Step 1 – Choose and buy your van​

Legislation 
The first important thing before you start converting a van is knowing what is possible and/or allowed and what’s not, for example maximum weight, removing the partition, making holes, driving license categories… . You have to make sure which conditions your converted van must meet in order to be allowed to drive on the road and camp. Sometimes you even have to ask permission from the manufacturer to make certain changes in your van. These rules differ for almost every country so make sure you check the conditions of your country to comply with the legislation. You don’t want your car to be rejected after all the hard work you put into it. Once you removed a part that you shouldn’t have removed, it’s difficult to put it back in afterwards. 

Budget
As soon as you are aware of the legislation, you have to determine your total budget. Do not forget that there are many more costs involved in converting a van than just the car itself. Other costs you have to keep in mind are all conversion costs, facilities, appliances, devices, taxes, insurance etc.  

Facilities
Together with determining your budget you have to consider for yourself which facilities you want/need in your van. Depending on your budget, you will have to make certain choices about which facilities you may or may not include and this will affect how much space you need and vice versa. The more facilities you want, the bigger your van needs to be, the more expensive it’ll be and so on. It’s also very important that you take into account the maximum permitted weight.

Some questions you can ask yourself:
– Do I have to be able to stand up straight in the bus?
– Do I want a built-in kitchen or can I cook on a camp stove outside?
– Do I need a toilet?
– Do I want an inside or outside shower, or no shower at all?
– Do I want a fixed bed or a bed that I can convert or fold? 
– Do I want a van that already has windows or do I have them placed afterwards or no windows at all?
– How much storing space do I need?
– …. 

Inspiration
To get a good idea of what you want your van to look like in the end, you can get a lot of inspiration on the internet. Not only on pinterest, but also on google, youtube, instagram … you can find many awesome ideas to arrange your interior.

Sketch
Once you know roughly what you want your van to look like and how you want to organize your furniture and facilities, you can make a raw provisional sketch. Keep in mind the dimensions and the proportions to each other of everything you want to put in your van. This way you get an idea of how big your van should be. 

Search and buy
Now you can start looking for your ideal van, considering your budget, how much you want to spend on the van itself and in which condition you want it to be, the necessary dimensions for your facilities… . Keep in mind that prices of vans vary depending on their condition. Set realistic requirements of the vans condition (brand, mileage, year of construction, damage, defects, condition of the motor … ) depending on your budget or vice versa. 
Before you buy, make sure everything you want inside your van, will actually fit. Don’t be afraid to measure all different dimensions and keep in mind insulation, flooring etcetera also take a little space.

Note: If a price looks too good to be true, it is. If you’re a layman when it comes to cars, seek advice or a second opinion from a professional. Also, don’t buy a van that already drove too many kilometers. You don’t want your car to break down after 10 kilometers and all your work has been in vain.

Don’t hesitate to send us a message if you have more questions about your perfect van or if you want to ask our opinion about a van you have in mind.

Good luck with your search!