9 REGRETS of our Van Build // What would we CHANGE??
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- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
- We love our van Foley, but like any big project there are usually some regrets or saying "if we did it again we would...."', so we thought we would share some of those things with you so that you can learn from our mistakes...well not really mistakes...over sights??
Quick Summary:
1. High Roof - We wish we could have found a high roof van that ticked all our boxes.
2. More TIME! - We only had 30 days to convert that van because we were borrowing tools and house sitting during the build.
3. Shower - I knew that I needed to put in some sort of shower but I wish that I had planned it our during the build and installed something (future project).
4. Weight Balance - Not the biggest deal but the layout of the van has most of the cargo weight being on one side.
5. More room at the back of the bed - This just would have helped in folding the bed down without having to open the back door.
6. Table too big - Self explanatory.
7. U-Shaped at back of bed - This would have allowed us to have more storage.
8. Better roof vent - We wish we had a bigger and better roof fan
9. Lights - Didn't need as many lights as we put in and I wish I had just done some LED strip lighting or something.
Sorry we have been MIA lately, thanks for all the kind words to those who have been messaging us!
For a more in depth video on how to convert a van, check out our build series to see exactly how we did it! We are super happy with the result and we did the entire construction ourselves. We also completed the build entirely while living in Australia (we are Canadian). This build wouldn’t have been possible without RUclips so we decided to film the whole process.
If you have any questions about our build, feel free to contact us by commenting or follow us on Instagram.
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To shower in van. A foldable dog swimming pool. It has a drain hold on the side. Was going to have it near the side door, with a drain to a grey water tank. I can shower with 2 liter plastic bottles. Paint them black and have them in the sun. Use a hula-hoop to hold a shower curtain up for privacy and not splashing water ever where. Even have a pump up bug sprayer, for extra water and another option tool to shower with. Drain water into grey tank, wait for everything to dry and folder everything back up for the next shower. Number 2 in a bucket toilet seat with plastic bags. Dispose as soon as possible. Use cat litter or sawdust until then. Yes have a big and great rooftop vent. Comfortable bed and a place to pee. Funnel into a bottle, dispose as soon as possible as well. Live as comfortable as you can.
Oh wow thanks so much for the awesome tips. I just recently heard about the sawdust! Thanks for all the suggestions and for watching :)
For showering do it like they do in southeast Asia, heat some water, fill a bucket and use a scoop or enamel mug to ladle water over yourself. It works really well and you can have a full wash in hey little water. Any leftovers just tip it over your head, it's great!
That sounds like a great way to save water and have a nice shower, we will have to try that! Thank you and thanks for watching!
Bucket and cup shower workers better than a submergible shower!
Just get a kids pool and bath😁
Was my thoughts exactly. Bucket shower can be every bit as good as a proper shower for cleaning. I showered that way almost an entire year in India.
So true. I am an Asian yes most of us still do that though we have shower systems 😘😘
Shower - open the rear doors, hang your solar shower from one door, get a shower curtain, stitch in a few magnetic strips, attach it across the doors and you have a nice shower cubicle.
Sounds like a great plan. Just need to get doors that actually stay open heheh! Thanks for the tip and for watching :)
I love showers! How about a shower curtain track that allows the curtain to tie against the wall then pull out to circle a 24" plastic tub? For pressure hot water how about a kettle of hot water in a 3 gallon Hudson sprayer hooked to a RV hand held shower? Very effective!
Such great tips! I love showers as well! Sounds like good ideas, thank you so much! And thanks for watching :)
An option for the table might be to cut it in half lengthways and fit a piano hinge - then you can have a half-width or full-width option - plus you can store it half-width and have the option of some overhead cupboards above. You could use some wire or chains from the wall to support it instead of the leg.
Yes that is actually a great option. Just would need to acquire some tools again but those are all great ideas. I especially like the idea of adding more cupboards. Thanks so much for the tips!
You might be able to borrow tools/workshop space/extra pair of hands/expertise at a local Mens Shed - mensshed.org for more info. On second thoughts wire or chains would be noisy - sash cord from old windows would be great if you can find any - or paracord maybe? Have enjoyed watching your build videos, has given me plenty of tips and ideas to try out.
OMG, you are talking about the (very practical, very handy etc) battery lights!!! Its a taboo among vanlifers!!! All the vans have to have absurdly complex electric system which is always breaking down. IT MUST BE!
Hey guys, don't be regret. It just a learning experience amd you could make it better....enjoy the trip and be safe. Takecare. Btw...i like the set up of the mobile home. Though they are some issues of the set up... Again enjoy the journey..
Yes that’s so true it has been a great learning experience and we really do still love the van. There’s always improvements that can be made! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
Thanks for taking the time out of your work as professional models to make this video
I appreciate everyone who shares, and can learn from all. But, hands down, the genius build is VanLife's Irish build.
The issue of the bed blocking the walkway is resolved with a simple slider, and that same genius for simple solutions permeates the entire build. And it is incredibly luxurious, he even includes gourmet camp recipes and food photography to shame five star restaurants.
Really a must see, it is not a cheap build, but a very balanced, well thought out and very rational build that would make it hard to justify moving to an apartment, you would need a detached house to have something enough better to bother about.
Aw that sounds like an awesome build. Maybe we can take some tips for our next build on a different continent. Thanks for watching :)
Aw that sounds like an awesome build. Maybe we can take some tips for our next build on a different continent. Thanks for watching :)
@@TheWanderingWagners it is the best I have seen, but I named it wrong, it is Dublin Van Life. I think he is an actual carpenter. It really is worth five minutes to check, especially if you are going to do another one .
@@johnoneal1234 I gave Dublin a good look and all I can think of is splinters. The design ideas are clever just as you say but luxurious? Three inch raw foam with a sheet over it for a bed? Fridge? Windows? A venting fan?
I think you did a remarkable job of building out a van in 30 days, very tight constraints. Good job on meeting your deadline! Don't beat yourself up over mistakes. You always redo a lot of things, even experienced van builders say this. You discover materials existed too late, and techniques that could be improved. Its a huge learning curve, and takes a lot of time to soak it all up, plus ... not everything is possible in a foreign country within short time frames. Pity I never got to see the inside of your van in this video - would have been nice.
The weight balancing issue is a serious concern you should be paranoid about. Van can flip over, and tires will be damaged on one side. Not so much a regret as a lack of pre-planning your build design. When on a tight schedule, layouts have to be already planned out. This is a number one priority for next build. Be sure to warn the buyers of your van about that, or you could be held responsible for accidents.
In hot places, instead of more roof vents, try cutting a hole in floor and making a manually closing vent space. This allows cool air under the van to circulate through the van and exit from roof vent or windows. Much more effective. I saw this on Dave Orton's van build on RUclips, filmed by Kirsten Dirksen. Your choice of vent fan was not the conventional Maxxair or Fantastic Fan brand. These are highly effective.
The mattress looks like a very heavy futon. A couple of air pads plus thinner mattress would cut down on bulk and weight. Again, see Dave Orton, and Lee Blake's builds, both of them experts at keeping it simple and highly functional.
The tinting of windows - in some places like California, you cannot tint windshield or cab windows at all. Rear tinting is also regulated - no reflective mirror type glares. Could be same in Australia.
I saw a lot of vanners use a solar lantern called Luci. Free power, super lightweight, compact size.
FYI - to the female half of this team - decide whether you are making videos for public consumption or for your close buddies on Facebook. Sticking out your tongue and making faces is hardly conducive to being taken seriously and having credibility. For the duration of the video, you did not contribute verbally to anything of consequence, making faces like a toddler, and interjecting frivolous comments, and interrupting your partner. Why does he know all the tech details and you do not? Are you one half of this equation, or a tiny fraction? Why do you care whether you have no other men to help you with the van build as you stated? I did my remodels by myself, and you have a strong male partner. Isn't that enough? Women are already viewed as airheads, but you are cementing that view. Try to be more professional and look and act less like a spoiled child. Its passive aggressive behavior too. Contribute. Learn. Know. Be.
Wow lots of information in this comment. We have other videos on our channel if what you wanted was the inside of the van. This was just to say things we would have done different if we were given a time machine.
The weight balance has been checked by multiple people and because it’s quite under the maximum load and with tire rotations no one has seen that to be a problem when taken to professionals.
We are quite happy with the mattress and memory foam topper, thanks for all the other tips as well - cool idea about the floor vent. Def lots of things to consider for a future build. As for doing it ourselves in a short time frame we just mentioned that because living in a foreign country makes that trickier and if we did this in our hometown we would have had more help from family and friends.
As for the comments on my behaviour in the video admittedly when I first read it I was a bit hurt because I would never speak to a man or woman this way. You don’t know me and to make these harsh comments is something I will never do to others. I am sincerely sorry about my amateur “RUclips video making” skills - this video was made over a year ago and the point was to help others. Plain and simple. I did not purposely make faces like a toddler nor intend to be an airhead...just being myself and possibly I didn’t “act appropriately” to your standards. This video was made for anyone who needed some help and we received lots of comments of those thanking us! If you feel that way watching a video like this then maybe next time simply stopping the video instead of calling someone a spoiled child, saying I’m passive aggressive as well as belittling me for not knowing the tech details would be a better route. I don’t know the tech details as that’s something I did not learn during the build and that was a choice by me, which doesn’t make me an airhead. This type of comment is something I hope to never to do to others. I want to build other women up and not tear them down. Men or women should be able to be whoever they want to be - without judgement...especially if that’s being themselves. We can all lead by example and all I am sending you is love and acceptance of others. In my life I aim to be tolerant and kind and that’s what I will continue to do. Thank you for watching - sending you all the best ♥️
I've been enjoying how these various van life video's show that it's not all wine and roses. I figure you two are on a rather tight budget but I'm thinking when I retire I'd give serious consideration to a converted van, but would stay in a motel every four nights or so for a big bed, full-on shower, laundry and grocery shopping. That is every four days get out of the van for 24 hours. Now, I do like these vans for their maneuverable size. So I'm okay with some compromises.
Everyone has their own preferences and different ways of traveling. It's all about doing what feels best for you and enjoying the process and lifestyle! Haha yes a hotel every now and then is a bonus. We sometimes would do house sits where we watch someones house and pets while they are away and that's a good way for us to have a shower and laundry. Thanks for watching!
I have a low roof and have no regrets...I don't spend a lot of time in the van once I'm parked...the gazebo goes up and I'm mainly outdoors...so the stealth is great...for me...and the low roof is inconspicuous when parked in the city...but everyone has their own priorities and likes and wants and needs...if i was with a partner I might like the high roof for the feeling of more space...LOVE LOVE LOVE the part of you wishing for more room at the end of the bed...that made me rethink my fold out click couch and a little more room at the end of the van...THANK YOU FOR THAT....what part of Canada?...I'm just east of Toronto...great video, thanks guys.
Hey guys, just two things about the van. 1. Joe mentioned a longer van being too hard to get around towns, we have a 20 foot Sprinter and it's not an issue driving around towns, ours drives like a sedan(love it) 2. Try getting a garden pump spray and garden hose nozzle for your shower, just pump it up and shower away. :)
Love what you guys have done so far, now get off them lazy arses and get out there and have fun. ;)
Oh that’s so awesome to hear that you have no problem getting around town!!! Maybe just the areas we were in we were unnecessarily worried because we have successfully stealth camped in small spots! That’s an awesome suggestion we will definitely have to look into that! THANK YOU GENUINELY for that motivation, always good to have honesty and a little push in the right direction! Thank you for watching :)!!!
A garden pump sprayer is another good cheap option for a simple shower - If you paint the water tank black and leave it in the sun for a while it will heat the water for you too!
from being in the rv sales you have your table folding upwards if you mod your table folding down you can add some cabinets above your table and for showers they make portable showers and when using that type of shower in the RV camping world we call them navy showers and for A/C units there's a lot of videos on you tube on how to make your own A/C unit that works good to keep you guys cool on hot days and cookware the best cookware i have seen was 12 volt cookware since propane BBQ is a hassle to clean and to pull out and put away and if i didn't have a daughter my dream van would be a ford chevy or dodge van and extended it with an tandem axle and that would add an extra 2 or 3 feet of space
Aw thank you so much for all these wonderful suggestions and tips. Good option for getting more storage about the table. Will look to get a shower like that! Definitely would be so cool to make our own A/C unit! We are on 24 V with just a little butane cooker but that sounds like a great option. That would be so nice to have the extra 2-3 feet of space one day. Thanks for all the tips and for watching :)
I love that table! I'm trying to figure out a way to get one that size. I'm in the layout part of the build. I don't think you can avoid regrets. You don't know how you will like something until you get out there. I'm trying to keep them to a minimum but I'm sure there will be some. I love the open, clean look of your van!
I really like how you had a summary in the description. Many of us take notes and this makes it so much easier.
Ahhh Cheryl this is so great to hear. I gotta give all props to Joe. Glad it helps you. Reminds us to keep up with our website we have been neglecting because some people really appreciate the written word. Thanks for watching and the comment :)
Just an idea.............cut off a strip of your table and add a long strip hinge to attach that piece back on, then you can have it folded over when you want more room to walk or folded out to the size it currently is to have more table area. Would be easy to do and give you more options........and give you room for shelves above the table when against the wall. The hinge won't support as much weight as the solid table but a support leg underneath or support cables on each side would do the trick. You did a great job with the time you had, it's all about learning. No one builds anything for the first time and has it the way wish they would have done it. It's a process :))
Yeah that’s actually a really good idea for getting more storage. Thanks for the tips and kind words! Yes you’re definitely right, we are still so happy how she turned out. Thanks for watching :)
One of the issues I ran into when it came to Van Living, is that if/when the vehicle itself needed to visit the mechanic shop(keeping the van overnight), I was like: "Where am I going to stay?!?" Solution! ...I still have a van, but I also tow a box trailer. So if the van ever needs to visit the garage again, I'll still have a place in the box trailer(which was parked in the shop's lot), instead of having to find a motel or sleeping bag it.
Justin! Sorry for the delay in response!! Actually I have the answer to your question. We are members of RACV roadside assistance and our fuel leak needed servicing, so on a Sunday morning we called the RACV up, they sent a tow truck and actually hooked us up with a rental car AND a hotel room. How good is that!!? However your solution with the box trailer is very helpful for any other circumstance. Thanks for commenting and for watching :)
Hey I think you did an awesome build , and yes you now have some regrets , but don’t beat yourself up over them . If you ever find yourself in QLD , pop around for a shower , and we can trim down your table , and me being a sparkie we can swap out that fan for something a bit more powerful , in a matter of minutes . [ ok 2 regrets as you can’t take the shower with you ]
Aw you're so sweet!!!! We don't mind our regrets since we learned from them!! We read this book called You're Not That Great....But Neither is Anyone Else by Elan Gale and like to actually learn from our regrets. That's so so so so kind of you - will definitely keep that in mind as we don't have tools with us. Thanks for all that and for watching :) :)
You are both photogenic people I hope you're enjoying your trip yeah there are better roof vents if you're still in the van check out overload Springs for the balancing problem. Also one of the cheapest shower Solutions is go to a hardware store can you buy pump up sprayer. Then just put hot water in it
Hey Jim! I’m so sorry I thought I replied to this! Thanks for all this info and for watching it’s very much appreciated! :)
Thank you guys so much! We are starting a new round of build-out, this helps in our decisions!!
So glad to hear that. Definitely wanted to share to help anyone in some small way! Thanks so much for watching :)
I think you guys did an AMAZING job considering your time restraints and landing in a foreign country having to source products, a van, and do an entire conversion with no prior experience or help from fam or friends. Seriously, well done. Also, your awesomely-nerdy expenses spreadsheet has been SUPER helpful. Thanks and good luck with all your travels! :)
Aw Karen, thanks! Thanks so sweet of you to say!!! I have to say it was 83% Joe and 17% me!!! SOOOOOO happy the expenses spreadsheet was helpful. Joe was insistent on not posting that video until it was done! Thanks for you kind works and for watching along :)
BTW luv your vid guys its so inspiring to see couples sharing a happy life together and living the dream :) so, Shower suggestion..........depending on your budget, you can buy a portable shower unit from either BCF, Rays outdoors etc...., attach onto rear door next to cabinets, can use water from bucket, power the unit from cigarert lighter, and have a removable curtain for privacy. Good luck.
Ah so so sweet of you to say! Those are all great suggestions and ones we definitely have to look into! Thanks for the great tips and for watching :)
for your shower problem, check out evershower.com
they are an Australian invention. You can have a 20 minute hot shower with just 20 litres of water.
folds up into a tiny little box you can fit under the bed or anywhere really.
I highly recomend 10/10 :)
You can buy a camping shower. It's a coil that is heated by propane camping tank and a water pump that circulates the water. You run the water through the coil and back into a bucket. Until it is to the preferred temp. Than you turn off the propane and take your shower. Or get a pressurizing sprayer that you can pump and add hot water to it then pressurize.
I have looked at a few systems like this and thought of mounting something on the inside of the back door so that you can open the back and put a rod and curtain up and have a shower there. Might still do for that idea. The hand pump one is another great option, low maintenance and doesn't have to take up much space. I have seen those in a collapsible bag material as well with a little foot pump which I thought was interesting...might be junk though haha
Thank you both for the input! I'm in the pre-purchase planning stage to getting a hightop extended length Promaster 3500. Have been soaking up tons of very valuable info from all of you that are already out there, and it is much appreciated! Enjoy Australia, I was down there for a month years ago and truly loved it. When we told them we were Canadian, we were treated like family! ❤❤ Safe travels. 😊
So glad to be of some help!!! Australia is so beautiful and we Canadians can sense the similarities. Thanks for the kind words and we are so glad they are helpful! Best of luck with your van!!!! Thank you for watching :)
Where in Australia are you? Here in Huskisson New South Wales (NSW) we have free showers in our public toilet blocks on the beach - it's a gorgeous part of the country if you like the beach and really good coffee, also Hyams Beach is just down the road with some of the world's whitest sand and easy driving to Queensland and Victoria. If you're ever in the area let me know; we have plenty of room for free overnight stay and hot showers too - it's our dream to do what you're doing but with a self sufficient caravan (trailer) and 600 watt solar etc... (in the process of sourcing one at the moment). We're a family of four (2 kids) and we can't wait to get out there and see our beautiful country. Good luck to you both - enjoy it!!
Oh wow that sounds absolutely beautiful. We are currently in Western Australia but you never know if we will be your way. Thanks so much for the generous offer - we will keep it in mind! That would be so great if you could do it too! I hope you do. Thanks for everything :)
Build DIY shower with a pleasured chemical bottle with arm. Substitute the spray nozzle with a low flow head. Spray down, soap up & shampoo. Shower off. You can buy these sprayers in different volumes to suit your needs. The plus is that you can move it anywhere you wish.
How do you pleasure the bottle? Is that a public or private thing?
Thank you guys to be honest that helps a lot 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💥💥💥💥💥💥💯💯💯💯💯💯💯🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Aw horray! So happy to hear this, we really wanted to help others so it's great to hear this! Thank you so much for watching :)
Great post!! Thanks a lot for sharing your findings so honestly! FANtastic 👌
Most welcome! Happy to share. Thank you for the kind words and for watching along!!
you guys have a great way of showing us your life. super jelly.
I gotta give all the credit to Joe there. I love the word jelly so much. Thanks for the comment and for watching
You always learn how to do it better..later! Always a learning curve. I am trying to make things modular because you can’t make all the right decisions in the beginning. Also, there is always a compromise. You will be able to go off road more easily... but have less room inside. For a 30 day project you did very well!!
With only 30 days to convert a van, that is very impressive work!! Also, I can relate to your list! Thanks for sharing!!
I can see how much you regret these things. So, I thank you very much for sharing them. Great learning points.
This has been the most helpful video by far. Admittedly, it popped up in the feed, but it’s helped with some of the questions I have about my future build. You still have an awesome van, but I get what you’re saying. 😊
Aw that’s so great to hear! We really wanted to help in anyway we could! Thanks so much for that and for watching :)
You can pick up some great solar lights with replaceable batteries to address the light issues...charge in the front or outside in the sun by day and move to back for lighting at night.
Yeah that's a good idea too thanks so much Dawn. Getting a better dimmer switch was great for the lights we installed in our van. Next time we would just maybe only install 3 instead of 6 in such a small place but thankfully we can dim them very low. Thanks so much for watching :)
Besides drive handling, an off-balance van will wear out suspension parts faster on the weighed-down side. It is an important point. Also, it is not as safe in high winds. High profile vehicles tend to roll over in high winds, especially when it's already out of balance and therefore predisposed to it.
I was thinking of a low roof, I do believe I changed my mind...
YESSSSSS!!! Glad to hear this! At the time we were looking the high roofs were $7,000-$8,000 more and we just couldn't fit that into our budget since we were on a short time frame!!! Thank you for watching along and letting us know! Always glad to help :)
High roof every time for me. Think volume not floor plan. Also a low roof is fine for short trips but you can't beat the comfort of being able to stand up to walk around. The extra fuel usage is largely unimportant compared to the extra comfort. Great build in only a month. Most of us are still building when we should be travelling ! You can tweak some of these as you go along including 2 fans. Happy travels everyone. John.
Same.
On the one hand, I kind of want a low roof. I'm not tall at all, how much roof do I really need? On the other hand, a low roof looks like it gets nigh-unlivable.
@@jauxro hi. A lot depends on how much you're using the van and what for......Im 5 10 and wouldn't ever have a low roof for myself but I'd happily convert one for someone else. For me it's not just about standing room, it's more to do with feeling like a room, rather than a vehicle. But there's no right or wrong just what's right for you. Is there any way you can try one out for a weekend maybe ? Possibly just a hire van...no conversion. Just to try the two types for size with maybe a few camping chairs and a table placed inside. In the UK BNQ do one hour van hire if you buy a large item from them. It's something ridiculous like ten quid for a brand new transit. You can always take that plastic garden water butt back for a refund after your trial run ! Seriously they are fab on refunds. Lol I know...Im weird. Lol
I may be on the late freight, but why not use one of those hoses with the pumps on the end you drop in a bucket of water you keep in a square painted-black bucket on the rook for a couple hours. They are either battery operated or USB charged, and you can shower wherever. You can use the bucket of water, which comes with a lid to toss your clothes in so that when you are driving it splashes around and washes them. JS ...
All great ideas. We actually did exactly that. I had a spare 20L jug in the back and used a 12v rechargable camp shower, worked great. Good thinking on the washing machine concept while you drive haha! Thanks for watching
Thank you so much for sharing you're ideas...
They are really helpful.
Hooray! We really wanted to be totally honest and possibly help some people with this video. Thanks for that and for watching :)
I am looking at a (old) 1989 van
(took your advice) with a High Top...
for about $800.
It's not pretty but the motor is good.
I'm excited about going on the road, going to
Art & Trade shows...
I'll let you know how it goes...
Thank you for all your help.
I agree I can't stand people who say they don't have regrets.
They're either stubborn or arrogant, or too insecure to admit they messed up or were wrong. We are imperfect and can learn from mistakes. It makes us better and wiser :)
Yaaaaaas!!! Definitely agree. Some people think we are saying it as a negative but just taking it as a learning experience. Ever since I read "You're Not That Great...but Neither is Anyone Else" by Elan Gale I like reflecting on my regrets. So so so so true. Thanks for the comment and for watching :)
The Wandering Wagners I love that title!
Lol, I am in research mode for van life right now. Searching all the bad sides of van life. That bear was entertaining, made me laugh, thanks.
Yes definitely nice to learn from others previous builds. Glad we could make you laugh. Thanks so much for watching and best of luck with your van build :)
Hi guys, great work for 1st time van-builders. Have lived watching your progress. I'm not a builder at all but perhaps with your table, you could saw off some & then put a couple of hinges on it? That way you could fold it down & out & perhaps put up some cupboards above? And/or some cargo nets for extra storage. Again, no skills in builds but maybe it might work? Safe travels.
Such a great idea and would give more storage. Thanks so much for that and for watching xx
I'm currently saving money for my van and i love videos like this because they're super helpful for me trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing. I love the way you guys set up your van so thanks for the inspiration ❤
That’s an awesome thing to save up money for!!! So glad you enjoyed the video and it was useful for you. Thanks for the kind words and for watching along ♥️
The same fan you get on the little water squirters.... Too funny!
Seriously I would like to compare one of those with this LOL. The fan is reversible and you can feel it alright if you’re under it but yeaaaa she’s a bit weak
Ventilation is big..looks comfortable..enjoy
You can order an extended top to put on the van to give you more head space. Excel vent-free tankless propane water heater is the shower system we are putting in our van. My mom has it set up in her RV and she loves it.
We thought about the extended top but realized we just didn't want to spend the money on that. Next time we will just buy the high roof one haha. That's a cool shower idea! Thinking that I will just make one of those hand pump sprayer showers for now and see how that goes! Lol
The Wandering Wagners I think 2 grand is a great investment for extra head space but if you think the money is better spent on a new van altogether that works. The pump/solar shower was our original plan, but after doing more research and talking to people with both options we just decided it's worth it to invest in having it easily heated.
Showers are nice, but boondockers use 'baby wipes' to bathe in between showers and dry shampoo. With screens on your openings, you could use perhaps a generator and clip on desk fan. There are also portable A/C's that might help. Hey, you have learned what not to do on your next van. The lifestyle is awesome, now to get by until you can get on with a taller van.
Baby wipes are gold, hey!? Those are good ideas to help keep it cool. ALL OF THE YES - definitely want to build another one day and learned lots so happy to share with others in case it can help them :). Thanks for the comment and watching!!!
Get the largest car umbrella you can find. it should help with the heat. The Lanmodo is 4.8 m and should cover a big part of the roof.
Oh that sounds like a cool idea. Thanks so much for the tip and thanks for watching :)
I like David Jones' showering idea.
Thank you so much! We are building our van and any tip we can get is really useful! We are definitely going for the high roof!
I made a two gallon garden sprayer shower, it's awesome and super low tech!
Ooooh that sounds so awesome and love low tech solutions. Thanks so much for that and for watching :)
I'd be concerned, too, about the weight balance. And it's not just side to side, but from front to back. I can't believe you didn't do a little planning before arriving in Australia to start your plan. I would have done some research at home, so I would be prepared to build (design) the van. Good luck in your travels!
We did do some planning but not in that regard. Can't think of everything beforehand and we did the best we could with our time frame. Front to back in a complete non issue as we are well under the cargo capacity of the van and took it to a suspension place to be tested and they weren't concerned as long as we rotate our tires. The purpose of this was to share things that could potentially help others since we didn't know what type of van we would have before coming to Australia and hoped to help others!! If we built the perfect van we couldn't have made this video. Thanks for watching
Could have done without the tongue show. I have been researching Vanlife for a few months and it was good to hear the “regrets” you have - we all learn. Thank you.
I was really sick actually filming this video and the expenses one after and I guess I didn’t realize that I was doing that, but I guess some people choose to go out of their way to point that out...in response to that - it’s noted.
We see regrets as learning and we were more than happy to share with others in case it could help them because a video like this could have helped a bit! Thanks for watching :)!
Come to think of it - it was a rather blah tongue out. You did look a bit ill. No offence, please.
Lol no worries at all!!! But good to know anyways so I don’t do that in the future. I was quite sick for 6 weeks so wasn’t quite feeling myself! No worries :) thanks for watching!
you still have a nice build, you can still cut the table down but i think you should make your bed a permanent bed so you can have more storage!!!
Agree with the table cut down but MY FAVOURITE part of the van is being able to sit at the table! We have drawers that make for enough storage for us since we don’t have much stuff! Thanks so much for watching!!!
High corner shelf (shorter table) is ideal for storing plastic totes or containers. Cabinets are overrated and cannot be stuffed to capacity as easily as a storage container and the contents can shift/rattle. Just put a small lip on the shelf to keep the totes in place.
Bring them down to the table when needed to stuff or remove items. I've got 7 large totes in my box truck conversion in the 9 foot front area. 3 foot rear utility room offers more storage. You can never have enough storage.
That sounds like a great way to give you lots of storage!!! Definitely a good option for a modification or for the next one we build. Thanks so much for the info and for watching :)
PVC tube solar shower . Easy to make
Yes Joe has been talking about this. Just need to find some time for it! Thank you !
Nice van ( someone would love it ) you could sell it buy a high top move the bed to the other side shorter table and more cabinets , all the best to you too 😊
Yes so true! Thanks so much for that and for watching :)
High roof is the way to go. Thanks for this.!
Yesssss. In our time crunch to buy a van the ones available were $7k-$8k more so we didn’t have the budget for that. You are most welcome, hope it was helpful. Thanks for watching :)
Thank you! Look forward to more.
Most welcome! We finally got a new video up and one in the pipeline so hope not not make everyone wait so long!!! Thanks for watching :)
Really nice conversion !! There will always be things you could of done in hindsight ! But that’s the nature of the beast !! Well done !
Thanks for the upload. Maybe cover some of the down lights with something ornate/decorative like a picture or pattern, or even some dark tint film. You have a really nice van looks great, reliable, dry and comfortable. Enjoy it, I've not even purchased my conversion yet. I can't wait to be doing what you are woohoo 😎😁😃 all the best and thanks again
We should have mentioned in the video we have an awesome dimmer switch we splurged on when the first dimmer didn't have them go low enough. Thanks so much for the kind words. We are excited for you for your conversion. It was one of the best things we have ever done! Thanks so much for watching :)
Cabinets above the fold down table would help with the concern of weight distribution as well.
That's a great idea. We should put a hinge on the middle of the table. We should acquire some tools and get that built. Thanks for the tip and for watching :)
Having done a van build ourselves recently......yup I agree with roof height! My knees tell me this.....daily!!
Fan.....yes I need a better fan!! Sweaty nights are to come!! It’s only spring here in the UK.
And for us........Better seats in the front of the van! Swivel and armrests!! Thanks for the video! X
Totally agree! Hopefully you guys do okay with your fan, Its heading in to fall and winter in Australia so cooling down where we are, some mornings we could almost use a heater haha! But that's just us being whimps LOL
Ahoi! Well, it's normal it's always trial and error so...but considering your time frame and having no outside help, I think you did the best of what was possible. But the ceiling as well as table can still be adjusted, as well as a shower build in oposite the kitchen, next to the door or some cabinets added under the toiletery cabinet and between the kitchen and the clothes cabinet.
Yes exactly! Even with our regrets we are still so happy how she turned out with only the two of us (Joe the mastermind of course). These are all so true. We were using borrowed tools so definitely some modifications that could be done in the future. Thanks so much for watching :)
Keep it up! I love your videos and especially your funny acts in the background XD!
Aw you're so sweet. We have been working hard at our jobs but hopefully have another video out soon! Xx
I love the "We were suffering from laziness and lack of motivation". Then she says "We should make a video on that". His reply (Priceless) "Should be" To be read as "Meh! I can't be arsed!" LOL
ruclips.net/video/dK6ePfHuirk/видео.html our lazy butts did make a video (finally) and I hope our lack of motivation/laziness has been cured!!
Great video and build. I am waiting for the snow to clear in Canada before I start my build. I really appreciate your list and thank you for stressing the importance of not cheeping-out on a fan.
Enjoy your ride.
Aw thanks so much for that! Ahhh i've heard the weather has been crazy this year! I hope Spring comes soon for you! Glad to be of any help! Thank you, you too! And thank you for watching!
G day I have two of the same fans in my van one above the bed blowing and one above the kitchen to suck out any smoke (when I'm cooking there's always smoke!!) and when its hot like lately mid-30s no worries at all apart from the noise nice and cool. ;)
Ahhh two fans. There's our downfall. So nice to hear that we will have to keep that in mind and try access some tools. I love love love white noise sound. So glad you're happy with that. I wish I could add this into the video for others!!!
The Wandering Wagners I thought you would like the idea they are a little bit to noisy so I’m looking into ways to slow them down.
Don’t know how you could add my video to yours? If you can you’re welcome too or maybe just give me a shot out on your next one ? Nice to see such positively happy travels Mel
Thanks guys! Super helpful - happy travels!
So glad to hear that!!!!! Thanks so much for watching :)
It’s a bit pricy but I love the Nemo camp shower. You pump it up with air and water!
Oh awesome, that looks great when I looked it up! Will definitely keep it in mind!!! Thanks so much for the tip and for watching along :)
Lights are easy people, LEDs last forever so don't be afraid to double stick, velcro or adhesive a battery operated. Get creative on the aesthetics, don't rule out a cheap little dollar store lamp, it creates a homie feeling and plugs in or battery. Stick some double stick velcro to bottom and leave it, it won't move but it can, it's just tape. You don't need but little light in this small space and your interior shouldn't be dark unless you're trying to go crazy. It's best you stay incognito but a cross draft is essential in such a small space. I'd find out my options for installing another opening, air needs to circulate. What's going to happen when it gets cold? Thanks for sharing your regrets, I know you'll figure it out, it's easier than figuring out an entire house.
We have got this comment a few times about the lights - we have a kick ass dimmer so it's not actually an issue for us but wanted to share that it was overkill for a small space. Great idea about the Velcro and lamp! We should have planned more for the fan cross draft and definitely something we can update. We are so happy with Foley but wanted to be open about what we regret. We think regrets are a good way to reflect and don't mean the word negatively. Thanks so much for the suggestions and for watching :)
Also to answer the question about cold weather we were somewhere cold working and we just rented a place because we were working but in general we will just not go anywhere too cold and if we are working we can rent somewhere. :)
The Wandering Wagners good for others to know you are not full time and they will need climate control investments to function. How did the boards hold up, there's a method to applying, I was wondering about the horizontal support strip making them bow?
It’s been a minute. Your back!! - Good stuff. Nice to hear your thoughts after living in the van for some time.
We are aliiiiive - buncha slackers over here. Thanks so much for that and for watching, means a lot :)
cut table in half and add hinges (now its still the same size and folds). Now you can add cabinets!
Such a great idea! Definitely a good solution. Thanks so much and for watching :)
I guess vandwellers all have some regrets. I just bought a 15 passenger van really cheap with low miles that used to be a school van. If I had done more research I would not have bought it due to the high rollover accident rate as a passenger van and why they no longer make them. I removed EVERY bench seat and It just make me very mindful that all heavy items need to be equally distributed before the rear axial. I have to limit my solar panels to the front of my roof and I may have to strap my bike to the front instead of the back of the van. I just have to learn and save up for that perfect van that will be more suitable.
We wanted to share our regrets in hopes others might benefit from them. We did get it looked at and the load capacity is nowhere near the maximum and regular tire rotations and checks have proved that it's been okay. We like learning from our regrets and accepting things the way they are. I hope the lessons you learn are valuable as well and always room to improve. Thanks for watching and the comment :)
I really think your placement of the toilet was really clever! Now in reality, how it working out? Thanks for your insights!
The toilet placement we love but that's probably because we like having the center console to place things on. The actual toilet, believe it or not we have not used once lol. Mostly because we have always been able to find a toilet....or we just use the wilderness if it's reasonable. It's become just our emergency toilet basically :)
You guys will be big vloggers one day I believe in you guys
Oh, and I laughed so hard at the creepy teddy bear on a stick! Locals probably did it to scare away the foreigners, ha. ;)
Hahahhaha mission accomplished after arriving listening to a murder podcast haha!
Nice video/conversation! Treasure your experiences and each other.
Aw thanks so much for that. I love this comment!!! Thank you for watching!!! :)
Thanks for all these tips and hints, really helpful and honest! It's still a beautiful build!
Debra Moss aw you’re most welcome! We really wanted to share and be honest! We love her so much but if we could go back in time this is what we would do differently. Thanks for that and for watching :)
Awesome video guys, very helpful. We are in the middle of our build right now, wiring lighting this week. Now I might rethink the 9 light set up I had configured haha. Also very glad we opted for the big fridge hearing you guys don't regret it. Safe travels!
If you can fit a bigger fridge and power it then it is totally worth it. Nice to have the extra space to stock for big road trips. Smaller one would have been fine but just means you have to make more trips to the store haha. Depending on the size of your van 9 lights might be fine, depends how much light they put out as well. Mine was a pain because I had to get a down light transformer to take the 24V back down to 12v for the lights but it works in the end.
Consider installing a switch that you and use to turn on or off say half of the lights. can get a toggle switch for only a few dollars and about as simple as it gets to install one. Say you have your 9 lights you could wire maybe 2 in the front and 2 in the rear on one switch. If you need more lights just flip all 9 on.
I like your regrets.... ha ha but its in great condition with history to sell to may be a long wheel based high top (4x4) Merc next - I had one on hire and it griped the snow well and spacious enough on the hot day
Aw yay thanks, we wanted to share what we would do differently! That sounds like a great choice!!!! I’m sure it was so much fun!!
I missed your vlogs glad your back.
hey guys thanks for the tips, they are really helpful, i hope your enjoying oz
Glad to help from what we would do differently. Madly in love with Australia! Thanks for watching :)
Thanks - I've found some very nice LED strip lights that I'm using and I agree the strip lights are a better choice.
Good choice! Keep it simple and provides lots of light in such a small space, wish I had gone that route!
Super honest, love it guys! Safe and adventurous travels!
That your videos !!! Can’t wait to see more !:)
You guys are helping me with my decision to get a van.
Aw thank you so much for watching and glad you want to see more. Definitely would love to inspire you to get a van as well xx
Cait Michelle same overhere 😃
Ahoy Wandering Wagners, I just started to worry if their would be any new video's after i subscribed this channel a few weeks ago :) But here it is nice to see you back!! hopefully Kristyn is feeling fine now, i hope the both off you will find the motivation to go one wit h your plans, Kind regards and love from the Netherlands
So sorry to keep you hanging but thank you so much for coming back to check it out and so happy you watched! Kristyn is getting closer to 100%! You’re propelling our motivation. Thanks so much for the comment and hope you enjoy more videos in the future. Lots of love back to the Netherlands!
New Sub, we are converting our van to a campervan so out here
in RUclips land learning planning etc Thank You for sharing! - Stacey
& Bill :) :)
great timing with this video. We watched your van build vids and loved it. We just got back from our first trip in our bus. we went to Esperance (in WA) check out Twilight beach it is gorgeous. We are a family of 5 and are going to convert a 7.7m mitsubishi rosa bus into a motorhome. for our recent trip we just threw in some mattresses and took off but now we are home and time to get serious about our bus build. we will be re-watching for build videos as they have been really helpful. we hope you love WA.
That's so amazing! Oh my gosh you should do your own build series that bus is going to we wicked!! Glad that we could help you guys and feel free to ask any questions, I might not have the answer but hey I can try haha. Thanks for the WA tips we definitely want to get down there soon. Thanks for the support and for watching and have so much fun on the build :)
Have you looked into replacing the fan portion of your vent set up with a computer fan? You could get a large (200 mm) one for less than $20 (US), and just wire it in where the current fan is.
That's a really cool idea!! I will definitely have to look into that!
So beautiful!
Aw thanks for that! And thank you for taking the time to watch :)
Happy travels
Thank you so much :) :)
Because ... learning from mistakes.... don't always equal regret. Regrets usually a conscious thing.
Yes that's right. This is more our way of saying...not EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Sometimes it is just a mistake and you can learn form it or in some cases it wasn't a mistake. By this I mean that we made the decision to so some of these things not by mistake but by intention and therefore we now regret it haha
I like your suggestions
I like the music on your video..nice choice!
Thanks so much! Got to give all the editing cred to Joe. Thanks for watching :)
Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much for watching :)
Thank you so much for the information.
Most welcome! We really wanted to share what we had found! Thanks so much for watching :)
Hey Guys,
I was thinking, if the roof height is a real issue look into adding a pop top. Its a tedious process but well worth it in the end. Also it would give you a view of the stars at night!
That's definitely a cool thought and an option for sure! We probably are too lazy to go through the hassle because of the nice pine lined roof and the solar panels on top but you just never know!!! Thanks for watching :)
Yeah adding a Pop top roof will be the way to fix it . It will look and feel awesome .
👍Thank you for your video. Your van is beautiful and your regrets valued for potential van builders. BUT the regrets are few in the grand scheme of things. X thx
You're totally right and the regrets is sort of something that we have just accepted and still love the van but made the video as a value to other people who can learn from it. Thanks for watching!
Really good insight. Thanks guys
Glad to be of help to others!!! Thank you so much for watching!