do you have indoor storage? +1 building
Summary
So, which option should you choose – buy or build? Well, it really depends on what you’re after. Are you looking for a plug-and-play option that lets you hit the road immediately? Or do you want to put your DIY skills to the test and create something unique that fits your exact needs?
Buying a converted van can save you time and money, especially if you’re not keen on the idea of cutting holes in your van or dealing with complicated electrical systems. But it does come with some risks, such as hidden damage or the previous owner’s questionable taste in decor.
On the other hand, building your own campervan from scratch can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. You get to create something that’s truly your own, and you can ensure that everything is done to your standards. However, it can also be time-consuming, stressful, and expensive, especially if you don’t have the necessary skills or tools.
At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong answer – it’s all about what works best for you.
What we did
This might be the biggest hack on the whole site. Do what we do. Here’s our best case scenario:
- A layout of a van that is exactly what we want (based on our must haves).
- Knowledge of how everything works
- As stress free a conversion as possible
- As cheap a van as possible
- Something that is mechanically sound
So here’s what we do.
- Spend hours looking on Facebook marketplace and eBay.
- We search for our desired base van that has already been converted.
- Here’s the magic: We’re looking for vans that look terrible inside but have good quality components in it.
- We’ve found that you can pick up some bargains when the conversion looks really ropey.
Here’s an example, we picked up our van that had the following features:
- Windows cut and fit (professionally)
- Skylights and Vents cut and fit (professionally)
- 2x 110ah batteries (used but working)
- A 3 way fridge
- A Diesel hydronic with calorifier and air heater
- A foam mattress (which we cut and reupholstered for our sofa)
- 240v system installed (professionally – including ‘shore power’ installed)
- Split Charge Relay (professionally installed)
- 12v components
- Insulation and boarding done
- 100l water tank, water pump and piping/ elbows.
Taking out a whole load of time, stress (especially cutting holes in the van, and insulation) and money on items. We sold things like the fridge and diesel hydronic heater which we didn’t need.
We got this van for a price, at the time, that we believe was under market value for the base van itself. The terrible looking conversion was putting people off from buying it. It was cheaper than the base van would have been, because people looking for empty vans don’t consider campers. Here’s why: The interior of the van was super gross, dark greys, depressive layout, it felt like there was no space anywhere. The listing on eBay was terrible, it had minimal photos and a weak description.
It took some time and energy but we got additional photos sent over. The trick is you have to really look at the photos to see the true value of what’s going on, where other people are missing it. Look for brands like Victron, Eberspacher, Dometic
The truth is, ripping the interior out takes no time at all, and you have a great base van, with the tedious and scary bits taken care of, ready for you to crack on and re-build everything.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Like they say in the used car business, you make your profit on a motor when you buy it. We definitely believe this to be the case when it comes to campervan. If you want as many of the benefits of building a van (personalised/ knowledge of how it works/ gratification) but minimise on the stress (cutting holes in the van) and the time it takes, search around for an superficially – terribly – converted campervan, with high quality components inside.