CAMPER VAN WALLS - DIY VS PRE-MADE WALL KIT (cost & install time comparison)

[@ScottS360]

Best video of the series so far! I suspect a lot of watch these videos and think: "Oh, that's a few hundred dollars worth of plywood and a box or two of screws". Knowing the actual costs makes it easier to understand the reality of trying to build a DIY van yourself! Many thanks!!!

[@rudivandoornegat2371]

Yes, I like this kind of cost & time video, as well as the timing. It's still relevant, and not a large information dump at the end of the build.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@jimhanty8149]

I like the direction y’all are growing your channel. Over the last 3 years I have learned alot watching..thx.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey jim hanty, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@morrigansraven61]

Thanks for the break down. Really helps to see whether DIY makes sense. Don't mind the trolls and naysayers they are legion these days. Really like watching your build videos, but you guys do a great job with instructional videos that are still fun to watch!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks 👍We appreciate it!

[@effie2206]

Another yes for the cost analysis, it helps to understand the total cost of the van build. And I agree, this is definitely a DIY project, thank you.

[@urbancornbread5500]

DIY with cost analysis is SO helpful! Then individuals can customize from there. I totally appreciate your videos!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@billr4283]

I appreciate your cost run down…plus all the build stuff. I’m an old DIYer getting ready to start my first conversion build. Thanks. Subscribed

[@mikefranks4528]

Well said, Steph. Yes, the cost breakdown from a professional accountant is ...priceless. Great video!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yes! Thank you!

[@DavidHuffTexas]

Short, simple, understandable. Steph is an esp. good "explainer" of this sort of thing 👍

[@Hekatina]

Please, yes! More videos that show cost breakdowns and considerations. Thanks again for the great videos!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@madcow3417]

As a nerd I definitely appreciate a cost breakdown and comparison. You included the cost of tools in your build but with not the pre-made kit. I assume some of those would have been required to install the pre-made kit, which would have made your build even better, relatively speaking.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Great point! I'm sure you'd need some of those tools as well, I didn't think about that!

[@ErikStenbakken]

YES! This! It’s not like one could install a kit with kitchen scissors and Elmer’s glue. That makes the “kit” even higher!

[@michaelgarcia8271]

Just started watching your videos. I like the detail during the build so someone can understand what is happening without getting too deep in the wood. Having said that, DIY brings something to the project that kits don't, the pride of executing your own plan. I just finished a 6 month outfit of a used Class A and am ready to take it on an extended trip across the country. Did I do all the work myself, No. Did I buy a kit and have others execute my plan, no. I thought about what I wanted, made sure to add what I needed and in the end my DIY project is mine and mine alone. That is worth the cost of admission. Keep up the great work.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's fantastic insight and I totally agree. Thanks for watching!

[@ewetuber186000]

Great information. Your videos give a sobering look at the time and money needed to build something great. Logic says I should run away. But the more I watch the more I want to do it !!

[@tntvans]

love this video and how you reported how much you spent on hardware and the small items. Too many people skip the small things that add up.

[@robsweet3063]

I definitely find this kind of video interesting. I don't need 45 minutes of in-depth analysis but a 5-minute summary is awesome just to have a rough idea of the costs involved. I think it would be great to do something like this after each major system goes in, with the big recap at the end. Thanks for the amazing videos! :)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Good to know! Most seemed to like it as well. Will probably do these going forward!

[@lesleyhamilton423]

Thanks so much for this great video. You are a wonderful analyst. I am building my van in my driveway and it is totally fun. The neighbours are cool and completely helpful when it comes to helping me with some of the heavy lifting stuff. I'm not sure they would come over if I had it in a shop. People like the whole van movement thing - it is inspiring.

[@michaelyates3424]

Love your videos. We own a pre-made Era and love it. I've completed over 50 upgrades including switching to lithium batteries, something I wouldn't have done without your videos. Thank you for the help and assurance that I could do it. And being a household of two retired CPAs, always love to hear the numbers.

[@TheJoshSeattle]

Great video and nice build. I installed an Adventure Wagon kit in My 170 4x4 in two weekends with two people. We chose bamboo panels and no wiring harness. We cut all of our own insulation. The kit is expensive, but to have a working van with a bed in two weekends was great. I would say your team was quick to discount the value of the skilled labor (not your fist van) and all of the design effort. I feel like I would have spent 200 hours just cutting templating, sanding, finishing and drilling the holes in the bamboo ply panels since the engineer in me would vac have over though everything.

[@OneLeggedTarantula]

The satisfaction of DIY has no price!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

🙌👍🙌

[@retiredandroaming]

Excellent video, and the costs info is extremely useful. Pls do more like this!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You got it!

[@sailinglatis]

Very good update. Thank you. I look forward to the overall budget but this may help people plan for different stages of a build. Well done and thank you for this very detailed series. It is an amazing tool for anyone thinking and planning a build. Have a good week. 🇨🇦

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks for watching! Great point that it each stage might be helpful to break down!

[@raymondtremblay489]

The interior finish...so far, is really neat, bravo!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Raymond Tremblay, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@bobwojcik6196]

The other thing to consider is the final quality of the DIY build. You and your Team have much more experience than I would with an end result of a much nicer build. Thanks for the break down.

[@1stNoelJensen]

Loved this video and the cost comparison analysis!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@geovanniramirez8215]

Team or not you guys are amazing!!!

[@xLopez210x]

Great video with great explanation! It was great to see you two at the expo, can’t wait for my project.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Likewise. Thanks!

[@billnalen]

My build is very similar to this (cabinets are all 80/20) and I think I could have built it with a jigsaw and a drill. The other tools just make things faster or more accurate. I was 54 when I started my build so I had a lot of the tools already from a few decades of home ownership. The only tools I picked up were a track saw to make long straight cuts (I don't have a table saw) and a heat gun for shrink. There's a young couple that just started a van build using a maker space. I saw another couple who built their van using scrap wood and wood from furniture give aways. There's so many people out there building vans is so many different ways and they are all easy to find. I'd try to ignore emails like these.

[@joeldriver381]

Excellent overview and analysis of cost and time. This was useful.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Great to hear!

[@cbarnes94]

Much bigger savings if you discount the cost of the tools since they will be kept and used for all sorts of projects not van related

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Absolutely! I thought about including the depreciation expense of the tools in lieu of actual cost and calculated the NBV after the project to discount... BUT I wanted to keep this simple and as easy to understand/follow as possible. Ultimately, I'm looking for net cash flow rather than net book value to compare. We kept the cost of tools separated out so that if you have these tools already, you can easily subtract that cost. And as someone else mentioned, you would probably need some of these tools (impact driver, etc) for the pre-made wall kits as well.

[@Npowrd]

Thanks for the cost breakdown. The extra advantage of buying the tools to DIY is when you are done with the project, you still own the tools. Use for free on your next job or sell to recoup your investment. Equity always better than renting.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Great point!

[@dmwi1549]

Great review. Now you have templates and can change out a panel if damaged or cover with fabric or vinyl if you want to change the look. Really like how this van is taking shape. And yes, if you had time, one person could do this with a drill, hand saw or jigsaw and the manual riveter in a parking lot. Circ saw, miter saw and other tools just makes it go faster, add accuracy, and are not terribly expensive. Good tools last a long time and can be amortized over many projects or sold after.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's a great idea!

[@JBLewis]

Thanks for detailed breakdown. Seeing this and the wall system video itself has given me ideas on customizing my current van's garage walls to provide better gear anchoring options.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@petermurphymurphy5477]

Hi...watched your video from Europe. Those are big figures your talking - our L3H2 van wall panels cost €1,500. I bought them just to save time and effort....and to avoid making tonnes of mistakes. Nice video - thanks.

[@vandingo1]

Love it, great video! For me validates a DIY approach and shows that with time, and less dollars, you can punch out a very satisfactory product!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@uramalakia]

"Barb" just recieved the most polite and thoroughly explained "blow me" of all time.

[@ntran2012]

Thanks for another thorough and very informative video. I agree that you need most basic tools for any DIY projects, big or small.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@theonlyDougBlack]

Extremely helpful and appreciated!!!

[@kf8048]

Yes please do more cost analyst videos like this! Great to know the material cost and the time comparison between the two. My only suggestion: round all amounts to the closest dollar, but a great to the point video!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You got it! Thanks for the suggestion on rounding :)

[@richardkmichael]

I'd definitely like to see both the total cost breakdown at the end, and periodic breakdowns for specific aspects. Great that you included the "from scratch" tools cost and the time estimate as well. Thank you! Regarding this breakdown-- I noticed the Adventure Wagon comparison included Maxx Air fans ($350) and "bump-outs" (~$1500). Your parts and materials didn't mention fans, could you add those please? Also, are the Satsang jams the equivalent of the "bump-outs"?

[@horacehaynes4540]

Great way to go before you get into the build thank you

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bryanfowler9440]

I want more videos like this!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I'll see what I can do! Thanks for watching. 🙂😁

[@Panthineguardian]

Great analysis.. but on your budget breakdown you included cost of all tools?? This was thorough, and I'm glad you included it. But unless you are upgrading a home shop, it is simpler to factor in ENDING value. Comparing the pre made to the diy custom you end up with: Pre-made Walls, and a few handtools and leftover hardware. Vs Custom DIY walls a few handtools and leftover hardware. + Half a shop of new equipment I used to work at a rental tool chain, so now what I tell people on a budget back here in Oz, is to resell these tools on the market to recoup costs. Heck for ANY project it's better to jump on Gumtree (our Craigslist) get the tools second hand, and then resell them. Most of the time you end up "renting" the tools for the whole project for less than the cost of lunch.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yes, I definitely could've included the depreciation expense of the tools in lieu of actual cost and calculated the NBV after the project to discount... BUT I wanted to keep this simple and as easy to understand/follow as possible. Ultimately, I'm looking for net cash flow rather than net book value to compare. We kept the cost of tools separated out so that if you have these tools already, you can easily subtract that cost.

[@Panthineguardian]

@@EXPLORISTlife oh yes I agree with you. In a short snappy vid you covered a lot and made it interesting. Maybe something to consider when you break down final budget in more depth though 😉

[@davidrosen4951]

Thanks for your excellent analysis!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you liked it!

[@WandervansBayArea]

You guys are the best!

[@gn2963]

Loved it...keep these coming, please!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

More to come!😀

[@NSWMods]

Thank u Steph & Nate Best thing of doing it yourself is u Know it Done right to. I Hope Nate Still Not getting hit By cordless drills Lol See u Next week Guys Take Care Always

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Weeks not hit in the face by a drill: 1

[@NSWMods]

@@EXPLORISTlife Good to read, See u Next Video Guy's

[@frikvdmerwe493]

Nice brake down on the cost. I like your series on the build.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@cdwoods365]

Yes, do more videos like this. Thx

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Will do!

[@Adam_Gray]

Love the design aesthetics!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks so much!

[@manubisbee1]

Loooove the breakdown. Thank you!!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@daviddaily3494]

Thanks, loved your breakdown

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DIYGuy-o2m]

Birch was used for walls, but I want to know if this was birch plywood or a solid birch panel.

[@MsRotorwings]

That pneumatic plus nut tool was sweet! I was hoping you’d come up with an alternative to the Transit “black blobs”. Is there any way to hide them and still not compromise the integrity of the airbag system? Thanks for posting. Loving your instructional videos. You make it easy to understand.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We are still working on a good solution for the blob. 🤣😂 Will be sure to share when we get a good solution.

[@ErikStenbakken]

Maybe a good thing came from a bad thing. Ignore the trolls. But having a cost breakdown like this is very helpful. I wanted to put some L track in my build and was thinking “oh, that would probably be $100 or $200.“ This helps set expectations much more accurately. it also puts the cost of a kit in perspective. Expensive, yes. But it’s not as if DIY will save $11,000 over a $12,000 kit.

[@HuangXingQing]

I like these videos because they help me appreciate all the work I've done, you do and they help me mull over I want to do it again or pay Humble Van or other a WAD of cash. My fav option rings in at $250,000 and I'm too humbled to ask if that includes the new Sprinter to build in. Sometimes I just wanna go back to monkdom and live in a cave.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Haha, totally understand that. Steph and I still get our fairly often in our Subaru and tent camp just to keep it simple.

[@brandybwd]

Thank you so much. I'm not planning to make our van modular like yours, do i need L track? any guess on cost without L tracks? wondering if the L track addition make this more complicated .. again thank you so much, you guys rock!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I mean... you don't NEED l-track if you don't want to functionality that L-track provides. For pricing... just subtract out the price of the L-track shown in this video for a rough estimate.

[@larrykelly2838]

I agree with you, DIY it and save the money.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Larry Kelly, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@tomwilliam5118]

I like videos like this thank you

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you like them!

[@marcusallenyt]

yes please

[@pedrofontes8494]

Where do you buy the L tracks and how long they should be?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Parts list for the l-track is in the dedicated walls video (video description).

[@timdunmyer4549]

It would be nice to see the extra time taken to paint the MaxxAir fan and window trim painted black to stick with the theme.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah, that's on the menu for one of these days we have some time to kill.

[@lekid20]

Hey guys! Love your Videos, What is the Pneumatic plus nut setting tool you bought ?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The parts list for everything we used in our walls installation can be found on that video (including the tools): kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZeVc52HrbJ-eqs

[@jamesray3920]

Question , why battle born batteries over renogy batteries I bought renogy 12v 200ah lithium batteries 4 of them in building a custom cargo trailer built 5x12x5 tall as a base camp build

[@EXPLORISTlife]

In my experience personally as well as helping out hundreds of people with their systems, Renogy simply doesn't stand behind their products when something goes wrong. Reading the language of each of their warranties for their batteries will tell you everything you need to know there. Battle Born has top-of-the-line customer support for if something goes wrong. Try this... Write up 2-3 questions and then give both Battle Born and Renogy a call and see how each one treats you and answers your questions. Renogy is a marketing company that sells batteries. Battle Born is a battery company that spends money on marketing.

[@mtrezaie]

How much weight would have you saved using foam core rather than wood/plywood? Would that even make sense. Would the weight saving which results in less fuel consumption this way make any sense?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

No clue. We didn't look into foam core since it's not really readily available 1/4" birch is pretty, light, though. I'd guess that the L-Track and furring strips weighs more than the 1/4" panels.

[@mtrezaie]

Thanks I was always wondering

[@Envoy_Intuition]

Completely unrelated, what keyboard is that? I need one 😅

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Ha, I love that keyboard! I got it off Amazon: amzn.to/3pVHdYU

[@DavidHuffTexas]

The Cherry "Brown" switches (or clones thereof) on this keyboard have a great feel and are also quiet enough for an office environment. My main office setup uses a keyboard with these sorts of mechanical switches.

[@alvarosolis7837]

What about the walls that comes as an option form the manufacturer? Mercedes have wall options for the Sprinter and Metris. I know those option are not insulated but for someone that only plans to use the camper Van for road trips in the summer instead of living there stock walls from manufacturer would be a great affordable option I believe.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I dunno. That's not what we wanted. If that works for you, that's great, though. 👍

[@alvarosolis7837]

@@EXPLORISTlife I’m not trying to convince you. I’m just trying to find if there is any flaw to my logic. I would like to get a van and I think getting stock walls would be a viable option. Do you see any major setbacks for manufacturer stock walls and floor?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I just don't know much about them, that's all.

[@Worryingmeerkat]

Loving the videos thank you. But you are making my obsession of wanting to build a van worse. The info is great and all the more is welcome.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey, Worryingmeerkat! I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! 🙂😀

[@vaa7446]

Awesome!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@OKFrax-ys2op]

Great looking job! Looking at van builder labor rates @ $150 a hour x 200 hours = $30,000🤔

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's about what we'd have to charge to do this all over again. 😂🤣

[@jackinkc767]

Insulation?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yep! -> kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2GYeq1sn7R9Z80

[@Jayda08]

Ive looked at Adventure kit the other day and it looks very cheap. Majority of the cost goes in to tracks that half of it won't be used.

[@michaelb3003]

$7,000 for walls folks, yep just walls. They are really nice and functional walls, I'll give you that, but these van build costs are just getting crazy - especially for something that will rapidly depreciate in value. I just finished a 9 week, 10k mile cross country trip in a '98 Roadtrek camper van - the entire van cost me $10k :)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey there, big guy! I'm sorry you've got so much negativity going on in your life that you have to spend your time coming to my channel to talk shit on my projects. Maybe logging off of the internet for a bit and going for a walk or hanging out with friends if you have any may help. Thanks for watching anyway and I hope your day gets better. 🙂 If you want your money back on what you paid to watch this video, let me know.

[@michaelb3003]

@@EXPLORISTlife Well, it appears that I hit a nerve with my comment, although that was not my intention. I was not trying to lambaste your channel nor your van build. My intention was simply to point out that van builds seem to be less and less cost-conscious and increasingly over the top. $200k+ vans are now not uncommon - and given the rapid depreciation of these vans it just seems foolhardy to me to spend that kind of money on a camper van, even for full time use. Building out a quality van - especially compared to what is available from Class B RV manufacturers - is a reasonable goal - but increasingly people seem to be want to build the best van possible, without regard to cost. For a camper van, that approach makes little sense to me. Building a decent quality camper van at a reasonable cost makes much more sense to me than spending whatever is necessary to build the absolutely best van.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Everybody has hobbies. Just wait until you find out how much money grown adults spend to ride bicycles through the woods. Hike your own hike. Your comment comes across as: “I did my full buildout for $4. Anybody who spends more that that is stupid.” If that’s not how it was intended, you need to work on how you word things.

[@Capt.sierra]

After all you’re coming up with a presten product better than anything in the market