Below we tracked and categorized the cost and labor of our entire DIY camper van conversion. Although it varies a lot with the complexity of your project (number of features), where you are located, etc., we hope it helps you create an estimate for your own van conversion!
A few notes:
– We didn’t track hardware cost precisely, but we added it to the cost of major components.
– The hours shown are hands-on time spent building the van; we spent countless hours researching and planning (Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.) which is not accounted here…
Far Out Van 1
Completed
- 2016 Ford Transit Cargo Van
- 3.7L Ti-VCT V6 Engine
- RWD
- 148″ Wheelbase, Extended Length (EL)
- High Roof
Our first labor of love, this Ford Transit camper van conversion took us throughout Canada, USA and Mexico. 4 years of full time Van Life adventures, unreal!
| ITEM (click to view Build Journal entry) | COST ($ US) | LABOR (hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Climate Control | 3,700 | 168 |
| Thinsulate | 1,050 | 20 |
| Low-E | 130 | 6 |
| Floor insulation | 100 | |
| Roof fan | 360 | 8 |
| Webasto gas heater | 1,300 | 30 |
| Fridge floor vent | 100 | 15 |
| Insulated window covers | 500 | 80 |
| Floor vent | 80 | 8 |
| Electrical System | 4,515 | 86 |
| Solar panels | 600 | |
| Lithium batteries | 1,900 | |
| Solar Charge controller | 225 | |
| System monitor | 205 | |
| Inverter | 370 | |
| Battery charger/converter | 215 | |
| DC-to-DC charger (B2B) | 400 | |
| Others (wiring, switch, fuses, etc) | 600 | |
| Living | 11,135 | 370 |
| Swivel seat (driver & passenger) | 900 | 8 |
| Awning | 1,300 | 8 |
| Floor | 565 | 30 |
| Platform bed | 450 | 20 |
| Slide-out-bike-rack | 280 | 8 |
| Fridge & electrical cabinet | 230 | 30 |
| 12V refrigerator | 1,275 | |
| Overhead storage | 150 | 40 |
| Bedroom storage | 150 | 30 |
| Sink & stove cabinet | 280 | 40 |
| Water system | 1,100 | 40 |
| Propane system | 1,000 | 40 |
| Composting toilet | 1,200 | 20 |
| Wood paneling | ||
| Mosquito screens | 1,200 | 0 |
| Radio upgrade | 525 | 5 |
| Speakers upgrade | 130 | 8 |
| Exterior shower | 100 | 10 |
| Tire inflator | 100 | 2 |
| Garage | 200 | 20 |
| Others | 850 | 15 |
| TOTAL | $20,150 | 640h* |
* To be fair, we most likely spent close to a 1,000 hours total. There is ALWAYS time lost here and there that we did not account for…
Far Out Van 2
In Progress
- 2021 Ford Transit Cargo Van
- 3.5L EcoBoost (twin-turbocharged) Engine
- AWD
- 148″ Wheelbase, Extended Length (EL)
- High Roof
Life is about project, so here’s an awesome new project to keep us busy for a while! We should start the conversion early January 2022, the cost and labor will be updated as we progress.
You Might Be Interested In:
Hi, love the site and all the info. I’m curious why your Eco Flow cot is so high on this page ($13,000 approx) but on this page (https://faroutride.com/ecoflow-vs-victron/#cost-vs-time) it’s much lower and listed as a lower cost to the diy victron approach. These two sections seem to contradict each other but I’m likely missing something. Thank you.
The comparison is made using 2 similar systems (Power Kit Gen 1 5kwh), for a fair comparison. Our Power Kit is the Gen2 10kwh and is more costly .
Thanks, that makes sense. Does that mean you’d recommend the EcoFlow over a DIY approach? And do you think in the Gen 1 meets the needs for one person full time van life, including over winter in Canada?
I know it would depend on my specific power needs, but generally speaking do you think the power kit gen 1 would be okay for a single person living full time in Canada?
You got a great site!
félicitations! super blog détail complet des étapes de fabrication.
merçi
Hi! I absolutely love your website! So much useful information, thank you! Also, do you have updated price list for the 2022 Ford Transit conversion?
Thank you!
It’s actually on this page: https://faroutride.com/cost-and-labor/#2022
We update it as we progress, it’s still a work in progress! As shown in our build journal: https://faroutride.com/van-2
🙂