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Van conversion book cover  – From Van to Home by Mike Hudson Vandogtraveller

Have you ever dreamt about having your own home on wheels with everything you need to live and travel wherever you like?

Transform any van into your beautiful off-grid home on wheels, without the overwhelm and confusion

Get the ebook now for only £14.99
  • 71MB PDF – Instant Download
Buy now

Get the ebook now for only £14.99

Buy now

Making a old empty van into your home can be daunting project if you’ve never done it before. I mean, where do you even start? What do you need? How much will it cost? And how can you be a plumber, electrician and joiner all at once when you know nothing about that stuff?

campervan before conversion
camper van after conversion

If you want to know exactly how I transformed this van (shown in the pictures above) with zero woodwork or van conversion experience then this book is for you. I believe that anyone can do this with a bit of time and patience. I'll take you through the whole process in simple, detailed steps

”

If you're reading this and haven't bought this book yet then buy it now!

Beautifully put together and unbelievably helpful, we couldn't have done our conversion without it! Thank you

– abigiltinan 

Freedom & adventure starts here

Get the ebook now for only £14.99
  • 71MB PDF – Instant Download
Buy now

Maybe you have the same dream?...

My dream was to make a van into my home. A self-contained home on wheels with everything I’d need to travel and live anywhere I want.

To explore the world, live in different places, meet different people and let every day be an adventure. Off into the sunset. To be free, with the whole of Europe (and possibly beyond) as my garden. 

But it was an overwhelming dream I never thought could happen. I mean, where do you even start? What do you need? How much will it cost? And how can you be a plumber, electrician and joiner all at once when you know nothing about these things?

Mike Hudson author of From Van to Home
Mike Hudson

Author of From Van to Home

After going through months of frustration, misinformation, confusion and the overwhelm I now realise that, with the right information, and if you break it down properly, none of this stuff is especially difficult. That's why I made this book

This book will take you from VAN to HOME

This book shows you – from start to finish – exactly how I transformed this van (see above), with zero woodwork or van conversion experience, into my highly functional cosy off-grid home – the place I’ve lived since 2014.

  • Set yourself up for van success by knowing everything you need before you start – tools, time, cost, skills and other resources.
  • Choose the right van from the very start. This is what the whole project relies on and getting it wrong can cost you. Getting this part right will save a lot of potential stress and frustration in the future, as well as money of course.
  • Protect your (van) investment against rust to make it last for years to come.
  • Have all the functionality and comfort of a home. Water, gas and electrical system explained with full step by step examples and illustrations. 
  • Have a van-home that actually feels like a home. My aim from the start was to avoid using the typical materials that most campervan conversions use – laminated plastics and composite materials that just don’t feel nice and that don’t age well.
  • Be free to roam anywhere by installing solar panels so you'll always be able to generate your own power to run everything in the living space: fridge, lights, pump, sound system and even your computer.
  • No one left out. This book assumes you're an absolute beginner, just like I was. 
  • Get on the road as quickly as possible by learning from my many hours of research, mistakes and experience. 

A home you can truly call your own

Imagine this...

Campervan travelling in Norway with the Northern Lights
Campervan travelling in Morocco in the desert
  • A home you actually own and instead of tying you down with bills and debt it lets you live life in a whole new way, giving you endless adventures and experiences you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
  • More money in your bank every month that would normally go on rent or, if you’re travelling, hotel and hostel costs.
  • Being independent of 'the grid' and not being tied down with gas and electricity bills.
  • Having adventures and experiences you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
  • Running a business from your van. This is the time we live in: you can run a business, and have a global impact, from your van, with just a computer and internet connection – and of course some coffee and a nice view.
  • The satisfaction of living in something you built – a home to be truely proud of

The book I wish I had

I wrote this book with my former self in mind – someone who had never done anything like this before, stood inside an empty rotting van, wondering how to start and how it’s ever going to be finished. 

This book is for you if... 

  • You want to convert a van into your home but don’t know where or how to start. 
  • You are looking for ideas and inspiration to help you make your van really awesome and unique. 
  • You want to know how to master the technical things once and for all, like the electrical system, solar power, water system and so on. But especially the electrical system!
  • You want to get a good idea of what's needed to convert a van, including skills, time and cost before you start.
  • You need a bit of guidance and moral support when everyone else thinks your crazy for wanting to live in a van.
  • Or maybe you’re part way through your van conversion but you’ve hit a bit of a brickwall.

Many happy customers

”

I bought your book a while ago and it is the best DIY book I’ve ever read. It is so detailed and it always has me inspired. I live in New York City, and I’m saving up some money for this awesome project, to travel long and far. Thank you for your book, it is truly amazing :-)” 

– Sharukh GV

”

I love your book and your website! No Bullshit, only useful information about van conversion and van life. Enjoy your journey and your free life. Best regards”

– Johannes

”

Hey, Just wanted to say I bought your book, built a van, spent a summer travelling around Europe in it, lived in it for a year in the UK (over winter!) and am now recommending your book to a friend who is planning to do the same. The best, most helpful book on the subject by miles. Thanks Mike!” 

– Chris 

Revised for 2021

From Van to Home ebook – van conversion guide
  • High resolution annotated images to give you a clear understand of every step
  • Chapter summaries so you can easily find what you’re looking for
  • Formatted to A4 size so you can easily print it out
  • 17 chapters plus a bonus chapter (387 pages)
  • Modifications to my van and lessons I've learnt from several years of living in it 
  • This book has helped thousands of people all around the world and now, this revised edition is better than ever

Chapter listing

1. Introduction

Welcome to From Van to Home – How I made an old rusty van into my cosy off-grid home

2. What Do You Need?

Set yourself up for success and efficiency from the very start by gathering all your resources

  • Time – how long will it take? 
  • Skills – what do you need?
  • Money – how much will it cost?
  • Space to work – how much do 
  • Tools – what do you need?  

3. Getting a Van

The whole project relies on this step. Best to get it right first time. This chapter shows you how

  • Reducing the overwhelm
  • Choosing your van 
  • Buying a used van
  • The van I chose
  • Choosing your van
  • Making a plan

4. Preparing the Van

Fix current problems and prevent future ones. If you want to travel, you need a reliable van

  • Testing the van 
  • Fixing known problems 
  • Van preparation products 
  • Remove and treat rust 
  • Repair rust using fibreglass 
  • Protecting the wheel arches
  • Protecting the van’s underside 
  • Protecting the hollow sections 
  • Checking and repairing leaks

5. The Shell

From a blank van to a blank room. This is where things get exciting and you can really start to imagine how your van will be

  • Windows
  • Sound deadening 
  • insulation
  • Lining the walls and ceiling 
  • Finishing the wood

6. The Bathroom

If you want a hot shower and toilet in your van, I'll show you how I did it

  • Bathroom location
  • Fitting the shower tray
  • Constructing the bathroom enclosure
  • Fitting the toilet
  • Making a seal around the door
  • Bathroom door construction
  • Bathroom light
  • Fitting shower and tap assembly
  • Bathroom extractor fan

7. Kitchen

The most important room area in your home. Prepare delicous meals no matter where you are

  • Kitchen location
  • Fitting the sink and hob unit
  • Cupboard doors and drawer
  • Kitchen extractor fan
  • Tiles for splash wall
  • The fridge
  • Choosing a fridge
  • Kitchen finishing touches

8. Sofa Bed

Thankfully there no need to sacrafice a good nights sleep whilst still having the high functionality that a small small space requires

  • Sofa bed location
  • Building the end part of the sofa bed
  • Building the main part of the sofa bed (with extension)
  • Finishing the sofa bed
  • A bonus bed – a hammock

9. Water System

No special training needed to make a cup of tea. Just flick the lever of the tap and water comes out

  • Water system building blocks
  • Installing the fresh water tank
  • Water filler cap
  • Water pump and accumulator
  • Water heater
  • Grey water tank

10. Gas System

Gas isn’t exactly the latest technology but nothing beats in terms of energy density and cost. Basically, it means you can stay off the grid for months before having to refill

  • Gas system building blocks 
  • Installing the gas system 
  • Testing for leaks
  • Heating the van
  • (cylinder, regulator, manifold)
  • Heater timer

11. Electrical System

Everyone's favourite part of a van conversion (joking, of course). This chapter will help you master the electrical system once and for all

  • Basic electronics.
  • The building blocks of a van’s electrical system.
  • Planning your electrical system and choosing the right components.
  • Building up a system step by step, starting with a basic circuit.
  • Basic electrical construction.
  • How I installed the electrical system in my van.
  • Updates over the four years of living in my van.

12. Storage

You can store a lot in your van. Done right, you can easily find and access those things without the stress

  • The various storage places in my van
  • Office seat and storage 
  • Updates to the storage
  • Shelves from found wood

13. It's in the Detail

Details are important. This is what makes a space truely yours. It's what makes people go 'woahh, you built this?' 

  • Miscellaneous details (decor and functionality)
  • Window curtains and shutter
  • Van plants
  • The golden ratio
  • Updates and modifications

14. Entertainment

Thanks to technology we can live mobile lives with minimal compromise. For example, you might not be able to bring all of your 12” records but you can certainly bring all your music, and books and films – and they can all fit into a box smaller than the size of your hand.

  • Installing a sound system (speakers and amplifier)
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Internet connectivity
  • Van activities
  • A musical synthesiser to match the van
  • Surprise bonus

15. Safety

Peace of mind is important, especially if you're new to the van life. I'll walk your though the essential safety equipment and also some optional additional van security

  • Safety equipment
  • Van security: engine disable switch
  • Van security: fitting extra locks

16. Getting Legal

Can't avoid this one. I'll walk you through the legal requirements and how I met them with my van

  • Legal requirements for a vehicle (tax, insurance, MOT)
  • Driving in Europe
  • Amending the van’s classification

17. An Overview of My Van

I often get asked what model fridge I have, or solar controller, or speakers, pump, tank. Well, it's all in here.

  • Feature list and specification of my van
  • Layout of my van
  • Gallery

18. But Actually Doing it Though (Bonus Chapter)

Important lessons on mindset and seeing the project through to the very end – no one talks about these things but I believe they are critical

  • Eight lessons I learnt converting my van
  • Staying on track
  • Thank you

Look inside

>> Click to see more inside <<

Thousands of people now living the Vanlife

”

The best book, thanks so much. Couldn’t have built my van without it. Really thank you so so much for being the inspiration and helping me build my own

– philsmithies 

”

So many conversions seem kind of shoddy and yours is the first I found (with great 'instructions') that actually looks somewhere I would want to live. Plus it's great to have guidance from a fellow Brit where measurements are in metric and materials are widely available. So thank YOU for sharing your journey! I'm glad the you've been able to continue it by sharing it! Much love 

– Tim 

”

The best, most helpful book on the subject by miles. Thanks Mike

– Chris 

About the author

Mike Hudson

AUTHOR OF FROM VAN TO HOME

From office worker to full-time traveller, best selling author, photographer and blogger. 

It's been a crazy ride, my mind has been blown and life has gone beyond what I ever imagined.

And it all started with a big van…

About the author

Mike Hudson

Author of From van to Home

From office worker to full-time traveller to best selling author, photographer and blogger. 

It's been a crazy ride, my mind has been blown and life has gone beyond what I ever imagined.

And it all started with a big van…

Feed your van dream

Don’t be another person with only great ideas and dreams about how your van-home will be, if only you ever got round to doing it.

Start here and make it happen. Even if converting a van is one of the things you say you’ll do ‘someday’, feed your van dream now because maybe it's more possible than you think...

Feed your van dream

Don’t be another person with only great ideas and dreams about how your van-home will be, if only you ever got round to doing it.

Start here and make it happen. Even if converting a van is one of the things you say you’ll do ‘someday’, feed your van dream now because maybe it's more possible than you think...

Make your van happen

Get the ebook now for only £14.99
Buy now
  • 71MB PDF – Instant Download
From Van to Home Van conversion guide ebook front cover

You are fully protected by my 100% Satisfaction-Guarantee.


I want every single person who buys this book to be satisfied. If you are not fully satisfied, please tell me about it and I’ll give you a full refund. That’s a promise from me. Furthermore, if there's anything I can help with, such as problems downloading or reading the book, just contact me.

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Old van to cosy home in 3 months

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