Van Conversion Planners
Budget your build, estimate your timeline, and design your floor plan. All tools are UK-specific.
Plan Your Van Conversion
A van conversion is one of the most consequential purchases most vanlifers make, and the one most often under-planned. These three planners cover the three decisions that matter most: how much will it cost, how long will it take, and will everything physically fit. They are built around realistic UK costs and van dimensions, not American hardware-store prices or continental van sizes.
Start with the Build Layout Planner to establish what furniture arrangement is possible, then run the Build Budget Planner against your chosen spec, and finally use the Build Time Planner to set a realistic completion date. All three planners save their state in your browser session.
Build Budget Planner
Plan every cost of your van conversion from purchase to first trip. Set a budget cap, track actuals, and model finance repayments.
Build Time Planner
Estimate your build timeline by stage, including how many weekends you'll need, which tasks can run in parallel, and when you'll realistically hit the road.
Build Layout Planner
Map out your van's floor plan. Place furniture on an interactive grid, check weight distribution, and explore layout presets.
Wiring Diagram Builder
Design your van's electrical system visually across 12/24V DC and 120/230V AC. Drag in batteries, charge controllers, inverters, bus bars, an RCD consumer unit and loads, draw the wiring, and get cable gauge and fuse/breaker sizes computed at each conductor's own voltage. Auto-build a safe circuit from a checklist, add your own voltage-aware custom components, pan and zoom the canvas, and run a check that flags unfused feeds, missing earths, polarity and voltage mismatches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a van conversion cost in the UK?
A budget DIY conversion using secondhand materials can come in at £2,000-£4,000 for a basic insulated, boarded van with a bed and 12V electrics. A mid-range owner-build with proper insulation, cladding, a built-in kitchen, 100Ah lithium battery, 200W solar, and a diesel heater typically costs £5,000-£12,000. Professional conversions by specialist builders start around £15,000 and can exceed £40,000 for a high-specification motorhome-quality fit-out.
How long does a van conversion take?
A first-time owner-builder working weekends and evenings should plan for 3-6 months for a full conversion. Rushing electrical and insulation work is the most common cause of expensive rework. The critical path is: insulation and vapour control first, then cladding, then electrical rough-in before furniture is fixed in place.
What van size should I build in?
Most solo or couple builds land on a medium or long wheelbase panel van in the 6-metre range: Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes Sprinter, or Renault Trafic. High-roof variants give standing room (typically 1.9-2.0 m internal height) at the cost of wind resistance and urban parking difficulty.
Do I need to tell my insurer about a van conversion?
Yes, and failing to do so can invalidate your policy. A converted van is classified differently from a standard panel van. You need specialist vanlife or motorhome insurance from providers familiar with conversions, such as Adrian Flux, Comfort Insurance, Devitt, or Brentacre. Policies typically require a valuation of the conversion for contents cover.