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Building out a van to custom meet your traveling and lifestyle needs can be so fun and exciting, but also overwhelming and stressful. Yes, there’s a lot of work that goes into it, but the outcome is worth the process. It starts with the dreaming phase, then the planning stage, and then finally the execution! Here are the 7 main things you need to think about for your camper van build.

1. Who’s doing the work? DIY or hired out?

Do you or your partner have construction or electrical experience? Are either of you eager to learn new skills via Youtube education, even though you may not know the first thing about building out a van? If you are a hands-on, do-it-yourselfer, then building out your van yourself (with help of course from the parents or friends) is the way to go! You will know the ins and outs of how everything goes together, so when there is need for repair or replacement, you will know exactly what you’re doing. 

If the very idea of DIY-ing your own camper van freaks out, then no worries! There are many places out there that will do it for you, and of course will follow your exact plan. The pros of having a ‘pro’ do it is that it will probably get done much faster than doing it yourself, and you know it will be done right. There’s no second guessing if it’s actually rainproof, or waiting till you’re on the road to find out that every wire is hooked up right. 

2. How many people are traveling in the van? How many seats/beds do you need?

This is a critical question and affects the main layout of the van. Remember, there’s not a TON of room in a van, so if you need extra seats for kids or guests, you’ll want to plan for that. 

Do you like to take friends on trips with you? Do you have kids with you now or in the near future? You can often throw up a tent for sleeping arrangements for extra people, but proper seats with seat-belts are not something you want to skimp out on. Especially if kids are in the picture.

3. Floor layout

Now that you know how many people you are building for, you can start planning the layout. What things are important to you when you think about your dream camper van? 

Do you want to be able to walk the length of the van, or at least access it from the front passenger seat? Are you wanting to cook inside? Do you want a toilet or indoor shower?

Where will your main bed go? Do you want it permanently set up, or would you rather have extra space and make your bed every night and put it away every morning? 

If this is your first van it’s hard to imagine what would be the best fit for you, so talk to other people about their experience. If possible, go for a trial run or two in a van set-up you think you would like, and see how it goes. 

4. Bathroom

Bathroom in a van. Possible? Absolutely. Necessary? Totally up to you. My previous vans have been bathroom-less, and I appreciate the extra space, but granted, there have been a few nights where hunting for a spot to pee was the last thing I wanted to do. 

I think there are two important factors to consider when deciding on a bathroom. 1) how large is your van? And, 2) what travellers would utilize it the most? By this I mean, are you a frequent bathroom user that struggles going anywhere that’s not a bathroom? Do you have little kids with you that need to pee often? Are you living in it full time or mostly for weekend trips and small getaways?

If you are in it full time, having a bathroom will probably give you ease of mind. If your trips are shorter, dealing with finding bathrooms or making sure they are en route shouldn’t be an issue.