5 VAN BUILD MISTAKES TO AVOID & the first 5 things you should do when starting your van build
If you’re planning on building your own van conversion, you’ll want to make sure you avoid these common van building mistakes.
5 VAN BUILD MISTAKES
1) PICKING THE WRONG VAN FOR YOUR NEEDS
There are 3 main high roof vans that you can buy for a van build:
Ford Transit, Ram Promaster, Mercedes Sprinter
Often people buy a van without checking out other options and then want to fit more into it than is physically possible.
Our biggest tip when it comes to picking which one to buy: test drive all three! You’ll get a feel for the van, how much you can fit inside, and how comfortable you feel driving it.
If you are a family of 3 or more, we highly recommend going for the 170” or 170” extended wheelbase Sprinter since it has the biggest overall buildable cargo space. Trust us, you’ll need the room for the extra seat behind the driver seat!
2) CUTTING IN HOLES BEFORE YOU FIGURE OUT YOUR LAYOUT
Don’t make the mistake of cutting in your vent fan, windows or ac unit before you determine what your layout is.
You’ll want to make sure the placement of windows and vent fans will not interfere with where your bathroom, bed or cabinetry is located.
3) CUTTING IN HOLES AFTER YOU DO RUST PREVENTION
One of our biggest tips when it comes to ensuring your van lasts a long time is doing rust prevention!
The roof is a common place to have rust over time especially if you don’t do a good job cleaning up all the metal shavings after cutting in your vent fan or ac unit.
That’s why we recommend cutting in your holes for your vent fan, cleaning up thoroughly and THEN doing your rust prevention.
For rust prevention we have the roof of the van sprayed with a truck bed liner - this gives you the extra protection to ensure your van doesn’t have any rust issues on the roof.
4) NOT CHECKING UNDER THE VAN FOR DRAIN & GREY WATER TANK PLACEMENT
Once you’ve decided on your layout, you’ll want to double check that the placement of your bathroom (i.e. shower drain) and kitchen sink won’t interfere with the framework underneath the van.
There are only so many spots you can drill through your van to run your drain and only a few spots where you can mount grey water tanks underneath.
You’ll want to get under your van and figure out this placement before finalizing your layout.
5) USING CHEAP MATERIALS
Everyone has their own budget constraints, but it’s important to ensure you are using high quality materials that will stand the test of time and hold up with the vibrations of the van.
We highly recommend buying marine-grade materials for your van build and viewing your van as an investment rather than an expense.
Need help figuring out what your layout should be?
Join the Van Layout Guide and receive access to our 7 detailed floor plans. You’ll also get exclusive access to our private community where you can connect directly with us and hundreds of others building our their own camper van!
Now let’s talk about what you should do FIRST when you start your van build:
1) FIGURE OUT YOUR LAYOUT
Step one is to figure out your layout! This is the most important aspect to your van build, so be sure to take your time and figure out what will work best for your needs.
Like we discussed about above, you’ll also want to make your layout works with the framework underneath your van.
Time to get your tape measure and crawl under your van!
2) CUT IN HOLES
Now that you’ve figured out your layout, it’s time to cut in your vent fan, ac unit, and windows.
Be sure you clean up thoroughly after cutting through the sheet metal so you don’t have any lingering pieces of metal that will cause rust.
3) INSULATE
Next up is insulation!
Wondering what insulation is best? Check out this video for what we recommend.
4) PUT UP FURRING
Once you are done with insulation it’s time to put up your furring strips.
We recommend this method if you want a nice clean finish look without any visible screws showing.
5) RUN ROUGH WIRING AND PLUMBING
Last but not least is running rough wiring and plumbing! This will ensure you are set up for success as you get further in your van build.