DIY conversion of Vivaro/Trafic

[mikal83]

2 yrs ago, with the big help of a guy who had already converted a big relay, we converted an L4H3. When I say we, ahem, its the royal we. (He did most of it), BUT I did help out honest. He made all the furniture himself...he was a chippy for several years etc. Anyhoo, we sold it last year as we didnt use it enough and made a tiddly profit....BUT, the hankerins are there to convert a smaller one this time, that I am "confident" I can do everything myself BUT.... I am wondering about the costs....(not thats a prob really).
Looking at a 2014 later model, LWB, sportive as it has cruise etc. Must be pop up. So say £12k tops for the van, £2k for the popup, a premade slide in side furniture kit £1.5k...thats now £15.5k. Solar, fridge, batteries another £1k ish. Bits n bobs like flooring, insulation, panelling, swivel seat base maybe another £2k ish...NOW its £18-19k. No RR bed, I would make a wooden frame for a perm bed with a loo on a slide underneath. OH and 2 windows of course, thats another £500. So all in around £19-20k. Is it worth the hassle??? Perhaps I should be looking around now at low season and drop a few cash cheeky offers if one meets my criteria. They will most likely have a RR bed but whip that out and build a perm one, no probs......
Thoughts? Nice ones of course!!

[MBVitoria]

mikal83 said:

2 yrs ago, with the big help of a guy who had already converted a big relay, we converted an L4H3. When I say we, ahem, its the royal we. (He did most of it), BUT I did help out honest. He made all the furniture himself...he was a chippy for several years etc. Anyhoo, we sold it last year as we didnt use it enough and made a tiddly profit....BUT, the hankerins are there to convert a smaller one this time, that I am "confident" I can do everything myself BUT.... I am wondering about the costs....(not thats a prob really).
Looking at a 2014 later model, LWB, sportive as it has cruise etc. Must be pop up. So say £12k tops for the van, £2k for the popup, a premade slide in side furniture kit £1.5k...thats now £15.5k. Solar, fridge, batteries another £1k ish. Bits n bobs like flooring, insulation, panelling, swivel seat base maybe another £2k ish...NOW its £18-19k. No RR bed, I would make a wooden frame for a perm bed with a loo on a slide underneath. OH and 2 windows of course, thats another £500. So all in around £19-20k. Is it worth the hassle??? Perhaps I should be looking around now at low season and drop a few cash cheeky offers if one meets my criteria. They will most likely have a RR bed but whip that out and build a perm one, no probs......
Thoughts? Nice ones of course!!

Christ that adds up quickly but from what I gather, those costings sounds about right.

I've seen people on some FB groups saying the cost for a decent pop top (incl. pro fitting) is more like £3-4k though.

I'm inclined to say that although you'll get a great camper, built to your precise spec, it'd be more cost effective to look for someone who bought one in the Great Staycation of 2021 and now wants to shift it.

Maybe something with all the expensive stuff done that just needs a refresh?

[mikal83]

Yep. Between a rock and a hardplace.....1st world probs eh. I am sure I can get my money back on building the bed by flogging the RR bed... but. Hopefully something ,ight come up. Cheers for the reply.

[brman]

yes, cost certainly add up.
Mine was a lockdown project,van was free (well, sitting on my drive not being used so repurposed), so I thought a few hundred quid would get a simple camper.
A few hundred for tyres and other MOT stuff, a few hundred for insulation, paint etc, then the wood/ply etc then the matress and other stuff. All of a sudden I stopped counting. And I still have what looks like a knackered old van with a bed thrown in the back

Nothing like the sums above but it has rather made me think whether doing another one "properly" is worth it. It is one thing spending a thousand or so, that was recouped in saved holiday costs in year one. But when you end up at £20k plus even my man maths starts to struggle. I am starting to think hiring a van when I want one is a better idea.

On the other hand, if you really enjoy the conversion process and the reward of having done it yourself then there are worse hobbies to have....

[mikal83]

There is that. My 2016 van cost me £11.5k. All the fitting out etc was £11k, sold it for £26k But it was very very nice inside. Had everything and that was all new. We were lucky as Morland had a sale on lightweight ply, £60 a sheet instead of £160 and delivery was free with orders over a certain amount. WE were also lucky as we started the conversion before it all kicked off and prices went up. BUT there is also the pride in finishing the van as you want I guess. BUT we wanted a tall van to stand up in and not crouch. So with a Vivaro/Trafic a poptop is a must and as above, we wont see much change from £2500/£3000 for that alone. So many carparks/parking spaces in the EU now have 2M height barriers, so a hitop isnt an easy option. I'm thinkin that we might go for an older van with a top spec and rip out the interior and go new there......I'm lucky as a neighbour is a mechanic and can do a thorough service of camchain etc and inspect everything for £20 an hour not £50/60+.

[WelshRich]

It’s a few years ago now but I converted a high-top Vivaro that cost me £5k + Vat and I just about managed to bring the conversion in for the same again. I obviously didn’t need to pay for a pop top but that included windows, seats, fridge, solar panels, inverter, propex heater, toilet etc

It slept four (well 2+2 really) but while it’s amazing how much you can fit in with some careful planning we typically used it as a base vehicle and pitched a tent if we were staying for more then one night…

[mikal83]

Nice bit of workmanship there. I have a layout in my tiny brain. The LWB van will have to have a poptop, thats a must for starters. Then 2 windows either side. Down the right will be the furniture unit, tall cupboard with shelving at rear, MPPT and electrics at the bottom, shelving above. 2 burner/small sink as far as I can get it behind the driver with FF under. The bed will be framed out with 2 big hinges going across with so that 2 storage bins will be under the head & feet end. Framing with maybe 6 x 2. A toilet will be under the middle at the front, (toe end) of the bed. This will be on a sliding mechanism. The feet end will be curved for ease of entry and access to a cupboard by the fridge. The worktop will be hinged at the top, between the sink and the rear tall cupboard. and a hanging rail to drop in stuff coz the bed frame wont give you access. 2 batteries under that, with say a 300 solar ontop. On our previous van we just bought a 8 inch thick foam peice, mattress cover and trimmed to size........BUT....costs again......

[Obison]

It can be done much cheaper than you think I've just built my second van, a 2015 swb nissan NV400, you can stand up in it even with a low roof, 112k miles, spotless base van.
Kitted out with 240v, 12v, 260ah batteries, b2b charger, solar, hot and cold water etc
It stands me at 10k Inc the van at £6800.


Choose your suppliers wisely, think about what you need and plan well, go for it!

[Obison]

[Obison]

[Obison]

[Obison]

[Tupe]

My home build has totaled about £6K including the van purchase. Admittedly a 25 year old non turbo high top is not to most folks liking. On the other heand there are no electronics to go wrong, and no engine electrics beyond starter and radio. had this for 4 or 5 years now. Engine has never once let me down....