Cost And Labor Of DIY Camper Van Conversion

Cost And Labor Of DIY Camper Van Conversion

Cost and Labor
Updated:

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…

Logo-FarOutRide-(dollar-sign-cost)

Ford Transit Conversion 2016

Our First Van Conversion

Faroutride Kitchen 3
  • T-250 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 Control3,700168
Thinsulate1,05020
Low-E1306
Floor insulation100
Roof fan3608
Webasto gas heater1,30030
Fridge floor vent10015
Insulated window covers50080
Floor vent808
Electrical System4,51586
Solar panels600
Lithium batteries1,900
Solar Charge controller225
System monitor205
Inverter370
Battery charger/converter215
DC-to-DC charger (B2B)400
Others (wiring, switch, fuses, etc)600
Living11,135370
Swivel seat (driver & passenger)9008
Awning1,3008
Floor56530
Platform bed45020
Slide-out-bike-rack2808
Fridge & electrical cabinet23030
12V refrigerator1,275
Overhead storage15040
Bedroom storage15030
Sink & stove cabinet28040
Water system1,10040
Propane system1,00040
Composting toilet1,20020
Wood paneling
Mosquito screens1,2000
Radio upgrade5255
Speakers upgrade1308
Exterior shower10010
Tire inflator1002
Garage20020
Others85015
TOTAL$20,150640h*

* 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…


Ford Transit Conversion 2022

Our next chapter

FarOutRide-New-Van-2021-Ford-Transit-AWD-Blue
  • T-350 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.

ITEM (click to view Build Journal entry)COST
($ US)
LABOR
(hour)
Exterior
Wheels upgrade1,4000
Larger all-terrain tires upgrade1,2000
Roof rack & ladder2,5904
Nudge Bar8951
Motorized Antenna Tilt (weBoost Fold Up/Down)2002
Awning
Cell phone signal booster
Suspension leveling kit
Mosquito screens
Climate Control
Roof fan
Bunk window
Thinsulate
Low-E
Floor insulation
Air heater
Insulated window covers
Wall fan
Electrical System
Solar panels
Battery bank
Solar charge controller
System monitor
Inverter/charger
DC-to-DC (B2B) alternator charger
Others (wiring, switch, fuses, etc)
Water System
Fresh water tank
Pump & accumulator
Sink
Water heater
Others
Floor
Insulation is covered under “Climate Control”
Subfloor (plywood)
Vinyl flooring
Others (adhesive, etc.)
Walls & Ceiling
Insulation is covered under “Climate Control”
Paneling
Swivel Seats
Driver3991
Passenger3991
Kitchen
Cabinet (driver side)
Cabinet (passenger side)
Overhead storage
12V refrigerator
Others
Living room / Dining room / Office
Lagun Table (Passenger Seat)2801
Composting toilet
Couch / composting toilet’s cabinet
Bedroom
Bed platform
Bedroom storage
Garage
Slide-out-bike-rack
Others
TOTAL$7,36310h

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About-Us-Narrow

Hello! We’re Isabelle and Antoine 🙂 In 2017, we sold our house (and everything in it), quit our engineering careers, and moved into our self-built campervan. Every day is an opportunity for a new adventure... We’re chasing our dreams, and hopefully it inspires others to do the same!

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Thanks to all of you, we managed to negociate group discount on these. Strength in numbers!