Self-Taught Millennial Turns School Bus into a Award Winning Off-grid Tiny Home for a Family of 4

[@nealwright5630]

"But... thanks to my wife's attention to detail... it took two years!" ROFL!!

[@BackroadPurpose]

lol she's got those eyes

[@rossiethomas181]

😂 right I heard that and fell out laughing

[@rossiethomas181]

@@BackroadPurposehow much do you charge to build out a bus ?

[@blackattack2469]

How much did your bus cost?

[@BackroadPurpose]

@@rossiethomas181 it all depends on what they want. I've gone from $30k up to $150k

[@kelleywimberley]

Omg! You’re the first conversion place I have seen close to me! I have a few years before I can do anything but that’s great!!! You’re skoolie deserves that award!!! Gorgeous

[@user-AJBcookin65]

I'm a 64 yr.old feminine force to be reckoned with,who dreams of being able to afford to have something HALF THE SIZE you cats have!! I wish I could get someone to help me transform a short bus, tools,supplies I can't afford .If I could find a bus for 2grand or there about that eats up my little bit of savings. However, I still work, and I'm an artistic person with a very creative sense, I paint and sculpt, love to work with wood, but don't have anywhere to do any of it. Maybe one day I'll get blessed with the opportunity to do what you cats have done. God Bless you, for all you do, the joy you can bring others with your talents. NAMASTE

[@charlottegunning1548]

Your bus is BEAUTIFUL! You thought of Everything,!

[@BackroadPurpose]

we tried! thank you so much!

[@susankustich1720]

Wow how gorgeous can you get! Definitely award winning ! Congrats!

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much!

[@lonniefifer8178]

I have seen many schooles. By far yours is the best one l have seen. You have everything you need and so much open space. Which it makes it not so crapped filling 👍🥰🐼

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! yeah we really tried to utilize every inch we had in a way we needed.

[@braun3659]

You have some of the best designs! This bus is amazing. Also glad you have started a bus building business. Share your knowledge and designs with everyone.

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! I really appreciate that. it certainly a team effort and can't wait to see what we do in the future!

[@Moneyman-5150]

My brother in law past away on August 18th 2024, He has left us with his Schoolie. I gave him hell about it. It was his dream. He an sister have been through the ringer and gotten classified as RV. Walking into it for the first time after his death at the storage unit seeing it gutted to the point where its ready to start putting it together has put a profound amount of honor to be the executor to get this thing done. Knowing that he was so excited about the bus and me eventually warming up to the idea over the last year chatting about it while drinking and hanging out. Knowing its left with this shell has put a fire in me to get this thing done for him. I have been aimlessly flipping through videos wondering how I would do it today trying to get my bearings on this new side quest. How to make it close to his idea. And when I started this video and saw your fender radio on the dash which is the same one he has. I knew I was on the right page. I will email you see if your can help with it. Thanks James.

[@BackroadPurpose]

@@Moneyman-5150 that story is why I love this stuff. The reasons are usually larger than the project which makes every headache of the process worth it. Let us know how we can help!

[@Moneyman-5150]

@@BackroadPurpose I emailed Backroad Purpose with the details if you need anything else let me know.

[@jenniefowler4968]

That is the coolest schoolie

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you!!

[@madnessintomagic]

Nice. And FINALLY someone films one of these where it shows *accurately* how small a bus really is. Most of the videos make them seem pretty expansive. This actually appears maybe 5' wide and holding far less than most seem to, because it's filmed more realistically without a fisheye lens. It's making me re-think the bus I've been envisioning, because I can't live in that narrow of a space.

[@BackroadPurpose]

Lens that is used to take of the picture definitely changes the perspective however most people are still really shocked by the space available. I suggest going to a tiny house festival or a skoolie meet and actually see some in person before saying yay or nay.

[@zedwolf1589]

This is one of the best designs and layouts I've ever seen on a bus , beautiful job making such a lovely home.

[@BackroadPurpose]

aw how nice. thank you so much!

[@SmokyMountainBlessed]

your bus is beautiful

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much!

[@a2shillam]

Your tasteful simplicity allows the occupants to be the decoration. That makes it home! Lovely work. 🎉🎉

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! my wife did it a epic job.

[@beebuffalo1582]

Beautiful build and I really like the layout and the decor.👏🏻🏡🏡👏🏻. Enjoy

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much!

[@d12tu68]

nice style 🩵🔮🩵🔮🩵

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you!

[@mzfitmama2361]

Master looks so cozy and warm. The kitchen is so so beautiful and absolutely love it!!!

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! my wife definitely spent some time searching around trying to find the best stuff to fit in our bus.

[@debbiefanz2042]

Really amazing

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you!!

[@lyndakowalke8858]

I like it - really built for a familly and loads of room. Its very homey, but beautifully built as well - great to where this has lead you to your bussiness - you have the knowledge, the know how and all that goes along with it for a nice 'n roomy bus conversion house with every convienence without being stamped like the norm. It is so roomey, comefortable and just looks and functions perfect - it has something that other bus convertions are missing - I cant name it, but its something special! You have done remarkably well, I'm sure all the busses you convert are just as great! Well done.

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! we certainly took a while focusing on making this thing more. like a home rather then just a typical school bus.

[@rosepetal21]

I love this bus. I believe that I could live in this bus

[@gazzertrn]

Amazing !!

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@amyfender1]

Absolutely stunning! I'm in Burlington, NC and if I ever find myself able to have a bus I will definitely be seeking your company out. You are a true magician when it comes to a bus builds for sure

[@BackroadPurpose]

ah that's awesome. thank you so much.

[@WeRoamtheUnknown]

So pumped for you guys and thank you for sharing this lifestyle documentary on KZbin. You’ve helped me countless times with diy ideas, references on products and bus stuff ! Looking forward to crossing paths someday soon 🙌🏻 ! Congratulations on all the success !

[@BackroadPurpose]

bro! thank you so much! I love sharing all the things and looked forward to it my guy!

[@hectormateo1713]

​@@BackroadPurpose55y66p

[@a2shillam]

Your wife's epic design + your epic execution = SUCCESS

[@ronaldhoover7146]

You have a great place. I'm sure you are proud of this as well as you should be. 👍

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you kindly

[@TheSmithsPartyof6]

Bus looks amazing bro💪🏾. I’m glad your doing videos again🙌🏾.

[@BackroadPurpose]

thanks homie. more to come for sure!

[@IFarmWeFarm]

From another agri KZbinr in Ireland, I find your content very cool! the airless sprayer work caught my attention at first. Love the bumper or as we say "Bull Bar"

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! glad to be able to entertain a bit. would love to make it over there one day.

[@cinbird6284]

I wish I could see Ireland for at least a month and then travel world wide. Your bus is delightful. I hope to find one that will be within my reach because I use a powerchair due to being partially paralyzed. Your mobile kitchen piece looks like fun!

[@yo-uu2oe]

Bravo 🎈

[@paulbearinger8232]

Wow dude,life is crazy.good job guys. I. Building a cargo trailer but I want a school bus to turn in to a tiny house.

[@AIWitty_AIW]

Loved the interiors and every single detailing

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you!!

[@angelikastock296]

You are amazing

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you!!

[@SMOMOTIONTV]

Love this build!

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you very much!

[@glenncoon6639]

Awesome bus love your designs

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you! It's been a labor of love, to say the least.

[@doreencoe3614]

Thank you so very much for sharing your video!!! Your creative ideas and work was so nice to see. Attention to detail amazing!!! Happy future to your lovely family!!! ❤

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you so much!

[@Pb47731]

Welldone love ur built

[@lindamarieferrante60]

Im going to guess you Sold it??? SUPER COOL, I LOVE HOW YOU CAN TELL HOW EXCITED AND PROUD YOUVARE, AS YOU SHOULD BE.We are moving from NY to NC, if only my husband had a Remote job, I would LoVe it!

[@BackroadPurpose]

ah thank you so much! yeah there was definitely a lot of work that we put into it but it worked out well for us. but it's actually still for sale.

[@evelynberrios8164]

You have created a heaven for😮 your family. It’s functional and gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing. Congrats on your business. Wish success.

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you! We sure did try!

[@dianeturturillo2985]

This is a beautiful bus!!

[@DeniseIreland-i1q]

Install unbreakable windows or shutters for better security for everyone! Also put up a metal shutter in the children's section and close it during the night! Blessings

[@BackroadPurpose]

thanks!

[@joannorman6039]

Lovely

[@gracegrasso9376]

Very nice

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much!

[@alancummings5651]

Awesome bus

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thanks!

[@Lacirose88]

This is a beautiful conversion I love the Dutch door but you passed up that little bed by the drivers seat, with striped blankets on it. Was that to cover the engine? Is it a dog bed, couch what?

[@lrfox49]

Absolutely unique and homey

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you!

[@kellymarieamber]

Yes i defintkey love the home vibes look too

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thank you!

[@backroadadventures]

Great tour, thanks so much for the share! Appreciate your mindset and planning on the many things make life easier when living as a family in such an environment. All the best!!

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much! we certainly tried to think through everything to make it work as best as possible for us

[@monicamailman3796]

Talk about equalizing the load, its important that balancing the load you carry will stabilize the ride. No pulling to 1 side.

[@BackroadPurpose]

so that's something I thought about while building our bus and while a lot of stuff is on the driver side, we haven't noticed any issues with it pulling to the left or right. the fuel tank is on the passenger side which is 60gals but I think they the driver side is heavier even with a full tank. I do know that the rear is 300lbs heavier than the front when we had it weighed.

[@tynitahaines4012]

This is the best build I've ever seen. I love it. I'm looking for an ambulance. I may use you to build it out for me.

[@BackroadPurpose]

it's love to build out an ambulance. actually thought about doing one for my own

[@angusgraham3028]

Beautiful build. Job well done

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you!

[@jackiekeesaman1571]

Nice

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you.

[@gdubya03]

Could you share the deminsions of your couch?. Beautiful build and thanks for sharing

[@BackroadPurpose]

@@gdubya03 I believe it was 5 feet by 26 inches.

[@poppydiamante-gy2mv]

Wow

[@BackroadPurpose]

thanks

[@kellymarieamber]

Okay you all nailed it got to admit

[@BackroadPurpose]

Lol thank you!!

[@PaiviProject]

Hey, you sure did a great job on your bus build ❤

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you so much

[@trisharouleau9688]

What kind of blackout shades for your windows did you use?

[@kellymarieamber]

You all should do a roof raise i love it though so orginsl perfect planning but with kids id like a roof raise i think.

[@BackroadPurpose]

Its on the list to do for a client!

[@tamigormady4603]

So so pretty!! Have you sold this yet??

[@BackroadPurpose]

We currently have a buyer lined up.

[@selenadavis4602]

Love your build! We're roughly a year and a half into our skoolie build (2 years if you count the roof raise, but that's another story) and doing mostly finish work now. Where did you get the giant sun shade for the front windshield? And what did you use to tint your windows?

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

Had you compared lithium phosphate to lithium ion before choosing which mini-split to install? Just wondering why you went with the lithium ion. Also, when your bedroom doors are closed and all the a.c. is kept inside there, what do your kids do to stay cool on a hot day?

[@flamingowashnfold]

What did you use for your decking?

[@BackroadPurpose]

just regular decking pine painted it white to match the roof and help with heat transfer .

[@jameslawhorn1905]

I noticed that on the top of your bus you got a deck don't you worry about there being no railing to keep you from falling off the top??

[@BackroadPurpose]

I don't. We grew up with common sense and making sure we understand our surroundings. If you have a railing to protect you, you might be more inclined to make a poor decision while believing in some thing to protect rather than your own intuition.

[@miscelany2]

Boy, I wish there wasn't loud music making it almost impossible to hear the description. I ended up muting and watching with no sound and it was so much better than that music.

[@BackroadPurpose]

thanks

[@wcc101662]

Beautiful!! But I have a question about the couch. I've noticed that I almost never see a couch with arms in bus or van builds. Is there a reason for this? To me the arms are essential because you can stretch out and lean on the arm. What am I missing? 🤷‍♀️🌞🌻

[@BackroadPurpose]

usually the couches are right next to a wall or cabinets so the lean factor is a bit redundant but I usually see half and half with people choosing to build them or not.

[@City2vanlife]

Will you do a ford transit conversion

[@bobbijannor7296]

No washer and dryer 😊😊😊

[@BackroadPurpose]

lol Could have put one but We probably wouldnt have used it that much anyways. Laudromats are pretty fast anyways!

[@laurenvanhorne8114]

What do you use for NC insurance for the bus?

[@BackroadPurpose]

We use farm Beaur

[@bellestarr678]

Is this still for sale. If so, what is the price?

[@antoinettejohnson8295]

do you still have it? is it available if so let me know

[@BackroadPurpose]

we do and it os

[@georgehosea139]

How much do you charge for a conversion???

[@BackroadPurpose]

It really just depends on what the client wants and their budget. I almost always come up with a way to help people get the rig they want.

[@amen4097]

How did you do your front? Also what was the name of your toilet?❤🎉

[@BackroadPurpose]

I built it custom. and Its a separette Villa

[@Sarahdrybones]

The engine has a lot of miles on it. So will it last a while yet? I'm 65 and widowed don't want issues

[@BackroadPurpose]

understandable. it is a used older vehicle but we've never had any issues with it.

[@cynthiashaw45]

Looks like Ft Fisher?

[@BackroadPurpose]

it is

[@yo-uu2oe]

How much money 💰 cost 💲 me to do the conversion most economically thanks.

[@BackroadPurpose]

Depends. This was $30k in materials.

[@susierocks4643]

Where do you guys eat dinner? I didn't see a table?

[@BackroadPurpose]

Yeah we dont have one. We usually went outside or just sat on the couch

[@rayt8157]

How much do you charge to do a bus conversion?

[@BackroadPurpose]

It really depends. Usually somewhere between $50-100k depending on what needs to be done. You’re welcome to shoot me an email and see what we can work out.

[@maryphillips4641]

Is it still for sale where is it located ?

[@BackroadPurpose]

it is an we're located in Wilmington NC

[@maryphillips4641]

@BackroadPurpose never heard of Wilmington is it near 77 or 75

[@BackroadPurpose]

it's at the end of 74.

[@maryphillips4641]

@@BackroadPurpose How much are you asking

[@BackroadPurpose]

@@maryphillips4641 88.500. full details in the description

[@xaviersavano]

Are you really selling your bus? If so I'm interested

[@BackroadPurpose]

we sure are!

[@marthabentley9206]

Do you have problems finding a place to park your bus.?

[@BackroadPurpose]

Sure havent! Its pretty easy to get this thing in an out of places and usually through the apps and locals you can find a nice spot.

[@rethabartola3051]

How much

[@callmedoc5635]

Asking price?

[@BackroadPurpose]

Check description

[@efrain300]

How much is he selling it for

[@kellymarieamber]

Yes i definetly need a roof raise so we wont be confided

[@BackroadPurpose]

Id encourage you to get into a bus first and see how you feel in it. some buses have taller ceilings than others.

[@michellecastaneda4104]

Nice. But way too much money to blow on anything like this. You would never get the money back out of it. People don't talk about this but banks don't loan money on a home build nor do insure cover them

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thanks for your words but those are not true facts. I have personally known people to get loans for these builds and also insurance. It all depends on the person and situation. Getting our bus insured for $120k was a simple 30min phone call and a few pictures.

[@jerrylim2282]

Just be very careful and vigilant who you invite into your bus home. You can endanger your family.

[@BackroadPurpose]

i appreciate the care. very cautious on who we surround ourselves by. my family was not around when I filmed this video.

[@ricardocosson1105]

would be nice if he self taught himself some grammar hehehehe

[@BackroadPurpose]

? what do you mean?

[@Rapture_Ready_Rabbit]

===== TIME HAS RUN OUT !! John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Don't ignore this message... REPENT NOW !! TRUST that God raised Him from the dead !! By FAITH accept JESUS's blood alone as payment for your sins unto Salvation, to escape what's about to happen !!

[@BackroadPurpose]

Thanks for the words!

[@ReiDaK18]

Really? Millennial defines you? Is that supposed to mean something for us that is in any way related to the project? Wtf is wrong with you people?

[@LucidDreamer54321]

You taught yourself to be a Millennial?

[@mannyricketson4517]

Are you the guy who cheated on his wife and ended your channel

[@55afishead]

You sold your freedom? 🤪🤪

[@lindamarie6574]

Extremely nice build!

[@BackroadPurpose]

thank you!!