With our first trip just around the corner, we’ve been tying up loose ends and tackling a wide range of projects—from sleeping arrangements and storage solutions to plumbing fixes and safety upgrades. It’s been a busy stretch, but the transformation is starting to feel complete. Here’s a full update on everything we accomplished this month as we prepare the bus for its maiden journey.
The mattress finally went in back in September, and with that checked off the list, we stumbled into our next challenge: how do the adults get into the top bunk without blocking the girls’ bunks?
After some brainstorming (and a few comical climbing attempts), we landed on the perfect fix—a foldable, movable ladder. It flips up, flips down, and M can even slide it aside from her bunk when she wants more room. Our first prototype was… functional-ish. But after reinforcing the hinges, we officially have a stable, non-cartoon-collapse ladder.
Cushions, Conversions, and Cozy Spaces
While we were engineering our sleeping setup, C was deep into cushion-making mode. She created seat and back cushions that transform:
the small booth into a couch
the big booth into an extra bed
Thanks to her, the bus now adjusts to whatever we need—lounging, dining, or squeezing in one more sleeper.
Dog Security & Added Privacy
Next, we installed a gate for the dog area so our furry friend can’t roam freely while we’re driving.
We also added blinds in the bathroom and the front window. Now we can park without giving the outside world a full view of our daily life.
The Great Waterline Mystery
Every project has that moment, and ours came when we hooked up the outside water line and spotted a mysterious drip under the bus. Not ideal.
Luckily, most of the water system is accessible from the inside. After opening the supply area, we found the culprit: a cheap plastic input that had decided its time on Earth was over.
M and I swapped it out for a metal input, hunted down all the right connectors, rebuilt everything, and—victory—no more leaks.
Tank Sensors That Actually Work
One of the tank sensors wasn’t responding. After testing, we confirmed it had failed and ordered a replacement. Now we can confidently tell when our tanks are empty or on the brink of overflowing. That peace of mind is priceless.
Kitchen Upgrades
The kitchen got a little love too:
Added a pull-out trash can
Built more storage
Left one small under-counter section open for now
We want to take a couple of trips before giving that last space its forever purpose.
Safety, Checklists & The Final Steps
Seat belts are officially installed—huge sigh of relief there.
We started a master checklist booklet to avoid driving off with open hatches, swinging doors, or surprise escapees from drawers and cabinets.
And since our last oil and filter change was in 2022 (yes, this project really has been going that long), that’s scheduled for this coming weekend.
Almost Road-Ready!
Once the oil change is done, we’re officially ready to hit the road. After all this work, it finally feels real—and we can’t wait for that first trip! 🚐✨
This month, we focused on finishing touches and preparing the bus for our first trip. The first step was installing the Murphy table made by M. The table features pictures of different stages of our bus, a chess/checkers board, and our name, along with the year the bus was completed. It looks great and provides a nice game area inside our bus.
Underside
Underneath the bus, we installed a tank wash system and worked on the tank sensors. While doing that, we discovered some leaks, so we had to redo parts of the drain. Sometimes, PVC glue dries before you can connect it properly. It should all be in order now.
Water tank piping
Small Touches
We built a shelf for our Redneck AC in the bedroom, so it doesn’t take up valuable storage space. We also finally replaced the indicator handle that we burned or melted in the first year and added a steering wheel cover. It drives much more comfortably that way.
Then we worked on the kitchen by installing drawers where we could, worked on the cubby above the driver’s seat for extra storage, and installed the TV for longer road trips and rainy days. We also installed cup holders that fit a Stanley cup and a shower curtain in our shower.
final touches – drawer fronts
Finally have beds
We cut the under-mattress ventilation pads to size and waited.
Then the mattresses arrived! It was a challenge to get the king size in place. It came rolled up and vacuum-sealed, and was rather heavy. M and I lifted it in through the side door. We measured it and thought we had placed it correctly.
Once we had it in place, we cut the plastic. Quickly, it showed the mattress was turned the wrong way (76×80 instead of 80×76). The challenge was to try to turn it before it fully inflated. It was pretty comical (after we finished), but it is a lovely mattress that we hope will give us many years of sleeping pleasure. And if it doesn’t… well, it’s not like we can ever take it out without cutting it up.
For the coming month, we have a few more finishing touches, but it’s likely to be one of those never-ending projects. We are very excited for our first road trip!
An exciting month for skoolie builders! With all the equipment we needed delivered to our front door step, we took the bus back home and took a week off work.
Access door
We started cutting a big hole in the side of the bus. This is where we had installed the base for the propane bottles. We needed to have an easy access door instead of having to climb underneath the bus each time we would have to swap bottles. Once we had the hole, we mounted the bottle support. Had to pull a few tricks out of the sleeve to ensure there was no more movement in it, but modifying our purchases to make them better has become second nature by now. With that completed, we finished the propane lines and secured them, then hooked up the bottles.
It is good that we held on to all the extra steel from the roof raise and the inside-the-bus removals. Out of this extra steel, we could fabricate a nice new door with a lock.
We checked all the fittings for leaks. Once we confirmed no leaks, it was time to fire up the stove and the water heater. It all worked!!!
More Holes
Then we had to drill one more hole for the kitchen drain, so we would know where to install the grey water tank. This tank is different than the black water tank, plus it is 100 gallons, so it must be supported by more wire rods to cope with the weight of the tank when it’s full.
Water tank support
We made a base in the garage with a steel plate cover, onto which a rubber gasket was glued. The base is to make sure that any rocks being kicked up while driving will not make a hole in the tank. Then we installed the wire rods in the places they should go, since once the tank is underneath, we will not have much space to work.
With all that finished, it was time to slide the tank under the bus. Easily said, but not so easily done. The steel skirt of the bus extends 14” above the pavement, but the tank is 18” high. Meaning – we need to raise the bus a minimum of 6” to have some extra space while sliding the tank underneath.
We manufactured ramps on one side of the bus that would lift the passenger side by 6”. Pretty tricky to get it all line up and drive onto it without issues. But under direction of the whole family, it went well.
Now that there was room
We slid the tank underneath, lifted the tank and slid the frame underneath the tank, and then lifted the entire structure so we could mount it. R and I connected the frame in the four corners, and then we were done, risking our lives underneath a tilted bus.
We rolled the bus back off the ramps and with a sigh of relief all was well with the world.
We spent another day attaching the remaining frame to the spindles and connecting the sink drains to the tank. It was completed by installing a carbon filter, just as we did for the black water tank.
Next step to becoming legal
Now, with everything installed, we could take the required pictures and weigh the bus. We called our local scrap yard to see if they would allow us over the scale, and they gladly helped us out. After printing our scale ticket, we gave them a little tour of the conversion.
The bus weighed in at 25060lbs! With the original weight including wheel chair ramp 34200lbs we had shredded just short of 10000lbs by taking out the metal ceilings, sides, chairs, ramp and all other heavy items. Quite impressive!
With the scale ticket, we went to the inspection facility. However, they informed us that RV inspections are no longer required in Texas as of January 2025. It seems that taking 3.5 years to do a conversion pays off.
Final Step
With the pile of papers, scale weight, and everything else that was required, we went to the GCTO sub-office at City Hall. They were unable to assist us with the conversion. However, we got a “pass the line” ticket to go and try it at the main office in League City. We had to wait the weekend, but were there Monday morning. Lo and behold, after an hour of back and forth, and of course, paying sales tax, we walked out with new license plates, an inspection sticker, and a temporary Texas title!! YEAY WE ARE STREET LEGAL!!!!!
Once home, we mounted the license plates, removed the three-and-a-half-year-old one-way permit, and replaced it with the inspection sticker. What a glorious day, we can go camping now!!!
Hose Storage
We needed to store the necessary hoses for emptying the black and grey water tanks under the bus, but keep them safe as well during transit. We bought some fence post covers and turned them into sewage hose storage at about a third of the cost of purchasing an “official” hose storage system. Another way of outsmarting the system.
By then it was time to return to storage
We still have some finishing touches to do, but we are legal and ready to roll. All we need now is cushions and mattresses.
Once we returned from the storage unit and opened our mailbox, we found a letter from our homeowners’ association asking us to remove our bus from the driveway. Not bad, considering it’s only three years in, and this is the first letter we’ve received. That said, they took a nice picture of the bus, so maybe we should frame it…
We are slowly making progress toward being able to make the bus legal with the black water tank installation. We connected a backup camera to the bus while it was still in storage. This camera stays on when driving, so we can see who is tailgating us while we drive.
Fitting it all underneath
We prepared a frame for the black water tank and went underneath the bus to determine the layout for the tanks and propane system. Once we finalized the design and placement of the tanks, we moved the bus to the driveway.
The black water tank installation was underneath the bus and connected to the toilet. We added a carbon filter to the system, so hopefully, we can keep most of the smells inside and outside the bus to a minimum.
Prepping for the next step
We took the supports that were initially for the evaporator and converted them into frame supports for the propane tanks.
We continued on the sides and ceiling inside the bus and pulled a new wire for the TV system.
The most important thing
While working in the driveway, we realized that not enough air from our split-unit air conditioner was reaching the back of the bus. This could be a major problem since our beds are located in the back. The most cost-effective solution was to purchase a window-mounted air conditioner for the nights when it gets too hot inside (which is most nights in Texas). However, this brought up another issue: we hadn’t installed an outlet to power this unit at the back of the bus. That meant we would need to drill another hole, this time from underneath the bus. And what are the chances of getting that right on the first try? Exactly zero.
Now we needed to repair the bathroom wall again. To simplify the process, we connected the outlet to the same fuse as the TV outlet, since it’s unlikely we would use both at the same time. Right now, it would be too complicated to run an additional wire directly to the fuse box. Additionally, we hadn’t installed the TV outlet yet, so it was easier to connect it that way.
It’s all in the details
From there we moved to finishing the ceiling above the driver’s door and window. It is looking very nice. With all that done, we had to go back to work, and so the bus went back to storage.
Meanwhile, we can order a grey water tank and the propane equipment we need to finish the propane hookup. More to come next month!
We had a few busy weeks at the start of June, but we eventually managed to get some work done. We made a sign with the bus name, painted it, stenciled it, and applied a clear coat, so hopefully it will not come off.
M continued working on the fold-down side table; it is starting to look very nice!
The tabletop for the big dinette was built along with the kitchen drawers.
We framed the windows to improve their appearance and built a center console, which N was excited to help paint. We were able to do all this without having the bus in the driveway.
Meanwhile at storage
With a few hours available, we decided to go to the storage to fix the back hatch. The hydraulic struts for the engine hatch had gone bad, so we had to replace those with a new pair.
New / Old
That was a lot easier than anticipated. About time something goes easy 😊. We did notice that the coolant leak is still not completely fixed, as we saw a bit more under the bus, but it is not enough to warrant immediate attention.
Once finally home
Eventually, we took the bus home again and officially mounted the name sign on the bus. We are very happy with the look!
Then we added the window frames we had prepared, and that made the bus look much more finished on the inside. Next, we removed the driver’s seat so we could clean up the driver’s cab. We moved some switches around and then added the last bit of flooring. It took a bit of effort to put the seat back, but R is always ready to get under the bus and get dirty, so in the end it all got put back safely.
We added a prebuilt center console that now holds a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a road hazard sign, so we have all these essentials close by. Then we finished some more of the ceiling before it was time to go to work again.
Meanwhile, the black water tank and fittings have been ordered, so that will be next on the list.
With spring comes weekends full of soccer, martial arts, and camping. Although we had limited time to work on the bus, we managed to make significant progress, including completing the kitchen.
Stationary A/C
April was spent building a frame to hold the AC condenser under the bus. We used U-channel from the depot and leftover brackets that we had purchased to install the solar panels on the roof. Once everything was bolted together, we moved the bus to the driveway and tried to install these brackets. Unfortunately, they did not fit in the planned spot. I tried to move the coolant hoses out of the way as best I could, but they just wouldn’t fit right, so we needed to find a new spot.
Our new spot was next to the fuel tank, but that means we can no longer fit the grey water tank there. Originally, that’s where the propane bottles were supposed to go, so we need a new tank plan. This is a problem for later.
After several hours of drilling and bolting, we finally had the frame in place and ready for the condenser. Once the condenser was in position, we noticed there was too much movement in the system, so we had to add some longitudinal braces to stabilize it securely.
After that, it was a matter of hooking up the electricity (which, of course, we initially got wrong, as I had forgotten which wire I had connected where on the evaporator after two weeks). Then we used a vacuum pump to evacuate the system and then let in the freon. Once everything was installed, it was the big moment to switch it on. And this lovely cool air flowed into our bus living room! Great success!
Time for the kitchen
Next, it was time to finish the kitchen walls. The challenge was to ensure that all connections remained accessible after installing the walls, which required some creative cutting and framing. The kitchen area looked much better with the completed under-wall! From there, we built part of the kitchen to prepare for installing the stove and sink.
Then it was time for work and travel, so we put the bus back in storage. We used this time to find a sink that would fit. Easier said than done, with a heater in the way and a custom kitchen layout. Three sinks later, we finally found one that would fit.
Wiggled too many hoses
In May, Oma came to visit. Always ready to lend a hand, we went to the storage unit to pick up the skoolie and… discovered LOTS of coolant fluid next to the bus! Not good! I suspect that since those hoses are 19 years old, they couldn’t handle the tugging and wiggling I did to install the air conditioner brackets the other day. It looks like we need new hoses. Luckily, we found two valves on the engine that let us shut off the hoses leading to the front of the bus, so we can delay that job until winter. We had to add 3 gallons of coolant to the bus and clean up the storage unit before heading home.
Everything AND the kitchen sink
Once the bus was in the driveway, we could start working inside again. Oma helped add more ceiling planks to the bus and then filled the hundreds of screw holes we had made. Next, we visited the depot to look for a kitchen counter that we could cut to fit. We bought a butcher block and then cut the holes for the stove and sink. It’s always nerve-wracking to cut big holes in a $150 piece of wood, but it turned out great. Soon, we were able to dry-fit the sink and stove. Oma then spent a couple of days polyurethaning the counter. It came out beautiful!
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The installation of the counter was straightforward, and once the sink was secured, we began working on the kitchen tiles. We used a smaller version of the tiles from the bathroom, and they turned out great. C decided that the boards used on the ceiling would work well on the wall above the counter, and it indeed looked good! Then Oma had to go home, and I had to travel some more, so the bus went back to storage.
Finishing up the kitchen
Once the walls were complete, we installed the stove/oven. It definitely has turned out to be a lovely space.
Looking forward to the next time we can work on it! We are so close to finishing, we can taste it!
February was spent installing all the electrical components. This required extensive research and some help from friends. As mentioned, the inverter didn’t fit in its designated space under the two-seater booth.
We rewired the solar panels to provide a better input to the solar charge controller. They were originally wired all in parallel, which produces high amps at low voltage (in our case 49.7V at 56.12 amps), but that setup wouldn’t work. We rewired them in a series-parallel configuration, resulting in 99.4 volts at 28.06 amps.
Including batteries
Once that was finished, we carried the two 24V 280Amp hour batteries into the bus. Weighing 57 lbs each, it was quite a heavy lift. They fit perfectly under the seat as planned.
We connected the batteries to each other and the bus bar, then hooked up the inverter, solar charge controller, 24V panel, and the converter to the 12V panels. We grounded the bus bar to the vehicle frame.
Boy, there were many wires to connect. That took some time, and some of the labels had fallen off during the various movements, making it a bit challenging to figure out which wire was which.
Time to cut some holes
Once the internal electrical system was connected, we wanted to install a shore power connection so we could run off the grid when we are parked at the house or a state park. We cut another hole in the side of the bus to install the shore connection.
We made the connections to the inverter, and then a friend advised us that we needed to use higher capacity wire for the shore connection. So, we rewired the entire system again.
Then we connected the 110V panel, which we will use to power the fridge, air conditioner, microwave, outlets, and the TV. Then it was time to do the scary thing: turn everything on….
First, we turned on the batteries or busbar. So far, so good. Then, we activated the solar panel array. And lo and behold, since the first time we installed them, the solar panels have been charging the batteries. We waited until it was dark, then went into the bus to turn on all the lights, fans, chargers, and everything in between.
What a relief — everything was working as planned!
Adding God’s light
Next, we installed an RV window in the kitchen area. This required cutting into the bus, which was a bit challenging. However, the rainstorm shortly afterward proved it was leak-free, and the extra light in the kitchen made it all worthwhile.
More Holes
Then we cut another hole for the bathroom vent. We started drilling from the inside, but then decided to switch to drilling from the outside. Of course, the first hole was in the wrong place and wouldn’t work. So, we made a new hole. In the end, it looks good, but I hope the mis-drilled hole doesn’t start leaking later on.
Moving toward the kitchen
We installed the drawer front on the drawer beneath the fridge and the doors of the cubbies above the dining booth. Then we completed the storage above the kitchen. This took M&R and me several attempts to get right. One of these cubbies is for the microwave and also holds the solar electrical box. We’re not yet sure how to hide that, but we’ll figure it out as we go.
Now for the most important part
Then we installed the AC on the bus. This means two more boxes out of the dining room! It took us six tries of installing and removing to get it to fit right, but finally, we are getting close to having cool air in our conversion! We drilled another hole in the bottom of the bus to feed all the lines through. We still need to install the condenser under the bus, but that’s a problem for another day.
Another hole was made in the bottom of the bus to run the propane hoses for the water heater and the cook stove. Of course, that one hole turned into two when the first hole ended up exactly on one of the bus frames. What are the chances? It’s that whole Murphy’s law thing.
Just before returning the bus to storage, we finished the insulation on the bathroom. That is a messy job, so it’s easier to do when the bus is in the driveway.
With that all installed, we can start finishing the kitchen area. I feel like we are about 14 days away from completion. Too bad we’ll have to spread that out over several weeks.
During the early January weeks, we built drawers and doors for the bathroom cabinet and a table for the hallway that M will decorate and cover with resin. We also made some seats that will fold out with that table. One of them we installed already.
Securing the refrigerator
We built a cabinet to secure our refrigerator in place. Since the back of the fridge is visible from the outside, we painted the window black. If we had anticipated the fridge’s final position, we would have covered the window during the roof raise, but our plans changed.
To save 6 inches of living space, we positioned the fridge cove above the fuel tank fill. This allowed us to utilize the space underneath for a drawer. We also created additional storage for a step stool, which will help us access the upper cabinets more easily. Furthermore, we relocated the AC duct to the front of the bus, which required some cutting in the overhead areas. We installed a 110v outlet and ran the wiring beneath the bus to connect to our electrical cabinet. Finally, we were able to place the fridge in its designated cove, clearing up space in the bus.
Vacation work
We had some vacation days left from last year, so we decided to bring the bus into the driveway to work on it for a week. After installing additional electrical wiring, we finished the roof boards inside the overhead compartments. However, it started raining, and we discovered a significant leak. We managed to seal it off and to prevent any future issues, we also installed a drain behind the insulation and covered it with plastic. After that, I added a plywood wall over it. Hopefully, this will do the trick.
Time for some seating
Next, we covered the wheel well and added insulation over it. After that, we began working on the booth seats. The back supports of the seats on the driver’s side are angled at 100 degrees and are taller than usual to enhance comfort. Additionally, these seats can be converted into an extra bed.
The booth is raised to provide a better view out of the window, and the space underneath is utilized for storage. We designed one of the benches to accommodate a dog kennel, complete with windows so the dog can see outside.
Since we had to wait for the other paint to dry, we decided to paint the kennel. Although we know dogs are colorblind, it seemed like a fun idea, and now our dog has a bunny to bark at while we’re driving.
After building the booth, C indicated that the overheads on the other side should be removed because they make the living area too claustrophobic. So we cut out almost a day of work in a time span of mere minutes. But we wasted enough time and money in other areas of this bus that it’s hardly noticeable. Except for the dust…. We tried SOOO hard not to have to cut or sand in the bus! Now, there is a nice gray layer on top of everything….
With the booth on the driver’s side in place, we made an additional seat area on the passenger side. This seat will be a seat/table/couch conversion. It could also be turned into a bed for a kid-size person. Underneath this seating area, we will have shoe storage and electrical components. Those will take up a lot of space, and we will have to put those in before the kitchen to know if we need to overflow this into an overhead or kitchen cabinet. The booth on the door side is a bit smaller to prevent the claustrophobic feeling we discussed, plus it will give us a bit of floor space next to the driver’s seat that we can pile in when we enter the bus.
With all that seating in place it was time to put in the ceiling planks and the flooring so we can trim the sides of the booths.
Then everything was ready for the main electrical system. After MONTHS (and months!) of research and help from fellow skoolie owners, we finally managed to get our system together. This is by far the most expensive part of the conversion. In order from most to least expensive:
– Automatic fire extinguisher for electrical cabinets
For a whopping total of $5100(!). Add almost $2000 in solar panels that we purchased last year, and our electrical system is just over $7000. Happy birthday to me…. (Note: that is a mid-range cost for a skoolie conversion in the south.) So, if you want to try this as well, start saving or go live in the Pacific Northwest instead of in 100-degree AC-required weather in Texas…..
One of the batteries arrived the day we would return the bus to storage. I am glad it did because it is BIG and HEAVY. It fits under the planned electrical cabinet perfectly! Secured it in place with blocks. And since we were working on electrical anyway, we figured we’d also put the Multiplus in place. But, of course, there is a ¾” difference between the drawing and the actual built dimensions because we decided to put a piece of plywood over the wheel well. Meaning the multiplus does not fit. Sigh. And we have no other place to put it unless we put it above the batteries, and that’s not a good idea. Alternatively, we put it in the kitchen, which creates a serious issue with fitting the stove.
Getting SO tired sometimes. Anyway, the option is to raise the booth floor 2 ½” (might as well add the extra ventilation space now) and have relatively short legroom or raise the whole booth. Basically, starting from scratch. The table is in place already, and we really don’t want to move that at this point.
What’s next? Probably the rewiring of the solar panels and electrical installation, then the hallway wall, followed by the air-conditioning installation. There is still so much to do….
In December, we had several days to work on the bus since we still had some vacation days left and time available during the Christmas holiday. So, we brought the bus home and focused on the bathroom installation.
Shower and vanity
The one wall of tiles for the shower stayed in place, so we proceeded to tile the other wall.
Shower walls
Then, we built the bathroom vanity, which blocked us from walking through the bathroom wall. We now had to walk around to get in there. With the vanity in place, we put the remainder of the bathroom flooring down, followed by finishing the bathroom walls.
Vanity and flooring
We added hot and cold water piping in the wall and to the toilet-to-be. We had marked the bus frames on the side walls of the bus interior to make sure none of the piping would hit the floor frames under the bus; after “dry” placing the toilet and sitting on it to check clearances, we moved it as close to the frame mark as possible.
Time to cut a hole in the bus
Then, it was time to cut the hole for the pipe from the toilet to the black water tank. With a 3.5” hole cutter, we made the cut through the subfloor. Once we lifted that portion out, we noticed, to our disappointment, that we were 1” over the framing. That 5-minute cut just became half a day of work…
We tried the reciprocating saw as best we could, but in the end, we still had to go under the bus to clear more steel. In the picture, you can still see a steel bar under the hole. That bar holds the mud flaps of the rear tires, so we can easily move it and reweld it by the time we put the black water tank underneath. We could now put the pipe in place and the toilet on top.
Reciprocating SawSteel bar under busBus frame cut throughAll clear from under the bus
Next, we built the sink counter for the cabinet. After checking for counters in our favorite hardware store (which coincidentally has the colors of the Dutch Royal family) and its prices, we came up with the idea to use vinyl instead. We bought a large roll and tried to stick it on as best we could. However, our bus is a home build, and due to curved lumber, wall adjustments, etc., none of the walls are 90 degrees, and thus, the vanity counter is not squared either. After three attempts, we finally figured out how to get it on without bubbling underneath.
The first attempt
Connecting drains
We dry-placed the sink and could now cut the hole for the drain in the correct place. We played it safe this time and stayed well away from the frame indication. That seemed a good idea at the time and thus the hole was cut without issue. However, when we tried to put the Hepvo valve on (it is a valve that is used instead of a P-trap, so there are no tank smells in the bus when the bus is in storage and the P-trap dries out), the hole was 1” off (hmm where did we have the measurement issue before) with the drain…
R suggested using an “angled pipe,” I am unsure why we did not think about that ourselves. Another trip to the home store and 2 x 45-degree angles later, it all fit. We managed to slide the drainpipe over the main bus frame to still be able to eventually mount the grey water tank on the starboard side of the bus. With the drain installed, we tried to connect the hot and cold waterlines from the sink, and we were only three inches off from making that work. So we had to cut two new holes and adjust the waterlines. This time at least not too big a deal because those two unused holes won’t be visible anyway.
Medicine cabinet
Next, we built the behind-the-mirror shelf. We bought one in the store, but it was very flimsy. We can do better than that. However, purchasing a beveled mirror by itself is twice as expensive as buying a recessed mirror cabinet. So we bought the latter, removed the mirror, and put it on our design. It looks pretty good if I say so!
Shower Head
Then, we installed the shower head. We raised the bus roof to have plenty of height for the shower. So, we dry-fit it to cut the hole. But that seemed a little high, so on a whim, I moved the drill down two inches and started drilling. WHY????? I have NO IDEA!? So now the shower head is still lower than we wanted. Was this whole year of roof-raising all for nothing????? Stupid me. But we did not want to drill a second hole and move the shower up because that would always remain visible. So now I will likely just be annoyed while showering on our bus. Oh well. Sometimes I amaze myself….
All the details
Next, we spent a day or two on caulk, paint, and trim touchups. We also had to figure out where to place the toilet roll. Wise decisions were made there. Then, we installed some hardware, a door lock, and a towel ring.
Now for the real test
The day after Christmas, it was plumbing testing time. We connected the hose to the bus; M was on the faucet outside, C was checking the plumbing behind the shower, R was under the sink, and I was behind the toilet to check all the connections. As soon as M opened the water valve, I got sprayed with a gallon of water. The first connection clearly failed. I closed the toilet valve and went to check the rest. All the other connections were dry except for the shower. After three new attempts, the shower connection was still leaking.
We made a quick trip to the depot and bought a new shower connector and toilet hose. In the afternoon, we ran a second test. The toilet issue was fixed, but the shower was still leaking, so we ordered a new shower arm.
While waiting…
Since we had to wait a few days for that, we figured we’d install the heater so we could test those connections as well. That meant cutting a 13×13” hole in the side of our bus. However, with some of the electrical lines already in place and the location of some of the bus structures, we had to build a raised platform first, which meant installing the cabinet bottom plate. With all that in place, we made the cut. This time, it went without a glitch. Although I did burn my fingers on the metal of the bus while applying the caulk. That steel gets very hot in the sun!
We installed the heater and built a cabinet around it, then connected the water lines.
The shower arm came in at the same time, so we installed that, too. Then we did our water test once more. This time, it was all dry. Everyone was happy about a successful few weeks. In the end I just noticed that we forgot the shower arm cover, so I put that on—and scratched the paint off the shower arm in the process. Sigh. It’s never-ending.
With that, the bathroom was complete
Last little bit for now
Last, we made the coves for our extra hallway seats and table. Then, we measured the remainder of the bus. We tried to check if we can make changes in the kitchen but figured out there is only one actual order to do it in now that the location for the heater is set.
So, we taped the seating booth out on the skoolie floor and assessed the situation. That does not give us enough walking room, seeing the full-size fridge we bought. We have to switch the booth to the other side of the bus. That means there will be a change in the electrical plans as well. In short, we now have to build the fridge cove first (so we can secure it when driving), followed by the seating booth, before being able to start on the kitchen. The ever-changing plans of a skoolie….
Excited for 2025, we hope to have her finished this year!!
Life is busy, but we are making slow progress. That said, our timetable has been adjusted once more. Slow and steady wins the race. What we have done in the past weeks:
October
We added a shelf and electrical cables to each of the girls’ cubbies. They will all have USB chargers, string lights, and a fan in the front of their cubbies and light and USB in the back of their cubbies. With the electrical work completed, we closed the cubbies off by putting the plywood on top, which will become our bed.
Plywood for bed
Installing the plywood for our bed into the bus required some navigation since the bathroom walls were already in place. We cut some holes and made little access hatches so we could still access the electrical wires later. Once all the plywood was in place, we had to figure out in which orientation we were going to sleep so we knew where to place our storage bins.
Next, we finished the trim around the windows. We had to special fit these so we can take the windows out when needed. Meanwhile, we painted the bathroom doors. We bought folding doors, removed the folding hinges, and will use them as regular doors instead to reduce the space required to open them. They don’t sell doors that size separately, so converting a folding door was a good solution.
Next, we built storage bins on the plywood bed for the parents’ clothes, creating quite a bit of storage space. We also added lights and USB chargers. Since there was not much we could do with that space, we covered the wheel wells and turned them into steps. We filled them with insulation to reduce the road noise.
Extra door
Then we moved to the side door. We kept this door in our bus to quickly access large items and ventilation when parked. It took a bit of thinking to re-design the door so it can be opened from the inside but not from the outside. Until now, we used a ratchet strap to keep this door closed. While working on the door, we discovered it did not close and seal properly, so we had to cut and reweld it again to make it fit better. Then, I added plywood over it, followed by the wall covering.
November
We added the flooring so we knew how much height to consider for the bathroom doors. We finished the bedroom and bathroom walls and added the bathroom light and fan switches. Then the trim and the doors (I hope they will not warp) hung. Finally, we added the handles, locks, hinges, and AC vent closures. That finally completed the bedroom. Now we must figure out how to get a king-size mattress into the bus with already built bathroom walls….
Bathroom
The bathroom is next on our list, starting with a shower pan. It took a while to determine whether we should go with a full stall or a shower curtain. We chose the latter to have more space when the shower is unused. This meant we had to cut a hole in the drain. Fortunately, in the beginning, when we put the subfloor in place, we had already marked the location of the frames under the bus, so we managed to put the drain where there was no framing underneath. But of course, there was an outside storage bin that we had to remove. Which was too large to get from underneath the bus, so we had to cut up our precious storage box. Once the cut was made, the girls ensured the hole was big enough. Then, we glued the shower pan in place and added some weight on top until the glue dried.
Next, we installed the bathroom ceiling and light before adding the shower wall. We used Polysterene backer board for the shower. It is easy to cut and pretty light. We used Palisade tiles over the backer board. Next time we visit the bus, we will see how that holds.
The beginning of December is busy with family life as usual, but now that our dining room is full of materials after Black Friday, we will have to take some days off to finish the bathroom.
