Cost And Labor Of DIY Camper Van Conversion

Cost And Labor Of DIY Camper Van Conversion

Cost and Labor
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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

Completed

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

In Progress

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)
WEIGHT
(lb)
Exterior
Wheels upgrade1,4000?
Larger all-terrain tires upgrade1,2000?
Roof rack & ladder2,590495
Rear Door Platform1,495336
Rear Door Bike Rack31914
Rear Door Tire Carrier1,195330
Nudge Bar895120
Motorized Antenna Tilt20021
Awning
Cell phone signal booster
Air Lift Suspension Kit1,9451080
Mosquito screens
Climate Control
Roof fan460620
Bunk window700612
Thinsulate
Low-E
Floor insulation
Air heater (Espar AS3-B2L)1,6502516
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
Subfloor (plywood)
Vinyl flooring
Others (adhesive, etc.)
Walls & Ceiling
Paneling
Swivel Seats
Driver399130
Passenger399130
Kitchen
Cabinet (driver side)
Cabinet (passenger side)
Overhead storage
12V refrigerator
Others
Living room / Dining room / Office
Lagun Table (Passenger Seat)280113
Headliner Shelf46912
Composting toilet
Couch / composting toilet’s cabinet
Bedroom
Bed Platform (work in progress)765690
Bedroom Storage
Garage
Slide-out-bike-rack
Others
TOTAL$16,36171h479lb
Cost and Labor | Weight

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About us


NICE TO MEET YOU.

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!

42 thoughts on “Cost And Labor Of DIY Camper Van Conversion”

  1. 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?

    Reply

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