September 1st our Mercedes sprinter LWB van was delivered, and this is where it all began..
It was only a week before we laid on our bed and visualised ourselves laid on the bed in our van, doors swung open, listening to the waves of the sea. Every morning since then I would get up, walk into my kitchen look out of the window and smile as if I was looking directly at my van sat on my drive. I know how powerful the mind is and how visualisations really do impact your reality. One week later there it was, sat in the exact same place I had imagined it. It took 2 and a half months to fully convert it, which is pretty quick from what I have heard. Jon worked incredibly hard to get it done ASAP. I wish I had helped more but my job was usually to keep the kids out of the way so Jon could crack on. Below are some progress pictures, and then finally images of our finished van. I hope you enjoy watching the build. If you want to follow our van journey further please head over to my Instagram where I will keep you updated on our adventures.
The first few days were spent cleaning, sound proofing and insulating.
and we had a bed!! We decided to go for a permanent fixed bed as we wanted a proper mattress and couldn’t be bothered building a bed every day. The kids bed does need making every night so it is nice not having to make ours too. We have a full double bed and the kids is a small double.
Jon did all the electrics himself. We now have two batteries in the back, which are connected to a split charger (they charge as we drive).
Crew suits. We actually decided to put them rear facing so they could be utilised as extra seating for when we are in the van and it was an excellent idea, they really have come in handy. Jon was impressed with his first bit of wood work around the base of the seats! No joke he had not so much as put a shelf up before this build, from zero to hero.
Vodka & Shisha were used a fair bit.
Testing the sleeping arrangement..
With three kids we had to work out the best way to sleep everyone and make sure we all had enough leg room. This was the plan, but the youngest had other ideas and she’s taken her place in our bed.
The layout started taking shape and the cladding got done. We went for all white walls and ceiling, we felt the white made it look more spacious. Jon also fitted LED strips for down lighting and they have been one of the best things we’ve put in, we have them on all day as we love mood lighting. We actually never use the spot lights! We also haven’t fitted windows. At first we planned to but then we decided not to as we wanted to stay stealth. It was a great decision for us and we love the feel of the van with just the front cabin as our window.
Jon said fitting the diesel heater was the worst job of the whole build!! But he did it. It lives under the kitchen unit and it’s great. We started going out in the van mid November and we didn’t even need the heater on, it was warm with just our body heat. December we had the heater on in the day but turned it off during the night as it was too hot. Beginning of January, during the icy period, we used the heater on the lowest setting all day and night. We are currently on 11th January and are planning to turn it off tonight. Living in England it was a must have but I don’t think we will use it much during spring, summer and autumn.
Kitchen went in. We ordered a standard kitchen unit from B&Q, choose the doors we liked and then chopped the back off the units so they didn’t stick out too far. The over head units we built from scratch and then attached doors from B&Q. The work top we ordered from a local hardware store. The extendable worktop was a great shout. The jam pan sink is one of my fave features of the van, and our 2 year old even manages to fit in it for a bath so that’s a bonus.
So, now for the transformation..
please head over and follow our van adventures on my www.instagram.com/samanthajaynebird
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