'Chloe' - our Van conversion

Welcome to our project to convert our shiny 'little' yellow van into a de luxe camper. Hopefully I will have time to describe the myriad steps both for our own amusement and to maybe help some others. Quite why a heavy solid vehicle designed to carry tons became a delicate lady is beyond me, but the name does help us remember the number plate.

We bought the van 26/9/07 and finally we had our first outing on 20th March, have a look here

After one month on 26/10/07...
- we had had the van checked over by our mechanic and a new flywheel installed at a cost of (gulp) �800
- fitted one swivel seat in place of the original double passenger seat
- widened the gateway to the drive (while the van was at the garage
- removed the relevant bits from the caravan but achieved little else apart from the first mockup of the layout
- The van was dotted with bits of zinc primer, had bits of dashboard spread everywhere, had mats drying in our estate car, still had a leak so we will probably have to replace the windscreen rubber and endless tasks started but nowhere near completed.
So far we have had to drill one hole (for a seat bolt) in the shell of the van (scary moment!).
We have now spent �4,161 with probably another �2,000 to come. Oh dear. Plus, I have worked 175 hours (in addition to days spent widening the gates!) so at �5ph this would add �875 and if I were to pay myself a more decent (albeit fictitious) salary of �40ph (like most garages) it would add �7,000. So the real cost is somewhere between �5,000 and �11,000 - so far.

After 2 months on 26/11/07...

the painting was all done
both seats were fitted and swivelled OK
the leisure battery was installed
along with the charging relay, fuses and other under bonnet wiring
the dashboard was back in place, with all the new switches installed
the reversing camera was installed
the fridge cabinet made, plus the 240v wiring box underneath
the second mockup was completed, allowing more decisions on sizes and positions
the floor was cut for the fridge vent, sink drain and gas vent
the floor boards were cut and shaped
the vent hole 'covers' were shaped and fitted
the cooker unit was cleaned up, reshaped, new tap made and fitted, new drawer made
The wooden floor was down
One wall was partly insulated
The water inlet was cut and fitted
But in essence we still have an empty (leaking) van albeit a slightly better floored one with a nicer cab area.

In addition to the one hole from last month, we have had to cut seventeen more holes in the shell of the van (one seat bolt, three screw holes for the handbrake cover, two bolts and one cable feed for the camera, one large fridge vent, one drainage hole for the sink with two bolt holes, one gas cupboard vent, one large hole for the water inlet and 4 bolt holes to fit it).
We have now spent �4,325 still with �1,500 to �2,000 to come. This month I ended up with 9 hour days rather than 10 hour days when the light lasted longer, so a mere 194 hours. So the total hours spent to date is 369. So at �5ph this is �1,845 and at �40 it is �14,760. So the real total cost is somewhere between �6,000 and �19,000 - so far.

After 3 months on 26/12/07...

the wheel arch was boxed in
the fridge chimney hole was cut, a new, longer chimney constructed and the cover plate installed
the huge fridge vent was installed. Huge is a relative term, but it seemed a darned great panel in beautiful clean yellow paintwork to me.
the walls and roof were insulated (almost, one piece of roof to go when they finally deliver the vent)
the wiring was all laid out
battens were in place to hold the plywood interior walls
the roof window was in place
the over cab cupboard area had a floor fitted and carpetted
the step support was welded and fitted and the step bolted on and wired in
the flooring was laid
the first of the plywood wall cladding sheets was fitted
the mains electricity was connected
Finally we have what looks a bit like a half completed motorhome rather than a van that is being fixed. The plan was to have it all done by Christmas and clearly that has been missed, but I allowed myself 3 months contingency and a large chunk of the preparation is out of the way now.

In addition to the eighteen holes from previous months, we have had to cut 15 more holes in the shell of the van (one massive hole for the fridge vent with 8 bolt holes, one chimney hole for the fridge with 4 bolt holes, one ginormous hole in the roof for the roof window, two bolt holes for the step).
We have now spent �4,634 with maybe �1,000 to come. This month I ended up with mere 8 hour days due to lack of daylight and with Christmas events, managed a bit less work. So another 120 hours making the total hours spent to date 489. At �5ph this is �2,445 and at �40 it is �19,560. So the real total cost is somewhere between �7,000 and �24,000 - so far.

After 4 months on 26/1/08...

the foil insulation was completed
the loo vent was cut and fitted
the roof window was actually installed instead of being taped in place
the roof battens were all fitted
the wall cladding was completed along with fibreglass insulation
the horrible curved cladding around the ceiling was finished
The first light was fitted
Doesn't seem like too much progress in a month, but it was wet and full of holidays and short days. Still we have finally reached the furniture fitting stage.

In addition to the 33 holes from previous months, we have had to cut four more holes in the shell of the van (one hole for the vent and 3 bolt holes).
We have now spent �4,664 still with �1,000 to �1,500 to come. Another 128 hours making the total hours spent to date 617. At �5ph this is �3,085 and at �40 it is �24,680. So the real total cost is somewhere between �7,700 and �29,000 - so far.

After 5 months on 26/2/08...

the fridge was in place with worktop installed over the top
the gas was connected and tested
the vinyl backing around the sink and cooker area was cut and fitted
the sink and cooker were in place, gas and water connected
the over cab cupboard with sliding doors was finished - one quarter of the walls of furniture!
the gas cupboard, which is also a third of the bed base, was finished
we now have an awning, bought off eBay, hopefully it'll fit, but with time disappearing, the first time we can put them together is likely to be our first night actually away over Easter.
the first of the kitchen wall cupboards was fitted
the second piece of bed frame (cupboard for 'gear' storage, such as awning, poles, pegs, chairs) is in place and the walls for the loo are cut ready to fix in position
with the days getting longer and fine weather, most of the van is done, leaving the 'minor' bits of the bed, loo, and wardrobe to build to make it habitable, and second kitchen cupboard and three shelves to make it functional - let alone the 'finishing touches' of papering and carpeting! - with probably only some 15 of 22 days left, before leaving for our commitment in Yorkshire, available for actually working on them!
Can't think why my lady is emphasising the countdown ...
Oh, and the van is still SORN, needing insuring, an MOT and re-registering before it can be taxed and returned to the highway.
To cap it all, I am still not sure I've cured all the leaks around the cab!

Definite progress, however, in that for the first month, I've avoided cutting any more holes in the van shell!
We have now spent �4,999 but the bulk of the spend is now completed, maybe another �500 to come. Another 189 hours making the total hours spent to date 806. At �5ph this is �4,030 and at �40 it is �32,240. So the real total cost is somewhere between �9,000 and �37,000 - so far.

After 6 months on 26/3/08...

the loo walls are in place - but no door
the second wheel arch is boxed in, linking to a frame for the loo, which is now installed
the wardrobe is built
the cab floor is re-instated as finally we seem to have conquered the leaks (or at least minimised them)
the wallpapering over the kitchen/living area is done
the second wall cupboard is fitted
the over cooker shelf is in place
the roof lights are fitted
the shelves over the bed are done
the bed area is carpetted
and last but not least the bed is finally constructed (on the morning of us driving off for our first trip)
the van has been MOT'd - and failed. Not really surprising after it has sat around for 6 months. I had to rewire the rear fog lamps (hence removing all the dash board yet again!) and it needs things down to the brakes and steering. More money to spend, more time used up.
at the cost of another �300 we have an MOT. Hopefully we do not have to go back to that garage as no way was it good value.
the van is re-registered and hence taxed.

So finally, we have a working campervan. There are still plenty of things to do, but at least we can now use the van and knock the remaining items off one by one. We had our first outing on 20th March, have a look here.
We have now spent �5,383, maybe another �500 to come for the windows, mattress etc. Another 190 hours making the total hours spent to date 995. At �5ph this is �5,000 and at �40 it is �39,800. So the real total cost is somewhere between �10,000 and �45,000.

After 7 months on 26/4/08...

we (er, one of us may - Ed) have started to relax and do odd jobs now and then rather than endless slog. More accurately, the slog has transferred to sourcing items to keep the work going - bedding, veneer, fabric, rails, angle trims, 'grid' shelf to go over the cooker, standing mats, levelling ramps, awning groundsheet ... and windows
all the bits and pieces from the first outing have been sorted - ceiling/wallpaper has been overpainted for a better finish, bed cubby holes lined and trimmed, carpet runner cut and being trimmed ...
after trialling a memory foam topper for the home bed, we now have a bespoke (and deeper!) memory foam mattress with rubber carpet underlay for Chloe
rails to curtain off cab and bed have been fitted, cab curtain fitted, bed curtain in process
we have oscillated between a curtain and home made (narrow slats) folding door for the loo - the latter has won, and most parts bought, but after a long search for a suitable covering fabric, we are having to wait for delivery so will be using a temporary curtain on our next trip!
a long hunt also failed to source a matching - or blending - sheet of veneer/wallboard to finish the side of the wardrobe by the door, so this has been covered with vinyl to match the floor - which looked so good, we will now be 'vinyling' the exposed back part of the wardrobe, too, to really get a good finish, along with the lower part of the sliding door once the window's been fitted, effectively giving us a 'wet room' area for any wet coats hanging there to dry!
with the wardrobe side done, the folding seat could be fitted, along with the wardrobe top and last bit of exposed loo wall being veneered
I made an under floor locker for such things as levelling ramps

We have now spent �5,268, and the only remaining significant expense is the fitting of the windows, for which I think we have found a friend of a friend About another 160 hours this month, which is largely time for the interior decoration department ie Yvonne (who forgot to keep count). So the total hours spent estimate for the whole build is about 1200. At �5ph this is �6,000 and at �40 it is �48,000. So the real total cost is somewhere between �11,500 and �55,000.

After the frenetic activity of the main build, things settled down. We slowly got the inside trimmings of bits of carpet sorted out and the windows fitted and the bike rack installed. Every time we go out in the van we come back with another list of things to do. But pretty much the list becomes full of more and more trivial items.

More or less in chronological sequence, these were the various steps:

Click here to get the background to the project.

First steps were planning and layout design, to decide what van to buy

The van purchase came eventually after endless work on the internet over the summer of 2007 - on 26/9/07

First work to strip out the van and see if our layout worked

Mock up of the layout

Seats purchase, fitting, swivelling and so on

Cab floor problems of soggy carpet, rust and horrors

Electrical circuit and components

Reversing camera plus screen and wiring

Fridge cupboard construction and then positioning and cutting of vents

Floor insulation and boarding

Cooker and Sink unit

Toilet compartment

Wall insulation and cladding

Roof insulation and window

Cab roof cupboard area

Step attached to the underside by the sliding door

Bed frame sections

Awning bought from EBay

Wardrobe fitting

Insurance and other paperwork

Bike rack fitting to vack door

Windows in the side an back doors

Costs versus budget

Conclusions some thoughts, ideas, notes that might be helpful

Email Dennis Wheeler if you wish to comment or ask questions

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