Hiring a Van Builder? Here Are the Red Flags to Watch For

One of the most daunting parts of starting van life can often be simply choosing a van builder. 

A custom van builder is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a company that works with you on a customized layout and design, so you have a van built just for you. 

However, converting a van is a big investment, so you don’t want to work with just anybody! It’s so important to find someone who is reputable, efficient, trustworthy, and able to take your vision and make it a reality without compromising quality. 

In fact, poor judgment can make the process go horribly wrong. 

I recently had the opportunity to chat with outdoor and van life blogger Kristen Bor. She’s the woman behind Bearfoot Theory and has done three separate van builds. Her first experience was a nightmare, but she found a new van builder for the next two, and it made a massive difference.  

Through her story, we can learn how to quickly spot red flags before signing with a new van builder, and she also gives some very insightful tips on how to make your van build a success!

Custom Build vs. Prebuilt Campervans

Before we get into Kristen’s story, I want to discuss why you should consider investing in a custom van build. Yes, prebuilt vans are definitely cheaper, but there are some upsides to a custom build that make it worth it.

Personalized Design and Layout: A custom build lets you create a more home-like environment. You decide where the kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping areas will be, which materials to use, and where to cut costs if you need to meet a certain budget. 

Functionality and Practicality: Custom builds offer more functionality to fit your lifestyle. For instance, if you plan on boondocking often, you can prioritize off-grid capabilities (like solar systems and larger water tanks). You could also add a third seat for your child or a dedicated workspace to make it easier to work on the go. 

Long-Term Investment: Custom builds can be more expensive upfront, but they’re a better long-term investment. A prebuilt campervan is unlikely to have everything you’re looking for, so you’ll ‘outgrow’ it quicker. A van designed just for you will last longer before needing an upgrade. 

Higher Quality: As long as you find a reputable builder, the quality of construction tends to be better than a prebuilt campervan put together in a factory. It’s also way better than most DIY vans I’ve seen. 

Kristen’s First Van Build Experience

Kristen started her blog, Barefoot Theory, in 2014 after quitting her job to focus on outdoor travel. After a year, she realized she wanted to work more easily on the road, so she began looking more seriously into van life.

She already knew she wanted a Sprinter Van because it was one of the only 4WD options at the time (which would allow for more offroading). She also wanted a custom-built van, but there were way fewer van conversion companies back in 2015.

The very first company she considered was SportsMobile, but she said that she “really wanted something a little more homey.”  

So she took her search to social media and found a small company in Santa Barbara that built more aesthetic and photogenic vans. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t go well. In Kristen’s words, “The experience ended up being awful…. and now I genuinely feel for people when they end up getting taken advantage of or working with someone who doesn’t really know what they’re doing. It’s an awful feeling when you realize that you hired the wrong person.”

How to Spot Red Flags When Hiring a Van Builder

I don’t want you to have a similar experience to Kristen, and I know she doesn’t want anyone to go through a situation like that either, so I asked if she could recall any red flags that should have made her rethink the decision. 

We Didn’t Meet At Their Shop

Kristen met her first builder at a coffee shop instead of his workshop. 

She remembers thinking, “That’s weird…Why wouldn’t you take me to your facility to show me the vans that you’re working on?”

It’s essential that you see their workshop. Most established van builders can even show you a few van conversions they’re working on. 

Vague Terms & Contract

During Kristen’s first van build, the custom builder couldn’t quantify the number of vans he had worked on and also avoided giving her a solid estimate of how long the project would take.  

The contract was very similar. It was extremely brief and did not include an estimate, warranty agreement, or delivery date. 

In hindsight, this was a major red flag that showed a significant lack of experience and knowledge. Later, she discovered he’d never even traveled in a converted van before!

No Layout Agreement

During our interview, she admitted, “We didn’t even really agree on a layout beforehand, which was also kind of weird.”

If you’re currently looking for a van builder, it’s important to agree on a layout, price, and delivery date before signing the contract. 

Obviously, you can’t know everything. For example, some aesthetic decisions can be made later in the process. However, decisions like where the water tank, batteries, and storage will be should already be made to prevent issues from coming up mid-build. 

Willing to Compromise on Material to Meet Desired Aesthetic. 

The other red flag was that her builder was willing to compromise the integrity of the van to achieve her desired look and layout. 

For example, he used reclaimed barnwood tile, which she says isn’t “necessarily the best materials to use in a van build, especially if you want to go off-roading.”

A reliable builder will share this information with you ahead of time and probably encourage you to use something more reliable and sturdy, even if it doesn’t quite meet the exact aesthetic you’re looking for. 

The Aftermath of a Poorly Built Van

Kristen’s first van-building experience immediately showed signs of poor construction. 

“Literally the day I left his shop, that night, the shower handle fell off on my drive home, like my two-hour drive that night… then the first time I took a shower, the water leaked all over the van because the shower pan wasn’t sealed…then solar panels stopped working on my first big trip in the van.”

The builder also forgot to connect the solar batteries to her alternator and used the wrong wiring throughout the whole system!

These issues not only damaged the van but were also incredibly frustrating. They made spending extended time living in the van uncomfortable and forced her to spend a lot of extra money on repairs (well over her original budget). 

She eventually fixed everything wrong with the van and decided to sell it. 

Kristen’s 2nd & 3rd Van Build with Outside Van

After that terrible experience, Kristen went to the opposite end of the spectrum and decided to build her van with Outside Van, one of the largest van conversion companies in the country.

This made a huge difference. Kristen loved working with Outside Van and had so many good things to say about her experience with them today. 

Here are a couple of her quotes:

• “Once you decide that you’re gonna hire them, you go through this whole design process [with] a dedicated designer who works with you on like literally every inch of the van. 
• “You get like a 3D computer rendering what the space is gonna look like.” 
• “I even went there, and we taped out the floor of the van because we were doing a layout that was sort of new to them, and we wanted to make sure that it was actually gonna work…it was just so helpful.”
• “Once we finalized the layout, I got like an itemized invoice of every single line item in the van…every light switch, every foot of cabinetry, every battery, [etc].”

Outside Van also offers a comprehensive three-year or 36,000-mile warranty covering their work, even though Kristen says she’s never really needed to use it! 

Tips For Choosing Your First Van Builder

Throughout our conversation, Kristen shared so much insight into what went wrong, but she also gave practical advice for people looking to buy their first custom van build. 

Here are the most important tips and lessons she’s learned through three different van builds and nearly a decade of van life. 

Get Educated and Have a Plan

Educating yourself ahead of time is the best way to avoid mistakes and catch red flags during your van build. 

Kristen says, “The more educated you are, the more you’ll be able to tell whether someone is embellishing their knowledge or not.”

Study and learn about van systems, solar power, batteries, and common layouts. The resources are endless, especially with how many van builders share this information on YouTube.

Before approaching van builders, figure out exactly what you want and do the research to determine whether that’s possible.

Experience Matters

The van builder you choose should have experience building vans with a layout similar to the one you’re planning to build.

Kristen’s first builder had never built a full bathroom in a van before, which is why her shower had so many issues. 

She says that “most of his building experience was based on furniture, which is very different. Building furniture in a house is [totally different] than a moving vehicle on wheels.” 

Just because someone is handy or skilled at construction does not automatically make them fit to build a van. Yes, people have to start somewhere, but they should make sure they have at least built a van for themselves or traveled extensively in a van. 

Check References and Reviews

Kristen also always recommends that first-time van builders ask for a tour of their shop. 

I touched on this a little earlier, but she told me, “[if you can] see a couple of vans that are in progress, it’s even better. You can kind of see what they’re doing with the wiring behind the walls, how clean the wiring looks, how they are attaching the cabinets to the walls, etc.”

Also, ask for references and check that you aren’t just a family member or a best friend who’s obviously going to give them a good recommendation. 

If you can check reviews and contact people who have worked with the company before, I’d do that, too. 

Any additional information you can get will only help you make a better decision. 

Get Detailed Invoices

During Kristen’s first van build, the builder only gave her a final cost for the van, and even then, he had to ask for more money multiple times because the estimate was off. 

When she started working with more legit companies, they would give her an itemized invoice of literally everything beforehand. 

Not only does this establish trust and transparency, but it also helps you stick to your budget. 

If you know it will be more than anticipated, you can remove some features or switch to a less expensive brand. There are almost always ways to get the top-line number down to something you are comfortable with BEFORE starting the van build.  

Kristen’s Least-Favorite Design Choices

As a seasoned van lifer, I found it particularly interesting to hear which design elements Kristen didn’t like and would never do again. Here are her biggest regrets, which we can use as invaluable insights into what works and what doesn’t regarding custom van layouts.

Platform Bed > Convertible Beds 

One of the biggest changes Kristen made in her later van builds was moving away from convertible beds. In her first van, she had a sofa that converted into a bed.

She said, “I didn’t like the convertible bed idea in general. I found it annoying to have to find somewhere to store my bedding every day. Also, if my partner and I were traveling together, there would be nowhere to sit until we were both [awake] since the bed took up the whole front half of the van.”

She has a platform bed in her new van, which means no more setting up and tearing down every day and more storage space underneath the bed for all her outdoor gear. 

Induction Stove > Gas Stove

Kristen had a gas stove in her first van, but she soon switched to an induction stove in her later builds. 

She told me that it is way easier to cook, more efficient, saves space, and, most importantly, feels safer (and cooler) not to have open flames inside the vehicle. 

You Don’t Need a Full Bathroom

In her first van build, Kristen thought having a full bathroom in her van would be really convenient, but it ended up being more trouble than it was worth. 

In her words, she felt like it was “such a waste of space” and hilariously called it an “expensive closet” at one point! 

I’ve actually heard this before, which is why I’ve never put a shower in any of my van builds. It tends to be cramped (as you can imagine), and with limited water storage, you can’t take a proper shower anyway. 

It’s pretty easy to find places to shower on the road. You can stop at recreation centers, campgrounds, or a friend’s house, and if you get really desperate, you can always just book a cheap Airbnb for the night.

As for the toilet, Kristen and her partner now use a pee bottle for #1 and Wag Bags for #2. 

Conclusion

The main lesson from Kristen’s story is that when you decide to build a custom van, don’t rush into a decision. 

Always interview the van builder beforehand, and if you spot any of these red flags (or even just have a funny feeling about a company), don’t be afraid to take a step back and look elsewhere. 

The right company should make you feel confident. They should have experience building a van similar to your desired layout and be able to give you an accurate estimate with a delivery date before starting construction. 

Kristen has had that experience twice with Outside Van Conversions, and I’ve heard great things about them, too. 

But if you want to check out more reputable companies, you can see my complete list of sprinter van conversion companies here.