The REAL Cost to Convert a Van | Ft. Seven 0 Savage

In this video, we go over the REAL cost to convert the van of your dreams. We wanted to give it to you straight in terms of what to expect with cost, labor, tools, and time. We interviewed one of the best DIY van builders we know, Seven 0 Savage, so you can learn the realistic time and money cost from a DIY standpoint as well as from Van Land's professional point of view.
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 Intro
01:21 Seven 0 Savage interview start
03:10 How much his total cost was (parts, labor, etc)
05:06 How many labor hours did he spend
06:15 How much did he pay for tools
06:56 How long did it take him to build
08:24 Seven 0 Savages BEST advice for those getting started
11:25 Jeremy reviewing a full van build pricing spreadsheet
12:53 Exterior expenses
14:43 Flooring & seating expenses
15:38 Power system expenses
16:24 Windows & ventilation expenses
18:02 Heating & cooling expenses
19:06 Water system expenses
20:04 Interior expenses
21:02 Bed & furniture
21:56 Cooking & refrigerator expenses
22:41 Total Cost
Seven 0 Savage’s Channel: / @seven_o_savage
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-The Van Land Team

[@seven_o_savage]

Hell yes!! Ya'll crushed this vid!!!

[@VanLand]

AWW Thanks man!!

[@tonynguyen3006]

Been waot8ng for you new video man

[@dropOut1982]

A big fan of Seven’s van builds.

[@rmease]

I am in the final stages of my 2019 Sprinter 144 4x4 camper van build-out here in sunny Portland, OR (sarcasm). I find the price list presented here a bit (a lot!) mis-leading. First, let me thank Seven O Savage for his youtube channel as it has inspired a few ideas for my build, and I have learned a ton through his successes (and his mistakes!). Now about the list: Many of the big ticket items are just not a requirement and/or would not be something a DIY'er would pay for: Most of the exterior items look cool but rarely get used (suspension and tires are the exception I believe), the floors/seating section (standard floor is the only thing needed here), windows and vent (out of this list I have one CRL window, maxx-air fan, one bunk window, window covers and window trim. Thanks to Seven for the sliding bed idea so I can avoid the use of flares!), Heating & Cooling (Aircon not needed, unless your adventures are mostly sitting around in RV parks), Water System (to me, an indoor shower in a 144 is a terrible use of space), Interior ($3,400 for wheel boxes? $500 for LED lights?? For the rest, build out ceiling and wall panels and overhead shelf using baltic birch ply for a fraction of these prices), Bed and Furniture ($4,500 for a pre-fab galley?! If you're going to DIY a camper van, just build out your bed frame and cabinets. This is what DIY van building is, right?), Cooking (fair enough), So, if I add up items that are prefab or I am not adding to my van, I come up with about $55K out of the $94K total list price! The total cost for my build, INCLUDING the van itself, is currently $97,800, with about $5K-$7K left for remaining build-out and tires/suspension upgrades. For some perspective, I have used the best components I can find (8020 framing, marine vinyl flooring, 300 amp-hours + all Victron components, Roam Built side steps, Isotherm Water Heater, 3-stage water filter, all BLUM drawer and cabinet hardware, Vanmade Gear Window Coverings, custom 8020 roof-rack with solar, baltic birch and high quality maple veneer ply, etc....) and I believe my build would outlast even some professionally built camper vans. All this for under $50k + the cost of the van. Even just excluding the pre-fab stuff on this list (assuming I wanted to add some of the exterior stuff later) would bring down the cost on this list by tens of thousands of dollars. This is a fine "pick-list" for someone looking to spend money on a professionally built camper van, but the title of this video, "The REAL cost to convert a van" indicates this is the cost for a DIY'er, which is just not accurate.

[@Seatown]

I spent sotme time recreating this spreadsheet and playing with the numbers. Many of the costs really do not hold up to scrutiny even though they are very popular picks at first glance. The winch, many of the racks and so called "off road" capabilties and interior components will fall off the list when people decide if they really want to pay (4K for a roof racketc,.etc.). Anyway, long story short I think a sensible conversion comes in at 20k parts plus labor. This gives a really useful van at a much more reasonable cost.

[@workinprogress1822]

@@Seatown Agreed... this seems to be a very good detailed listing of the kind of max cost for every possible category. Our build which we are very happy with has hardly any of this... and mostly low cost items... a pump sink, 5 Gal standard water tanks, a plastic gas tank for a grey water tank, cheap fridge, no shower (except solar/bag), no AC, no generator, etc. although some good higher cost items- espar diesel heater, maxxair fans and extra fans to ensure coolness without additional AC, good 600w of solar (good batteries, 4 solar panels/charge controller/inverter), great LED lighting, and it is wonderful... but still this video is helpful, even if it is not aimed at a more minimalist practical off grid build.

[@workinprogress1822]

totally agree, although info in the video is still valuable

[@trent_mcneely7554]

yeah some of this stuff is totally ridiculous. Hopefully if you actually hire them to build out your entire van they negotiate that labor down a ton. A lot of that labor is going to be overlapping when you know all the components going in. Like all the wiring and plumbing will be done at the same time but they have it billed out like each thing is done separately. And some of those hours are insane. 24 man hours for the shower? You mean to tell me if you put 3 guys on the install it's going to take them an entire day to put in the shower...come on.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Absolutely true! ($3500 for wheel boxes??? C'mon'!). If you go with him, you want a turnkey vehicle. Just like Sportsmobile, $160,000, out the door with the van included.

[@astridkapp2775]

love that you shared that! I do not underestimate what you guys have to do! Well worth the quality you are putting out there!

[@artventurespro]

Very thorough process and valuable insight..opened my mind in the process and true cost..btw, digging the tones of thr pics and videos highlighting the van.love the sun flares and moody tones .now thinking of renting a sprinter van for our Utah road trip this spring to get a feel for what we need ..

[@willofthemaker]

Awesome video! As all ways you guys have great information

[@krisg3984]

Two of the best on KZbin for Fulltimer conversion van

[@CruiseNComfortUSA]

Great video and very informative!

[@jeffreywalker4710]

Thanks for the price/time guidelines. It should be noted that this is for a 4X4 off-road conversion. The first section at $24,800 wouldn't apply to most 2X4 conversions with a possible exception for the $1200 awning. The "smart floor" at $4900 isn't something the average 2x4 builder would necessarily want/need. Same for the overhead rack /rail system. The $9000 for custom bed/furniture/etc. is a luxury that I think most van builders would likely forgo. Seven does a great job showing us how to easily build wall/floor cabinets that can be accomplished by a reasonably handy person. Looking at NEW vans at LaMesa RV shows fully loaded 4X4 off road Sprinter vans selling for $163,000 WITH a good 48 V solar system., 48 V a/c, full wet bath, swivel seats, HD suspension, etc... This is less than a van built under your assumptions on this video when you price in the cost of a new van. A fully loaded 2X4 is going for as little as $98 to $104,000. Yes, these are new Sprinter (and some Ram) vans. The good thing about this video is it proves my old maxim as a home renovation contractor: It will cost twice what you think and take twice as long as you think it will. That being said, you two are really good at this and I appreciate your videos immensely!

[@gj0628]

Awesome job great teaching as usual. No one is as honest Thank you 🙏🏾

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Seven is fantastic.

[@cncrouterinfo]

As an european building a 2011 sprinter, I would say most people here do conversions for between 2 and 6k. The most cost goes to batteries, BMS, solar, maxxfann, windows etc. It is generally much cheaper to just get a bigger battery bank, and a bit more solar and run things like fidges on mains. Simply because a mains fridge is like 1/10th of the price of a fancy Dometic unit. But there have been some nice 12/24v second-hand options. If you outsource the carpentry you can probably add about 3-5k to that. If you outsource the electrics you can probably add another 500-1000 euros to that. Airconditioning is another 1000-2000 or so for a Dometic unit. Things that can make it expensive is if you are buying off the shelf stuff that looks cool: roof racks that look nice (2000 euro), spare wheel carriers (600-1000 euro) , fancy flip away bike carriers (500-1500) , cool wheels and tyres (probably 2000-3000), or"fancy" webasto/branded diesel heaters (1000-5000) vs a Chinese alternative which is like 100 euro. Doing the lifepo4 280AH battery bank diy saves you also about 1000-2000 euros. Renogy is a good alternative for Victron, has quite a price advantage. But I must say, overall this video is great!

[@davekent20]

Thanks for the video. You guys are great🇺🇸

[@VanLand]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@dustinhallinan2295]

Great work guys!👍🏻👍🏻

[@VanLand]

Thank you 🙌

[@heinzimhof]

An eye-opener for anyone wanting to dive into a DIY van buildout project to understand the basic necessities and associated costs for material and labor.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

$3500 for wheel boxes? Gold lined?

[@515capncrunch]

Looks like The Villa Chanticleer. Well done guys.

[@vincenttamesis1]

Super great info Jeremy. Thank you very much. So the $94K for material and labor plus the cost of the van. Also, If I bring you a second hand/used van, you are open to customizing it as well. correct?

[@eileenstowe1524]

That was a great spread sheet, do we have access to that anywhere? You guys covered some awesome content! Thanks for sharing.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Odd he did not include a link.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

I guess you have to be a customer to get one. Just make your own. It's a starting point. Some items, such as the flares, you'll have to buy and they will be no discount. The cabinetry is not hard. Try to keep the weight down, but finish it well. Insulation is a must, but the track floor? Wow. Expensive!

[@ryanmikita]

Another great video! Do you sell the interior light kit? If not will you share the source to find these lights?

[@Asha-ww9ct]

So I'm the process of purchasing a sprinter. I've been following your videos, on types of water tanks and what you need to get when you're buying your van what you shouldn't get put into the van. So I have a question I don't need a kitchen at all in my van, I have an esophagus issue my body cannot digest solid foods, so all I would need is a dry bath a shower a toilet and a sink.. and a tiny little area for a microwave drawer, refrigerator drawer, and another drawer to put my little smoothies/ protein shake cups and blenders. So basically three little drawers and the rest of course full closets and Storage for all of my clothes purse shoes hats gloves everything.. curious to know how much would that cost.

[@Bli8]

I'm interested in these folding seats (Click Seats?) but can't find them on your website. Where can I buy these? Great video btw, very informative.

[@ericburgher]

Wanted to echo the sentiments of a few others and was wondering if you could make this spreadsheet available to help with planning/budgeting. I’ve been looking for a video like this for a while! Thanks for putting this together.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Just make your own and start and stop and write stuff down. I guess he wants you to be a customer before he'll share.

[@margaretcostello6131]

Is there a link to the cost sheet? Thx Seven OSavage & Vanland

[@sassiegarner]

I just realized that I need an additional job. I get it though, quality isn't cheap.

[@joeygenochio6024]

Not to mention shipping costs for all the larger things, like a massive roof rack, heavy batteries, solar panels, flare space flares, big water tank, etc

[@VanLand]

Sounds like you have experience! 👍🏼

[@freekvanootegem7462]

I didn't see a list/price of the mattress, pillows, upholstery, cushions? Must be a few thousand to?

[@CorkHorde]

@3:55 10,000 kWh !! 😂 I know he probably meant over 10kWh... (but it's fun to think he could power a small town with his van)

[@freekvanootegem7462]

I understand that you did all the good work, but sharing this list would be amazingly helpful! If you quote these prices to your customers, this is the list you show them? Price of materials + hours of labour?

[@freekvanootegem7462]

Amazingly helpfull video and big thank you! +1 sub

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

There are all kinds of ways you can save money. Lots of times builders like this add parts that aren't needed or even used in any practical way. You see that rack on the roof, most people NEVER use them for anything that can't be replaced in some other way. Mount your solar panels right to the roof. Also, most people never use their awning. Get yourself a tarp setup to try out first, so you can find out if an awning is truly important to you before spending the money. Batteries, build your own lithium batteries for pennies on the dollar. It is super simple. You get the cells direct, buy a BMS, wire it up (simple) and you could have 540 amp hours in a 12v system for way less than you think. Even ready made lithium batteries are starting to cost under 30 cents per watt hour, $350 per 100 amp hours. The cost of lithium batteries is dropping like a rock. Also, really calculate your energy needs. Most people way over build when doing these fancy builds. Now all those cool looking bumpers, suspension lifts etc.... you really think they are pushing their vans to need that? Nope. Just put on the biggest tires that will fit and call it a day. Seriously, hardly anyone pushes their van to need all those items. Aftermarket wheels, not needed, stock works just fine. $1,000 dollar toilet, nope, buy a simple liquid/solid separator insert and make your own. etc....................

[@VanLand]

Yes, tons of ways to save money, but for most of our clients, they want every feature you can get. Also, around here, people use their roof racks a lot- surfboards, sunsets, photography, etc. I'm on my roof rack almost every day.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

My toilet is going to be a wrappon or similar dry flush.

[@taipingwang7841]

Really high end prefab components !

[@taipingwang7841]

Majority of builts do not use these high-end parts

[@gr4297]

you can always cut cost for yourself, ask renovators to call you and take cabinets and materials before they smash it. Go thru garbage bins on constriction sites. Free staff on fakebook and garbage days. Some of those vans looks like how they build them.

[@theborednerds]

Who is putting a MaxxAir Fan, Skylight, AND rooftop AC in a 144" van? Who is putting two floors in their van? Who is putting 2 capt chairs on tracks and a bench that folds down into a bed, And a 3 panel bed in a 144" Sprinter? What pump are you using that costs $350?

[@VanLand]

1. Lots of people. 2. Not sure why you’d need two floors. 3. Some people. 4. Depends.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

I've build houses, plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, etc. The total parts he's listed you can cut in half. Of course, the labor will double. Weight is a huge concern. One thing no one's mentioned is an airbed. No moisture, pretty much zero weight, but you will be have to make your bed around your mattress. Oh, and the cost ranges from $45 to $350 or so.

[@rjthomasindyusa]

If you cut the parts list in half.... your either getting a lesser van or lower quality parts.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

@@rjthomasindyusa Not really. I've built a dozen houses. I think I know what I'm doing. I build custom cabinets from scratch. What I wouldn't compromise on is solar and elecrtical. But I've re-wired another dozen or so houses. I'm not going to burn the van up.

[@rjthomasindyusa]

@@scottslotterbeck3796 I also build, flip and remodel homes. The majority of my work is mid to high end. ...25 years. I am also building a van. His numbers are accurate for a high end build. I don't know how you would cut the price in half and maintain the quality. As an example... Do you build cabinets from particle board, 3/4 ply from Home Depot or a cabinet grade baltic birch. There is a distinct difference in quality and price in those materials. I for one will choose the cabinet grade baltic birch every time. I'm sorry... an air mattress and a proper bed are a world apart. You're talking about apples and oranges.

[@rjthomasindyusa]

@@hoppingrabbit9849 Kitchens typically get remodeled every 10-15 years. Are they "waisting the birch" as well?

[@DirtSickle1]

So it's pretty much assumed at this point to spend near 80k for a loaded 170 off the lot and then another 100k for a full build of something that is looking for everything. How do people afford these 200k Vans? Are the getting a loan that allows them to wrap the van and build into one monthly payment? Two separate loans? This is for people that don't have 100k laying around

[@weissomar185]

I like savage 🤠

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

He comes across like a chill guy.

[@JimJones-gd2jy]

FYI - Every single van builder always forgets before and after weight gains ! ! Most of the builds are waaay to heavy for the chassis.. gas mpg down the drain with motor strain.

[@vincenttamesis1]

Does the price of $130-140 come with the van? All in basically

[@Gunnicool007]

Yeah but I think the labor is not included

[@SFSFIRE]

what is a 22 gallon spare tire tank? on the spreadsheet.

[@VanLand]

A water tank that lives in the spare tire cage under the van.

[@bravomalice7238]

Holy snap crackers! 😍 😍

[@The404169]

I am very interested in getting a van that will do 2 things First it needs to be flat towable behind my motorhome Second I need to be able to put my electric golf cart inside while I am flat towing the van I know this means 4x4 as I have seen where the Sprinter van comes in 4x4 and I believe it is flat towable I would be looking at high roof If the rear seating was foldable up against the outside wall so during towing I could use that floor space for the golf cart Maybe the 144 would work - easier parking Maybe the 170 would be required Can you comment on this project

[@Banshee88TK]

I think he's saying the cost including the van cost, not exluding. That would be insane without the van lol

[@515capncrunch]

Yes, if you watch Seven O’s build series, he goes over his purchase of the van and it was about half of the total.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

It can be done lots cheaper.

[@rudeman1914]

Wow that’s expensive. I rather get the a brand new 2021 rebel $180k or airstream way better.

[@VanLand]

That’s an option. Most people we work with are looking for something more than those vehicles offer. The quality and durability of the Winnebago and Airstream models are pretty low. They look good coming off the lot but start to fall apart right away.

[@astridkapp2775]

@@VanLand I agree, I rented one that was 6 months old just to get feel- the thing was rattling, drawers flying open, cheaply made

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Your decision

[@PickledShark]

Wow, that’s brutal

[@VanLand]

The cost- yes it's a lot but we just wanted help people have another perspective. Too often the costs are hidden and people are disappointed about the reality of building this type of vehicle.

[@weissomar185]

It is ridiculous

[@mallorymcguire833]

$900 for two 100w solar panels? I stopped watching at this point. This pricing is for people where money is no object.

[@VanLand]

Those are top of the line super-efficient panels that are lightweight, low profile and aerodynamic. There are definitely cheaper options but you get what you pay for as they say.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

The trend now a walkable solar panels, and 275 watts per panel. Just what you want.

[@rajeevbhatt6842]

Since when this guy has become a good builder? I have seen his most videos. He is a good guy, but I did not find him to be great in van building. Sorry.

[@277kne]

What do you think of George of Humble Road? He said his cost was around an Airstream and under Advanced RV. That is not including the van.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Who? Jeremy or Seven?