How to Build a Campervan: Inspiration, Advice & DIY Van Conversion Resources

DIY van conversions are the cheapest way to start living the van life. Custom van builds are gorgeous, but they range anywhere from $25,0000-$150,000+ for a camper van. Ouch.

On the flip side, you can do a DIY camper van conversion for as cheap as $500, or as much as $25,000 for something uber fancy.

We wanted to show you a variety of DIY van conversions, plus useful resources to get started with your very own build.

Soon enough, you’ll be living the van life!

Why Build a DIY van conversion?

With all the new fancy campervans coming out like the Storyteller Overland and Winnebago Revel – why go through the trouble of building out your own van?

That’s one question we asked ourselves before embarking on a DIY van build for our brand new 2021 4×4 Sprinter van. Sure, we could have purchased a lightly used van on a site like VanLifeTrader.com or an over-the-top expensive Storyteller Overland, but we weren’t in love with any campervan interiors we saw.

Most vans didn’t have an open enough living area, or enough floor space. Plus most seem too heavy for us with large overhead cabinets, thick plywood and tons of accessories. We are trying to keep our DIY van conversion as lightweight as possible to keep the Sprinter nimble for overlanding.

So, we recently embarked on our very own van build, which is partially complete now. And we are so glad we are doing this as we get to create our own floorplan, select our own windows and gear, and design the van as we see fit.

As it stands right now, I can do yoga in my van, which means the large amount of floorspace we have is a HUGE WIN.

Check out the articles in my DIY Sprinter van build series so far:

• Why we chose lithium batteries for our van build
• How we DIY’ed Flarespace flares in 5 steps
• The best Sprinter van roof racks (and what we chose)
• Insulating our campervan with Havelock wool

Products We’ve Used in our DIY Sprinter Van Conversion

We got our Sprinter van in the fall of 2021, and only had a few months to build it out before heading to Mexico for sailboat season in the Sea of Cortez.

In a nutshell, here are a few of the products we are using to build out our van. We spent hours and hours researching all of these products to make sure they were worthy of our DIY van conversion:

• Awning style windows from Wilderness vans
• Flarespace flares and Flarespace Lightweight Bed System
• Havelock wool insulation
• Kilmat Sound Proofing
• 1/4″ and 1/8″ Baltic birch plywood (purchased at Mr. Plywood in Portland, Oregon)
• Aluminess Roof Rack
• Owl vans ladder and tire holder
• Owl vans B2 bike carrier for our windsurfing boards
• Maxxair vent fan
• Zero Breeze AC Unit
• ARB portable fridge
• Battleborn lithium batteries
• RB Components spare tire holder 27-gallon water tank

This list will go on as we finish building out our van, so check back for updates!

DIY Van Build Parts and Kits

What’s really great about the van life crazy is the amount of DIY conversion parts you can pick up and easily install in your campervan. This makes the build process so much easier! Just a few short ears ago hardly any of these campervan conversion kits existed.

Here are a few places where you can look for DIY van build parts:

Complete Interior Kits

If you don’t feel like doing all the insulation, sound dampening, interior wall paneling and wiring on a DIY van conversion, you might want to consider a full campervan interior conversion kit. Then you can add stuff later, like a kitchen, bathroom, bed, etc. Most campervan interior kits come with an L-track system that allows you to easily mount additional components.

• Adventure Wagon
• Colorado Campervans
• Esplori lightweight aluminum kit
• Zenvanz

Van Kitchen Unit

If you don’t want to build your own campervan kitchen, you may want to consider putting in a prebuilt van kitchen unit.

• Trail Kitchens Campervan Pod
• Flatline Van Company Kitchen Pods
• Titan Vans Campervan Kitchen
• Veritas Vans Sprinter Van Galley

Prebuilt Campervan Beds

If you need a bed for your DIY campervan, you can buy just the bed from several companies. Here are a few to look over.

• Flatline Van Company Bed Systems (beds for Sprinters, Transits and Promasters)
• Adventure Wagon Beds
• Van Wife Components Versa Bed System
• Flarespace Bump-Outs and Bed Mattress
• RB Components

Campervan Cabinets

From wheel well cabinets to overhead campervan cabinets, these companies have you covered.

• Titan Vans Upper Cabinets
• Flatline Van Company Cabinets
• Esplori Lightweight Aluminum Cabinets
• Veritas Vans Upper Cabinets
• Trail Kitchens Wheel Well Cabinets
• RB Components Sprinter Van Cabinets

Campervan Insulation

We definitely recommend Havelock wool when insulating your campervans walls, ceiling and floor. Wool is non-toxic and sustainable, plus has amazing sound deadening properties.

The other most popular type of van insulation is Thinsulate. While many van lifers rave about Thinsulate, we decided against it as wool is more environmentally friendly and is non-toxic.

Campervan Toilets

While we’ve never traveled with a toilet in our campervan (first the Chevy Astro, now the Sprinter), we know a toilet is a must for many people. We might end up trying out the new Cuddy composting toilet, which is small enough to fit in a van.

Here are a couple of articles about the various toilet options for van life:

• The 4 Best Portable Toilet Options for Van Life
• The Best Composting Toilets for Vans

Showering in Your Campervan

We’ve also never had an interior shower in our van, but know this is important to people. We use a solar shower for our outdoor showers, and enjoy a nice indoor shower when we stay in campgrounds or RV parks. There are also showers at most hot springs facilities, which we also enjoy.

• 9 Ways to Shower When Living in a Van
• How to Find Public Showers

Handy Guides and Courses for DIY Van Conversions

There are so many things to consider, when starting out on a DIY campervan conversion, and it can seem like a daunting task. You’re not alone, though, and there are plenty of people who have created beautiful campervans with no prior experience in woodworking, plumbing, or wiring!

Whether you plan on a simple van conversion or a spectacular dream van for full-time adventuring, there are plenty of resources available to help you realize your vanlife dreams.

7 Inspiration Van Builds

If you’re looking to build your own campervan, it helps to look at other DIY van conversions. Some are really simple and cheap and other are more expensive and elaborate.

Try to build a van that fits your budget. You can always build another in the future!

1. Super Affordable Nissan NV200 Camper

Lauren and Steven Keys’ budget DIY van conversion is a testament to the fact that you really don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in an Instagrammable van to start living your vanlife dreams.

The couple was planning a trip of a lifetime to every national park in the United States, and wanted an affordable and reliable van that they could convert, without investing too much time and money.

With its great handling and fuel economy, a Nissan NV200 seemed like the best option, and they managed to find a used model with only 51,000 miles for $22,300.

Lauren and Steven wanted a quick and simple campervan build, and didn’t want to add anything that might affect the van’s resale value. All it took to create this awesome DIY campervan conversion was a simple bed frame with storage underneath.

The frame materials cost about $100, and the conversion was completed by the addition of a campervan mattress. The couple opted for a mattress called the Allswell Hybrid, which has coils and foam, and is only 10” tall.

Lauren and Steven lived without a fridge or vanlife cooler, opting instead for shelf-stable food that they could warm with their propane camp stove. The couple spent most of their time enjoying the great outdoors, and the van was really only a place to sleep at the end of a long day.

This super-simple DIY van build is a great example of van living at its simplest, and if you’re going to be spending most of your time outside, it could be all you’d ever need. You could also add things like a 12-volt fridge and a portable solar generator for longer-term van living.

You can find out more about Lauren and Steven’s adventures on their website: www.tripofalifestyle.com

2. Casper the Ford Transit 

Anna French of spintheglobeproject.com now lives off-grid in a small, solar-powered home in Colorado, but for 2 years she traveled in Casper, a 2016 Ford Transit Cargo Van.

Although Anna was tempted to buy a Sprinter or a ProMaster, she decided on a low roof Ford Transit for her DIY campervan conversion because of its good fuel economy and the fact that it runs on ethanol or regular gasoline.

Although Anna had absolutely no idea how to build a campervan, and zero woodworking experience, she wasn’t to be deterred, and spent two months on her campervan build. She installed the insulation, flooring, and walls, and built an awesome kitchen and bed frame. 

One of the coolest features of this DIY van conversion is the bed. The queen size foam mattress is cut into pieces, and the frame is built so that it can convert from a small bed with a couch and screw-in table to a large bed. To make things cozy, the cushions are all covered with fabric, and there are homey curtains, too.

Friends and family were recruited from time to time, and the solar setup and Fan-Tastic roof fan were installed by professionals, but Anna did most of the conversion work herself. The total cost for this DIY van conversion was $3,480, with $1,800 of that taken up by the Goal Zero Power Station.

In 2019, Anna did a major renovation, and had a high-top roof added to Casper. For all aspiring vanlifers, she recommends buying a van you can stand up in if you’re going to be living in your DIY campervan conversion full time.

She also recommends using a top-loading DC compressor refrigerator, LED tube lights, and installing your sink with an extendable faucet near a door, for outdoor showering.

3. The Grizzly DIY Campervan Conversion

Izzy and Laurie are a British couple who love to spend time outdoors, camping, climbing, and hiking. They decided to up their weekend camping game in 2017, and converted an old painter’s van, naming their DIY campervan conversion “Yosemite”.

When the couple added a dog, Bear, to their family, they decided they’d need a bigger rig, so they set about converting another van.

The Grizzly is one of the coolest DIY van conversions I’ve ever seen. The van is a Citroen Relay, which is comparable to a Mercedes Sprinter and a Ford Transit. Izzy and Laurie bought the van with 21,000 miles, and spent around six months on the conversion, racking up around $12,500 in costs.

The couple did the entire DIY van build themselves, and the results are stunning. The wood ceiling and walls give the interior a cozy cabin feel, and the kitchen has a 2-burner stove, fridge, and sink with an extendable faucet.

There’s a beautifully designed L-shaped dinette for mealtimes, and the fixed bed has a huge garage underneath for all the couple’s gear.

Best of all, this DIY van conversion has a mini wood stove that not only keeps things toasty inside the van, but also provides another place to cook and heat water. 

It’s all about the details with well thought-out DIY van conversions. Izzy and Laurie have a place for everything, in their van, including nifty storage for the wood burner tools, and a cool slide-out storage compartment in the kitchen. 

The Grizzly is fully off-grid, and has a solar, gas, and water setup. A fiamma roof vent and Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe keep things fresh inside, while an amazing foldable rooftop deck means the couple can enjoy amazing views from wherever they’re camping!

You can find out more information about Izzy, Laurie, and Bear by visiting their website: www.camperdreamin.com.

4. Far Out Ride’s Ford Transit DIY Van Build

When freedom beckons, and the promise of a rewarding life on the road seems too good to ignore, it can be impossible to resist the temptation to completely change your life. Isabelle and Antoine had it all: well-paying jobs, a circle of friends, and an active lifestyle.

It wasn’t enough, though, and in 2017, this adventurous couple sold their house and possessions, quit their careers, and moved into their DIY van conversion. Needless to say, they haven’t looked back!

For their campervan build, Isabelle and Antoine decided on a 2016 Extended High Roof Ford Transit. The conversion cost around $20,000, and the couple reckons they spent around 640 hours in total working on their dream van. The results are stunning, and these van dwellers obviously thought carefully about every aspect of their build.

The beautiful interior is fully-insulated and features knotty pine panels for the walls and roof, and 1.5” foam insulated vinyl flooring that’s durable and looks great.

The main living space has cabinets on either side, with a fridge, sink, and stove, and there’s a huge work surface for food prep. There’s also a compostable toilet, hidden under a cute little cushioned seat!

This awesome DIY van conversion has a fixed bed at the rear, and there’s plenty of storage throughout. Under the bed, there’s a garage with a slide-out bike rack, tire inflator, bike wash, and exterior shower. Hot water is provided by an Eccotemp L5 propane tankless heater, and the van is fully off-grid, thanks to a pair of 160-watt solar panels.

This DIY campervan conversion has tons of features, and every detail has been designed to make van dwelling as comfortable and convenient as possible. Isabelle and Antoine have documented their build-out process on their website, and it’s well worth checking out: www.faroutride.com

The couple also put together a bunch of tutorials and guides for DIY van conversions you can purchase for your own van build:

5. Katie’s DIY Sprinter Van Conversion

Although Katie has recently switched to a Ford Transit, she started her vanlife adventures in 2017, in a DIY Sprinter conversion. Katie bought a used 2016 144” WheelBase High Roof Sprinter with 86,000 miles and set about converting it into a complete dream machine. The DIY campervan build took about six months to complete, costing around $20,000.

One of the coolest parts of this DIY van conversion is the three layers of insulation. With Reflectix, foam board, and denim batting, this van is great for full-time vanlife at any time of year. For off-grid capability, Katie opted for a Renogy 300-watt 12V solar kit, which is super-easy to install. The van has LED light panels and bars, which are energy-efficient and keep things feeling cozy at night.

With an interior height of 6’ 4”, there’s plenty of standing room inside the van, and the cedar walls, hickory laminate floor, and fir cabinets add a homey feel. The kitchen has a 2-burner propane stove and a Nova Kool front-facing fridge, and we love the West Marine teak racks and shelves for food storage.

Katie’s DIY campervan conversion has a fixed bed at the rear, with tons of storage underneath. She made sure to include features like a Fan-Tastic vent fan to keep the air circulating, an awesome Roadshower 2 for keeping clean while on the road, and a Thetford Porta Potti.

Katie has an awesome website with loads of information about her build-out process, travels, and other vanlife advice: www.soweboughtavan.com.

6. The Wandering Woods Sprinter Conversion

For Justin and Betsy Woods, vanlife seemed like a no-brainer. They were both saddled with crushing student loan payments, and eliminating monthly rent payments and utility bills could be a way of saving money to pay off their debts.

This tireless couple bought a 2005 158” wheel base Sprinter that had been used as a FedEx vehicle, and spent eight months on their DIY van conversion, even though they were both working full-time and attending school!

Justin and Betsys’ van is absolutely gorgeous inside, featuring wood walls, beautiful wood countertops, and TrafficMaster vinyl flooring. The fixed bed at the rear has a huge storage garage underneath that the couple uses to store bikes and a kayak.

There’s tons of storage space inside, too, including cabinets, under-bed drawers, and a tall pull-out closet for hanging work clothes. The couple uses magnetic baby proof latches that keep drawers and cabinets closed when the van is in motion.

This well-thought-out DIY van conversion features a top-loading fridge in the bench seat, atmospheric LED lighting under the cabinets, a Camp Chef outdoor oven that runs on propane, and a pull-out table that doubles as Betsy’s keyboard stand! There’s a Russian Planar diesel heater to keep things cozy in the winter, and 300 watts of solar for off-grid living.

Check out Justin and Betsy’s website to take a tour of their beautiful van build and read their compelling travel guides and vanlife advice: www.thewanderingwoods.com.

7. Hey Voyager’s DIY Van Build

Benjamin McConkey and Alison Westfall built their own DIY van conversion using a white cargo van which cost them only $5,000.

“They are reliable vans, they are meant to haul heavy equipment or tools so we liked the idea that it was durable,” said Alison.

Alison and Ben wanted a DIY campervan conversion that would work for a six-month trip driving across the United States. They wanted simplicity, with just a bed, couch and storage.

Here are some of their design considerations:

• They wanted a table that faced the window for view purposes
• A bed with enough headroom but maximizing storage beneath
• A simple campervan kitchen, with a side table and pantry shelves
• A convenient bathroom with a small emergency potty (Click here to see the best portable toilets for a campervan)

Alison and Ben watched DIY van conversions on Youtube, read blogs, and relied on Alison’s father to help them with the van build.

“Neither of us had an experience doing renovation before, so it was overwhelming at first,” said Alison. “My dad helped us quite a bit, guiding us when it comes to tools, our flooring, the design, the insulation.”

But the two eventually put their camper van together, with a whopping price tag of only $1,000.

“We don’t have solar panels, we don’t have a stove, no sink with running water,” said Alison. “We hope people will get  that it’s not intimidating.”

How to Pick the Right Van for a DIY Van Build

Choosing the right van for your DIY van build needs requires a lot of thought. A big part of your van decision will be ruled by how much money you want to spend.

A used van from Craiglist or Facebook Marketplace can be as cheap as a few thousand dollars, where a brand new 4×4 Sprinter van can cost you $66,000 before you even convert it.

Here are some other factors to think about when choosing your perfect camper van for van living:

• Whether or not you want to stand up in your camper van conversion
• The type of gas mileage you’re expecting, and whether you want to use gasoline or diesel
• Whether want to buy a camper van that’s already built out or do a DIY camper van conversion
• The size of the van: do you want a minivan, a small cargo van, a full-sized cargo van, a conversion camper van, a vintage van like an old VW, or a high-top van?
• Will you absolutely need a bathroom and kitchen in your van? 
• Do you plan on taking your van off-roading? If so, you’ll probably need a van with all-wheel drive

There are so many vans out there to choose from when it comes to doing a camper van conversion. What type you choose is entirely up to you.

The questions above should help you narrow down which camper van conversion you need.

Check out these top posts about choosing a campervan for van life!

We hope you build an awesome DIY van conversion!

As you can see, there are DIY van conversions that can fit any budget. We hope these resources and examples of van builds will inspire you to get started.

Good luck on living the van life in your camper van conversion and exploring the great outdoors.