vandreamSF
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2017
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello VanDweller Community!
For the past couple months I have been researching van-living.
I'm in my late 20's, looking to move from a small town in south-eastern Pennsylvania to the San Francisco bay area.
I have a bachelor's degree from a state university, but in the liberal arts. That mistake combined with graduating while the economy was still recovering from the recession meant underemployment.
I've been in a miserable living situation, struggling with depression, and unable to save money since, although I have paid off my considerable student loans.
The retail chain I have been working for for the past several years has stores in the bay area, so I could transfer and keep my full-time position.
While my salary would not be enough to rent an apartment, if I can live out of a van and avoid paying rent and utilities I will be able to pay off the van and save money while living in the area I've always dreamed of AND having a more private accommodation than in a share-house. I plan to use a gym membership for bathroom access, and either eat most of my meals outside or cook simple meals in my van.
I decided to work with the Ram Promaster 159" wheel-base, high roof chassis because it has a gasoline engine rather than diesel, is easier to have repaired, and easier to drive than the Sprinter.
I plan to stealth camp in urban areas. The 159" standard should be able to squeeze under the "oversized vehicle" parking ordinances, while still giving me ample space.
Some must-haves:
I ended up using the Sportsmobile template and Adobe Photoshop to crudely map out a potential layout that would include most of the features I want.
I was hoping experienced vandwellers/builders here would be willing to critique my build and offer advice. I'm aware that right now I'm still full of starry-eyed idealism, so you don't need to pull any punches!
My layout design is here.
Thanks in advance for reading my wall of text and any input you give!
For the past couple months I have been researching van-living.
I'm in my late 20's, looking to move from a small town in south-eastern Pennsylvania to the San Francisco bay area.
I have a bachelor's degree from a state university, but in the liberal arts. That mistake combined with graduating while the economy was still recovering from the recession meant underemployment.
I've been in a miserable living situation, struggling with depression, and unable to save money since, although I have paid off my considerable student loans.
The retail chain I have been working for for the past several years has stores in the bay area, so I could transfer and keep my full-time position.
While my salary would not be enough to rent an apartment, if I can live out of a van and avoid paying rent and utilities I will be able to pay off the van and save money while living in the area I've always dreamed of AND having a more private accommodation than in a share-house. I plan to use a gym membership for bathroom access, and either eat most of my meals outside or cook simple meals in my van.
I decided to work with the Ram Promaster 159" wheel-base, high roof chassis because it has a gasoline engine rather than diesel, is easier to have repaired, and easier to drive than the Sprinter.
I plan to stealth camp in urban areas. The 159" standard should be able to squeeze under the "oversized vehicle" parking ordinances, while still giving me ample space.
Some must-haves:
- I really don't want to rely on propane. I'd like to cover my roof with as many solar panels as possible (I've been looking at these) and hook them up to this Kodiak generator.
- Two MAXXFAN Deluxes so I can have one pulling air in and one pushing air out.
- LED light tape with different colors and dimming options.
- A Dometic refrigerator.
- An efficient microwave.
- Enough solar power left over to charge a smartphone and laptop.
- A solid, insulated bulkhead separating the cab from the living space.
- A door in the bulkhead that can only be opened from the living space (ideally it would be practically invisible from the cab).
- Separate keys for the ignition/cab doors and the bulkhead door/rear doors.
- A comfortable, reclining high-backed executive office chair that can swivel, on tracks so it can be moved while staying secure when driving.
- A custom set of shelves that can be pulled away from the wall without upsetting anything on them to double as a desk.
- An adjustable bed platform that can fit a full-size, 6-8" thick futon as either a bed or a sofa.
- Space in the back or under the bed to store a road/city bicycle without removing the wheels or needing a folding bicycle.
- Enough solar power to use a portable induction cooktop and/or crockpot.
- Enough solar power for exterior flood lights and/or security cameras (extremely unlikely and un-stealthy).
- A way to make my own coffee (I'm a caffeine-junkie).
- A skylight.
- Enough room under the bed to store a 6' stepladder (for accessing the solar panels if I need to).
- Modified rear doors (something like the bottom rear hatch on the Honda Element) for loading a bicycle sideways into a storage area under the bed without exposing the living space.
I ended up using the Sportsmobile template and Adobe Photoshop to crudely map out a potential layout that would include most of the features I want.
I was hoping experienced vandwellers/builders here would be willing to critique my build and offer advice. I'm aware that right now I'm still full of starry-eyed idealism, so you don't need to pull any punches!
My layout design is here.
Thanks in advance for reading my wall of text and any input you give!