Couple transform white van into dream £15k home on wheels with DIY skills
It was once an ordinary white van with nothing but air in the back, and now it's a stunning home on wheels - equipped with solar panels, a miniature kitchen and a double bed.
Meera Bhardwaj-Patel and Will Brown were students at the University of Bath when they made the decision to save their pennies and purchase a vehicle to travel the world.
Meera was obsessed with '#vanlife' videos on TikTok, and it wasn't until she met Will, who was studying engineering, that she realised her dream could become a reality.
The couple, who work remotely, spent £15,000 in total - cash collected from their part-time jobs - to transform an everyday van into an aesthetic and practical, sustainable home.
And now believe the money they will save on renting means they'll be able to save up to be homeowners in the near future.
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Meera is a travel enthusiast and always dreamt of seeing the world in a van (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)
The couple converted an ordinary vehicle into a stylish home on wheels (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)"I've always wanted to travel and don't like being in one place for a long time," Meera, 25, told the Mirror.
"I did two years of travelling in Southeast Asia and Costa Rica before university and I absolutely loved it."
Will, 23, hadn't seen much of the world, but was just as keen to jet off and explore the seven continents with his girlfriend.
"I spent a lot of time in lockdown watching bus and van conversions on TikTok, and went down a rabbit hole with #vanlife," Meera explained.
It cost them £15,000 in total and they documented the whole process on TikTok (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)"I remember saying to my flatmate, 'I'd love to do that but it's probably a pipe dream'. And then I met Will and he was an engineer."
The couple were a match made in heaven, and paired their passion for travel with Will's DIY skills to start their home project.
Last May, they bought a white van for £7,000 and sourced solar panels on Gumtree to attach to their roof.
They began insulating the walls and building a plywood floor, all the while documenting the process on social media.
The pair used reclaimed wood to transform the ceiling and built their own kitchen cupboards and bedframe, with the help of guides and YouTube videos.
Engineer Will didn't spend a penny on labour and learnt to do it all himself (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)
Renovating and pimping up the vehicle has cost them approximately £8,000 (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)After replicating a book on fitting van electrical systems, Will landed a remote job with the company; and Meera, who studied psychology, got a remote job in mental health.
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"The most expensive part was the electrical system, which was around £2,500. It meant we can plug in lights, laptops and phones," Will, from Southport, said.
The duo wanted the van to be self-sustainable and said one of their main motivators was to live "more simply and sustainably".
This means they only need to stop off to fill up on petrol or water, and the rest of their time can be spent remotely.
The van is self-sustainable and has lots of storage for their essential belongings (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)
The pair both work remotely and will be able to save money on the road (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)"Eventually, we would like to buy a house one day. Living in the van will help us save money to potentially buy a property. It's an investment too," Meera said.
"We have tried to stay on budget but the price of materials has increased a bit. In total, it's cost us around £15,000 to buy and convert."
"The renovations and materials have cost around £8,000 and we haven't paid for labour costs, as we've learnt to do it all by ourselves," Will explained.
Their van conversion videos have been a hit on TikTok @vanonamission, with one clip reaching 1.9M viewers and another hitting nearly 290,000 users.
Will and Meera have begun their travels around the world and don't have an end goal (Meera Bhardwaj-Patel)The khaki kitchen is now complete with potted plants, a small larder and fresh white tiles. There's also a small snug, under-the-bed storage and enough room for their cat, Lola.
Last month, the couple took their first trip to Toulouse in France to visit Meera's parents, and will now venture across Europe from there.
"I'm most excited for the scenic places and having the time to explore. We don't necessarily want to see touristy spots," Meera added.
"We want to see the smaller towns and hidden gems that people don't necessarily go to."
Have you done an impressive renovation? Get in touch. Email [email protected].
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