Cozy Bus Conversion For Only $12,000 including the price of the Bus
Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, you can support FLORB by using the affiliate links below
Emily and Adam decided to turn an old school bus into their own mobile tiny home and have since taken it all over North America. Emily was going around doing henna at small festivals in Nova Scotia and they were going to get a van to build out, but Adam was working at a school bus garage, where he kept seeing buses inside and out when he was working on them. He found out how cheap they really were, they were able to get theirs for only $1500 canadian, and a van would have been like two three thousand for what they were looking for, so it just made sense. A lot of people on the fence think that maintaining a bus costs a lot more than a van, and while the tow will cost more than a smaller vehicle, any trips to the mechanic usually end up costing similar, since the components are essentially the same as a medium duty truck. Virtually any truck shop can work on them.
When they left Nova Scotia, they had put less than $10,000 into the bus, with some pretty stunning results. They saved a lot of money by getting a camper that was water damaged but had all the appliances, they tried to use as much of that as they could, and then a lot of materials came from Emily's grandparents house which was being torn down. At this point they’ve probably put in $12,000 including the cost of the bus. When they hit the road it was probably 70% finished, and like with many tiny homes, it’s always an onging project.
Their bus has a 73 diesel engine in it, which is a pretty common one, meaning if it breaks down you can get parts fairly easily at places like NAPA or Lordco. Adam’s tip for buying a bus is to make sure the engine isn't a mercedes or a max force. Working as a bus mechanic, he’s seen a lot of those blow up, and they've bankrupted a lot of school boards. Other than that, it’s important to make sure that it's in good shape and it's been taken care. Adam talked to the mechanics at the bus garage that had this bus who were able to confirm that it was a reliable one to go with
They wanted to get a bus that already had storage because they thought it would cost a fair bit to make their own. One locker is used as their propane storage. They use 20 pound cylinders that can easily be exchanged at any gas station, which was important when travelling through more rural areas in Mexico where conventional RV propane fill ups weren’t available. The propane allows them to run their stove, fridge and an old propane heater in case of emergencies. Having settled in Squamish BC, they’ve found the long grey winters make it difficult to get enough solar electricity to keep a fridge running, so propane works very well for them.
On the back they decided to install a pretty hefty deck that doubles as storage area for Adam’s motorbike when they’re travelling. It’s a pretty great addition, but they’ve found that it can prove to be an issue in smaller towns where you need to make tight turns, as it sticks out a fair bit into the other lane in these situations. If they could do it again, Adam would probably make the back deck considerably shorter to avoid this problem.
Up top they installed a roof deck where they can hang out. It has several storage containers that store any outdoor equipment that isn’t in season and double as tables when they bring the barbeque up. They were put on the passenger side, which in hindsight Adam would’ve put on the drivers side, as any low hanging branches or power lines usually come over on the right side. Like most buses this size, they have an emergency escape hatch which gives them easy access to the interior of the bus with a flip down latch that acts as the ladder on the inside.
The chimney cap they have installed was pretty expensive at around $200, but it’s been worth the investment for them, as it reduces the amount of backdraft they get considerably. They're even able to keep a fire going while they’re driving, which is handy. For electricity they have four 100w Renogy solar panels which they were able to get at a discount in a damaged box. For ventilation they have a Fantastic Fan, which is one of the cheaper solutions you can get for an RV, but Adam definitely recommends spending the extra money as options like the MaxxAir Fan allow you to keep the lid partially closed while keeping the fan running. This is essential for keeping moisture out.
They have a propane furnace that they salvaged from the camper that they bought for parts, but they’ve found it to be pretty ineffective compared to the other options that they have on board. They keep their battery bank inside so that it can stay at an optimal performing temperature. The 460ah 12v battery bank is made up of four 6v golf cart batteries which they were able to get for $800. They also have two of their old worn out trojan batteries that were replaced by the new ones. They try to do all the abuse on the old batteries, which are wired as a separate array that they’re able to switch between.
In the front cab of the bus they left everything fairly stock, the main upgrade being to the sound system which connects to speakers placed throughout the whole bus. A little further back they have their living room area which features storage in every nook and cranny they could think of, all the way down to the arm rests and backs of the couches. Under the couch on the passenger side they keep all of the outdoor gear that they need that’s in season (this rotates with the storage on the roof) and on the drivers side they have their battery bank and electrical system.
Most of the items that they used to furnish the space were thrift store finds and art pieces from local artists, so everything on display in the bus has sentimental value to them. For heat, they have a Cubic Mini Grizzly wood stove which does a great job at heating the front portion of the bus. They use an ecofan to distribute the hot hair throughout the bus, and they store wood for the stove underneath the hearth. They make sure to precut their wood into small pieces that will fit inside the stove when they need it.
They both do a fair bit of cooking, so it was important for them to have a sizable kitchen that they could both work in. They have massive amounts of counter space with live edge wood that came from a dory shop back in Nova Scotia. They had a friend cut it for them, and the end result is a breathtaking centerpiece in the bus. Most of the wood inside the bus is recycled, all of which came from Emily’s grandfather’s house which was being torn down at the time they were building their bus, so it's pretty sentimental. Her father is a really good woodworker so she learned a lot from him in the process of converting the bus. A lot of items in the kitchen came out of the camper that they gutted, primarily the sink stove and propane fridge. These items work perfectly in the small space and add to the rustic aesthetic of the interior.
Having a shower on board was really important to Adam because he's a mechanic and often works long dirty hard days, so they made one with cedar as it’s naturally water repellent. They finished it with mineral oil and plumbed it to drain into their greywater tank. On the other side of the corridor they have their Nature’s Head composting toilet. It has its own designated space with just enough room to come in and sit down, which allows them to use both separately unlike most layouts that combine both into a single wet bath.
Their bedroom area takes up the back portion of the bus. They have a queen-size bed with easy access to the back door which they loved opening when camping at beaches in Mexico. This space is heated primarily with a Webasto diesel heater which is plumbed directly into the bus’ diesel tank. It comes up through the floor and does a great job compensating for heat that they lose out their windows. They also have storage under the bed for more clothes as well as their 120 gallon water tank which provides water for their shower, cooking, and everything else. Mounting it inside the living space was important for colder climates to make sure that it doesn’t freeze.
Adam has seen a lot of interest in school buses with the rise of tiny homes and skoolie conversions. His biggest advice for folks looking to go this route is to do your research. It can be easy to buy a lemon when shopping for used vehicles when you don’t know what to look for, so he thinks finding someone in town, potentially even your local school bus mechanic, is invaluable to the process. That way you can go into the build and have reasonable confidence that you won’t have any unpleasant surprises.
Watch the Full Video Here:
