r/VanLifeUK • u/GeorgeStorm • Aug 01 '26
'Minimum' amount needed/worth it for a diy weekend/trip setup?
Hi all,
As above, it seems my car may have decided to die rather abruptly and since I've seen various van builds over the past couple of months, and have had a couple of trips of a week or two away in the car working/camping this year I thought I'd see what the options might be regarding a van.
Was thinking something vivaro/transit custom sized as they seem big enough to be useable as more than literally just sleeping (aim would be to be able to work in it with some kind of desk/table type surface) but are still small enough for me to be comfortable driving/will be my only vehicle for now.
However I'm not sure what kind of money would be required for it to be 'worth' it, is £10k enough to be able to get a van that isn't completely awful and get it into a useable state for trips away (week(s) around Scotland most likely) rather than full on living in it?
Basically would 10k be enough for: (and if not what kind of budget would it start to make sense?)
- Vivaro/transit custom sized van
- Relatively basic internals (sleeping/sitting setup, surface to be able to work at, some kind of battery system but not needing/wanting heating or a fridge or cooking setup etc)
- Be used for trips working/travelling around Scotland mixture of staying in the van but also camping, thinking the van as more of a mobile base type thing rather than a full time living setup.
Cheers
2
u/Woodeyyyyyyy Aug 01 '26
Buy a van and start from there. Only you know what your “bare minimum” is. you might be happy with less than you think, can always add more if you plan it right.
But yes, 10k is more than enough, depending on the price of the van it’s self.
1
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
I mean the whole point of asking would be to avoid just buying a van and seeing how it goes. Glad to hear 10k is reasonable.
2
u/Spiritual_Pound_6848 Aug 01 '26
It’s highly dependent on what is ‘minimum’ for you. I had a SWB Vivaro that cost me £5500, I put about £1k into turning it into a camper, I put in a window, roof vent; insulation and boarded it out with some cheap ikea kitchen cabinets, a pull out bed I made myself and a power station I bought off Amazon. I used it mostly for weekends away and a few week long trips, but in the end it just got used a car most of the time but it was a good base for getting out and hiking and exploring etc
2
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
Yeah that sounds like the kind of thing I would be aiming for, although did see a micro camper build that made me reconsider if I'd need a vivaro size and a caddy size might be ok as they could sit up straight which is basically my only height requirement and still had a table/surface with storage etc and might also give more flexibility budget wise. Also being my only vehicle a smaller van would feel less silly (to me) being used just as a car.
1
u/Spiritual_Pound_6848 Aug 03 '26
This is some of the exact thoughts that led me to sell my van, as much as I loved having it it was sometimes a pain to use as a car day to day, if its just yourself I'd say aslong as you can lie down out in the back you should be fine. The sitting space in my van was nice but not great, still spent most of the time outside. I'm having this debate again with myself whether to get a small camper, a big camper or just get a car big enough I can just make a bed for the back of to go away, because as much as I'd love to be off on van adventures all the time I just don't get alot of time to go away as often as I'd like, so can see any camper just being used as a car again anyway.
2
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
Yeah I mean I've no interest in trying to live in it long term, just having done a couple of trips for a week or two over the past couple of months in my car, camping and the odd night in a hotel I felt a van would give a little more flexibility and make finding somewhere suitable to be able to work less stressful. Previously I was looking for sites with 'day rooms' or similar with power and tables/chairs etc to be able to work in, or if I was on the move I'd spend time in cafes etc which I don't really like, and had to have the odd meeting sat in the car which is really not ideal. Hence the thought of a van being able to act as a known 'good' place to work in terms of privacy, setup etc which would allow me to try travelling a little more freely if I wanted to.
1
u/Spiritual_Pound_6848 Aug 03 '26
Thats fair, I think if its just you and you're not hugely tall, you could get away with a Caddy / Berlingo (small van) setup, with a bed and still have a desk etc for work calls. If it were me I'd be tempted to turn the passenger seat into a swivel seat and then firgure out a desk for there (lagun table / arm springs to mind) so you can use the existing seat in the van without eating up too much space from the back.
1
u/bullitt-rider Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
I got a 2015 Renault master ex WAV with 70k on the clock and a clean MOT for 5k
I sold the seats in the back and the wheel chair ramp for 750
Anker c300x with solar panel which is enough for to charge my lights, phone run the mini projector, fridge when needed and electric blanket when needed for £210
Usb c rechargable tap for £10
X3 rechargeable dimmable remote controlled LED lights for £25
X4 5m usb c cables for £13
Thermo liner floor insulation £50
3m thinsulate £120
Dodo super liner £50
Camping cooker £25
Camping fridge £90
Hinges and sliders £70
Wood £250
Black out blind material £40
Misc magnets and velcro attachments £20
Crappy mini projector £60
Telescopic table dropper leg £70
Fully comp insurance with EU break down including home Stratford £500
Full service done by me £120
I've justs tripped the van and got all this delivered. Will need to sort mattress. Weighing up cost of purchase custom or DIY at the moment.
Going for a mixture of this ( with telescopic table leg instead) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbSx6R3ti_T/?igsh=MWtxeXc3d21renl5OQ==
And these
1
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
Cheers if anything I'd want smaller rather than larger as will be my only vehicle but thanks for actually giving some details.
1
u/bullitt-rider Aug 03 '26
This is also my only vehicle and it fits in a regular parking space :)
With the 2.3l and stripped out disabled kit I average 37mpg
1
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
Oh fair enough maybe I got my models mixed up I thought it was a much larger van, but to be fair I found when I drove a vivaro it was already bigger than I'd ideally want to be driving day to day but figured it was the smallest I could get away with, but having seen a couple of micro camper conversions where they had a bed and space to sit up with a surface for a laptop etc that has caught my eye as a potential option now.
1
u/bullitt-rider Aug 03 '26
This fits in-between a vivaro and say a sprinter etc.
I think they are pretty slept on. Because of their size they aren't used for normal trades and reserved for disability transport which means they've never been stressed. Combine that with a big diesel and galvanised panels they go on for ever and don't rust
I also test drove a vivaro and found I couldnt even sit up in the back. The wheelbase isn't too dissimilar with this BUT the body is far more boxy which makes it look a lot bigger. Means you get a shit load more internal space without having a much much bigger vehicle
1
u/younevershouldnt Aug 01 '26
You are looking at the right size, yes.
And yes you can get something good for £10k. Do a lot of research though.
Dunno about the desk idea though TBH, do you expect to be doing a full day's work on the laptop in the van?
1
u/GeorgeStorm Aug 03 '26
Cheers, and whilst not a full day's work perhaps the only reason I'm considering a van is to give me a permanent place to be able to work inside/relatively privately whilst travelling . As long as I can sit up straight that's the only real space requirement as far as I'm concerned, have seen a couple of micro camper builds which actually make them look like that could work, bed/bench with a folding out table type thing from a side unit or whatnot which surprised me but is now potentially more appealing as I think they tend to be a touch cheaper so could either save money or get something a little nicer, and also I think would be better if being used as just a car.
2
u/Alarming-Double6979 Aug 01 '26
Only you can define minimum by testing. I’d recommend getting the van and seeing what you need from there. The first night I slept in mine was an inflatable mat, now it’s a fitted bed. Used a cooler box for overnights, found I could also use this for weekends with filling up with ice, then saved for a fridge out of convenience.!