We’ve seen a lot of clever alternatives to the classic mobile home lately, and this van that was converted into a cozy family vacation home is no exception. It uses boat building techniques to make the most of the available space, and the result is a spacious and comfortable home on wheels. It was built by Jack Richens of This Moving House.
Jack used a second-hand 2012 Mercedes Benz Sprinter van with a long wheel base for this project. The main aim of the van is to serve as a family vacation home, since jack and his girlfriend have two children. The home was designed by his girlfriend and built by Jack. The most innovative and space-saving design feature are certainly the stacked bunk beds, which are constructed in a way that maximizes the available space and doesn’t clutter up the interior. They were able to squeeze three sleeping tiers into a very small area with the technique they employed, which they borrowed from boat builders.
The kitchen is very compact, yet still highly functional. It features a long and narrow sink, a two-burner stove, and a good amount of counter space. The dining area was also very cleverly designed. The chairs are the original van seats, with the front two altered so they can be swiveled around to face the back. The dining table was placed in the area between the four chairs. The interior appears quite open and spacious, and does bear a distinct resemblance to a boat. There is no toilet on the van, which is a bit unfortunate, but then again, toilets can easily be found anywhere.
They purchased the van for around $10,000, while materials and equipment cost a further $8500. So the biggest expense was the time and labor involved, but it was certainly worth it. And Jack has already received several queries for commissions and is getting ready to start building more of these unique mobile homes.
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