Bit more info Req'd

[bezzabsa]

OK so van is sat outside awaiting the Cash and sudden rush of energy to start the conversion...And once again I apologise for it NOT being a Ford

How many of you have - and use - hot water??
is it a Must have, or do you make do with a boiled kettle??

same again for Loo??

And the $64,000 question..

Heat.. plumbed in Gas system, Night heater style...leccy fan heater..or 12v heater..
also pro's and cons on the above (bit long winded I know..)

[bezzabsa]

BUGGA knew I'd forgotten summat!!

anyone fitted a Bongo elevating roof to anything other than a Bongo????

[Beaker]

As always, it depends most on what is important to you, and secondly, what you have room and budget for.

Our take on it, is that anything we can get in the van that is a step up from a tent, is a luxury. So never being used to having hot water, not having it is no loss, and being SWB we don't have room anyway. We don't have a fridge either, fitting a passive cool box instead.

No heating either - thermal underwear is much cheaper.

Loo, yes - one of the little Porta Potti type things. That really is a luxury.

As I say, we a going up in the world from a tent so our list of essentials is very small. If you are going down the scale from hotels or caravans, I can imagine your list of "must haves" would be a lot longer.

[bezzabsa]

all my holidays have been British sea side static caravan, so not exactly 5*

Loo I think would be 90% necessity (old age don't ya know )..possibly just a porta potti shoved in a cupboard not nocturnal use!!

I'm used to Night heaters in cabs (EX HGV driver) so I know how useful they can be..but I also know they can sound like a Jet on take off..

Just trying to sort out my long list before I actually start cutting anything!!

[Beaker]

What I suggest is that you draw up a "wish list" of things you would like your van to have. Then Google each of those features and see if and how other people have done it.

Read loads of camper van build blogs, search different forums, and best of all, get on Pinterest - it will give you more good ideas than you can shake a stick at. Every time you see something you like, add it to your Pinterest page.

Many of the most creative and innovative campers are American or Australian - I'm sure the weather has something to do with it, while VW campers all seem to look exactly the same in my opinion.

There is no right or wrong - it's your van so kit it out the way you want, with what you want, and sod everyone else. You just need to get it to best suit the way you want to use it.