Anyone using their business/workplace as a "home base"?

[FuManchu]

I'm tired of looking at overpriced, shoddy apartments here on Long Island, NY and thinking of staying in my van for the summer at least.  I could use my business as a home base but its not an ideal situation.  I'm actually subletting from another guy in the same line of work and its a warehouse type of building in an industrial park.  He has no problem with me parking and sleeping in the van and there's already a cargo and conversion van parked there.  Not much privacy until after 8 pm though because he comes in from his other job at 5 pm and he also has a worker come in from 5-8 so they get to see my goings-on.  I have a tiny office in which I can put a small fridge and a hot plate and I can get a gym membership for showering.  No one around on the weekends usually so I can drive to different parks or visit my girlfriend (who wouldn't be too put off by me living in a van since she lives in her store!)  There's no place to sleep inside the building in case anyone wanted to suggest that, and its at least 10 degrees colder inside than the outside temps.

I don't have my van tricked out for living in, I would basically just sleep on the carpeted floor with a camping mat and some blankets or a sleeping bag if necessary.  It's a 1996 Dodge Ram window van with custom full-length side windows, short bed of only 8 feet, just passed 200K miles.  Took out the bed and one of the rear passenger seats.  I may have to rig up some dark curtains to keep light out and maybe even figure out a way to cover the windows with mosquito netting since they are rife around here during the summer.  Will there be condensation issues with this kind of setup?  Your thoughts, comments, ideas, suggestions, etc??

 

[BradKW]

You've got a safe place to park in an otherwise difficult metro area, I'd say why not give it a try? Really nothing to lose and potentially much to gain.

While your van isn't "tricked out for living", it sounds like you have some basics available to make it doable to start, and then maybe you find what areas need to be improved upon to make it a workable long-term solution that you are happy with. For what you must be saving in rent, you could certainly justify some van upgrades, or even buying more of a pre-build camper van in the future...

 

[Patrick46]

That sounds like a darn near ideal situation for an inner-city van-dweller.

I'd definitely say go for it!

 

[Almost There]

Go for it!!

Since it's going to be summer to start with and you're not cooking in it, there shouldn't be much in the way of condensation issues. Ventilation is the key to preventing problems year round.

Suggestions:

Take a look at putting in a cot so that you're not sleeping on the floor level, you'll like being able to sit on it much better than just having to lie on the floor. You can also put totes or boxes under the bed to store things in.

You'll likely want some kind of toilet facilities in there as well. Whether it's a porta pottie or just a bucket with sawdust and a wide mouth container for liquids, it will be much more comfortable than having to haul butt in to the building anytime you're there.

Definitely make yourself some window screens for all the windows that open. You can use magnetic strips if the windows haven't been trimmed out with plastic or use velcro. Put it all the way around, not just in spots. Use noseeum netting for even the tiniest bugs rather than regular window screening.

Make sure that your internet will reach to the van.

You'll need some way of having lighting in the van, whether it's a headlamp and a rechargeable LED lantern, a power cord run to the van for regular lights or a battery system with solar.

You're also likely to want a fan or two in there for hot sticky nights.

Consider putting in a swivel base on the passenger side so that you have a comfy chair to use.

Do as much as you can to turn it in to a comfortable place to be. This should be a life of luxury not deprivation!

 

[FuManchu]

Great suggestions, thanks, but for the time being I would just sleep in it. I will use the bathroom in my shop and do my cooking in the office so really don't have to set up any cooking or toilet facilities for the time being. I can also use my computer in the office for internet. Clothes and other necessaries can be stored in the shop as well. It's just a few steps from the van into the building. Good idea with the fan, I can run a power cord under the garage door.

 

[slem]

I'm tired of looking at overpriced, shoddy apartments here on Long Island, NY and thinking of staying in my van for the summer at least.  I could use my business as a home base but its not an ideal situation.  I'm actually subletting from another guy in the same line of work and its a warehouse type of building in an industrial park.  He has no problem with me parking and sleeping in the van and there's already a cargo and conversion van parked there.  Not much privacy until after 8 pm though because he comes in from his other job at 5 pm and he also has a worker come in from 5-8 so they get to see my goings-on.  I have a tiny office in which I can put a small fridge and a hot plate and I can get a gym membership for showering.  No one around on the weekends usually so I can drive to different parks or visit my girlfriend (who wouldn't be too put off by me living in a van since she lives in her store!)  There's no place to sleep inside the building in case anyone wanted to suggest that, and its at least 10 degrees colder inside than the outside temps.

I don't have my van tricked out for living in, I would basically just sleep on the carpeted floor with a camping mat and some blankets or a sleeping bag if necessary.  It's a 1996 Dodge Ram window van with custom full-length side windows, short bed of only 8 feet, just passed 200K miles.  Took out the bed and one of the rear passenger seats.  I may have to rig up some dark curtains to keep light out and maybe even figure out a way to cover the windows with mosquito netting since they are rife around here during the summer.  Will there be condensation issues with this kind of setup?  Your thoughts, comments, ideas, suggestions, etc??

A must is a compost toilet.  No black wast holding tank to mess with.  http://c-head.com/Mockup.html

 

[FuManchu]

Well this idea of using my business as a home base is starting to fizzle out. I was here over the weekend and I forgot how much activity can go on here on a weekend. I was here on Saturday unloading some stuff for storage and the guy I sublet from, Matt, rolls up with his girlfriend in tow. Knowing what a gossip he is, he probably told her, "that's my co-tenant FM, he's thinking of living in his van." While he's okay with me parking here and sleeping, he will also blab about it to everyone and it won't be long before it filters to certain people in the circle of acquaintances who will be ringing me up in tears, looking to "rescue" me or find me an apartment.

Now I'm here on Sunday and his bookkeeper is here! "FM, what are you doing here?" Lady, you're the one working on a Sunday and you're asking me that question? I had forgotten her penchant for showing up at crazy hours to do his paperwork. One time I was coming back from a long drive late at night and stopped in the shop to take a pee break and she was here at 11 pm on a Saturday night!! Then Matt has a few employees, one of whom occasionally shows up on a weekend to work on his car since he's not allowed to at his apartment. So I can count on no real privacy on the weekend, even in a small warehouse type building in an industrial park!!!

Even during work weeks, the physical layout of the place means constant foot traffic past my office door once Matt and his 2 night workers come in at 5 p.m. and work until 8. A lot of beer drinking, stupid talk and no doubt comments about me living in the van, what I'm cooking for dinner, etc. and then laughing at me behind my back when I'm not there. No peace of mind amidst gawkers and mockers...

I think I have to bite the bullet and get a cheap apartment and maybe get a feel for sleeping in the van by coming by the shop occasionally at 9 pm and staying the night on a work night.

 

[FuManchu]

I'm still here a few hours later on a Sunday and now not only is the bookkeeper still here but Matt's employee that works on his car sometimes just rolled in. Now he's setting up saw horses outside the garage door and is about to do some kind of work. Good grief, I have no flippin' privacy here. So much for this idea.

 

[FuManchu]

...and now Matt just showed up. Arrgghhhh.

 

[Txjaybird]

HELLO.......I will say that for a minute there it sounded like an ideal situation.  Do you have to park so close to the building?   Could you park away from it and run a power cord out  for a radio or just a small fan to use as white noise so you could sleep?  Does your office have windows you can cover and a door to lock...maybe with a sign for when you're not working like..."I AM NOT HERE AND YOU DO NOT SEE ME"........  PEOPLE MAY TALK ABOUT YOUR VAN DWELLING now that they know about your intentions...so what?

 Once you know what to look for you might be surprised at the number of people living in vehicles by choice and not because they have to.  Some folks may think about how smart you are to save money by not paying a high monthly rent plus utilities and wonder if they can do it  

You might find someone who would be glad to let you park on their property for a small fee...  or maybe for a few chores around the place........you might house sit and even get paid!
I hope things work out for you what ever you decide.....you could even become a full time Van Dweller      Ya better watch out!                       Texas Jbird

 

[FuManchu]

Thanks for your input, TJ.  Without you seeing the place, it's not easy to visualize why I don't see it working.  The office is only 8x8 and its next to Matt's office so conversations can be heard through the walls.  The office is also next to the garage door where Matt and his employees are coming and going, loading up a truck, etc. and then his employee who comes in from 5-8 pm frequently stands in the doorway to take a cigarette break and by then already has a few beers in him.

I'm by myself in the shop during the day and could probably cook my dinner around 4:30 and then take a drive to eat it at a park and hang out for a few hours and come back after 8 pm when they've all gone home.  But seeing all these people showing up on a weekend when I would have enjoyed some peace and quiet kinda killed it for me.  I can't park further away because we only have a few parking spots for our shop and I don't want to park in front of other people's business on this strip and have conflicts.  I don't need an extension cord or anything at night to sleep in the van because once they've gone home, its no problem.  But it's the fact that all these people came barging in on both days of the weekend ruined it for me.  I don't have to spend all day on the weekend at the shop; there's really not much to keep me there - it's a dingy industrial park.  I could visit my girlfriend on the weekend, go for a bike ride or a hike, etc... but the idea that when I'm ready to come back to the shop and cook some food and get ready to settle in to the van, there could potentially be someone already there gawking at me...

I have to be out of my current living situation by next weekend and I'm not ready to be a fulltime van dweller.  I was hoping this would be a compromise where I would have a home base to cook and keep food in a fridge and go on the internet but it seems that's not the case.  So in the meantime I will go on selected "outings" from whatever apartment I wind up in and maybe spend one night a week sleeping in the van at the shop or somewhere else to get my feet wet and ease into the experience slowly...

 

[Rugster]

Understandable that coming 'home' to a random crowd won't work, but with such short notice, would you be able to find a suitable apartment?

Any chance you could 'crash' at your girlfriends driveway on weekends? It sounded like you had a cool set up but yeah, with that many people that you know dropping in at all hours, it doesn't sound like a good idea.

Good luck finding something that works for you

 

[FuManchu]

Thanks Rugster, there are 3 apartments I can call tomorrow and get, they've been sitting on Craigslist for weeks with no takers.  I've seen all 3 and like every apartment I've seen (I've looked at many over the past month) they're expensive and have one or a few features that are deal-killers.  But if I just get settled in one I can "practice" van sleeping one or two nights a week to get my feet wet and spend the rest of the time reading this forum from stem to stern to learn about all the other stuff I don't understand yet, like insulation, batteries, etc. and maybe in a few months I can go into full van dwelling.

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

I have made no real secret at work that I plan on selling my house and moving in to a converted school bus. I'll be keeping the job for pretty much as long as I can stand it and they are willing to have me. So far most everyone is pretty encouraging about the whole thing.
It's a big business campus. I work IT and we have about a dozen buildings. We have a gym with showers and a cafeteria. The longer I can stay while living in my rig just means more savings for the long haul. Not sure how they will feel about me overnighting in the parking lot but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Working on alternative income and the possibility of piece work IT stuff.