Bespoke Van Build Guide

You could firstly ask yourself:

How are you going to mainly use the space?

• If you have chosen a small van, you might mostly be using it to sleep in, so you want to prioritise the comfort of the bed and have outside cooking facilities
• Are you very sociable and often go away with friends so want to prioritise lots of seating e.g: have a U-shaped seating area
• Do you need a fixed, raised bed to fit bikes and other sporting equipment?
• Do you want flexible modular furniture options, allowing you to remove some of it, if at times you need to use it as a work van, or store extra gear like bikes etc.

How do you configure your sleeping and seating arrangements?

This depends on the type of bed you choose and what size van you have. If you have chosen a small van, you have the decision of whether you need or want a rock and roll bed. This is the most common choice if you need the extra seating, for instance if you have a family. However, if you don't need the extra seatbelts, then you have so many more options availble to you. Do you have a slide out sofa/bed instead? Do you have U shaped seating etc. 

If you have chosen a large van, you may choose to have a fixed bed at the back to maximise the storage available. You then have a few differnt options of where the seating goes. I always like the seating to be opposite the sliding door so you can maximise the views. Others like to have a sliding table from under the bed with seats opposite one another making it perfect for eating at or playing games. 

Or if you have a bigger budget, you may want to look at have a full size bed that can raise up, leaving you with a larger living space underneath. You might choose to have U shaped seating underneath this. But note, it will lower you ceiling dramatically, so you may want to look at an extra high roof.

What kind of table do you want and where?

A swivel one, one that pulls out from under the bed, one the folds up or slots into the floor.

The position of your seating may determine your options here.

Do you have the cab area open or closed off?

Do you utilise the cab area for extra space/seating, or close it off for added privacy and warmth? 

  Pros of having it open:

. It allows you to have swivel seats and opens up your living area.                   

. It provides you with a different seating configuration.                                         

. Its an easier way to seat 4 or more people around a table                                 

. It can make your van feel bigger 

•   Pros of having it closed off:
• The Cab area is hard to insulate and has a lot of windows, so it counteracts    your insulation, letting a lot of heat in during hot days, and feels very cold when the temperatures drop
•  Removing the bulkhead and replacing it with an insulated wall can make a huge difference to keep those temperatures more controlled.
• It can also provide you with more privacy, so people can't see it, and feel safer
• It can make it more secure, as if people break into the cab area, they might not be able to access the back.
• It prevents condensation build up on the cab windows, and also means you don't need to use thermal window covers so keeps you looking more stealth for wild camping

Layout three

Utilising the cab area, by opening it up and having swivel seats. This maximising the full length of the van, opening it up and make the van feel more spacious. 

Things to condicer:

Please read above for the pros & cons

Layout four

The big bathroom debate! To have one or not to have one?

Things to concider:

The bathroom does take up a lot of space and is only really possible in a LWB Sprinter/Crafter size van. Unless you have a collapsible one. But this may cause problems with mold if not dried properly before storage.

You use a lot of water to shower, are you always going to have places you can fill your water tanks

They can double up as a great place to hang wet clothes or gear and run a heating duct in there.