How much does it cost to convert a van into a campervan: A complete guide

Selecting the Proper Van

Choosing the appropriate van is the first step in any campervan conversion! The process of choosing the proper car can be thrilling and enjoyable, but it can also be a little intimidating. For that reason, this guide is here to support you.

Making the correct decision from the beginning is crucial since converting a vehicle requires both time and money. There are numerous alternatives to pick from.

Like individuals, vans can be tall, little, wide, narrow, colorful, discrete, useful, bulky, sturdy, inexpensive, or costly.

You'll learn which van is ideal for turning into a camper in this post.

Depreciation Rule

Let’s not sugarcoat it: converting a van into a camper can be quite expensive. A rule of thumb is to follow either the 70/30 rule (70% for the vehicle, 30% for the conversion) or the 60/40 rule.

Example with the 70/30 rule (budget £15,000): £10,500 for the van, £4,500 for the conversion
Example with the 60/40 rule (budget £15,000): £9,000 for the van, £6,000 for the conversion

This is due to the depreciation of the van as the mileage increases.

Calculating Your Conversion's Cost

Make a list of all the things you need in your camper and figure out their prices to get an idea of how much your conversion will cost. After you get the amount, factor in another 30% for unforeseen costs. This is what your conversion will cost. A comprehensive list of supplies required for a van conversion may be found further down.

Non-Build Expenses

Making the van roadworthy is a different matter than converting it. Remember to account for MOT (UK), insurance, and tax expenses. These can easily raise the overall cost by several thousand pounds. What is the price of converting a van?
What is the price of the van itself?

According to the Roaming Home study from 2023, the average cost for a base vehicle for conversion was £7,000 (approximately 90,000 SEK).

Van prices can vary greatly depending on the model, year, and mileage:

• Mercedes Sprinter: £15,000–£21,000 (200,000–270,000 SEK)

• Ford Transit: £7,500–£15,000 (100,000–200,000 SEK)

What Is the Price of a Van Conversion?

Converting a van typically costs about £6,800 (85,000 SEK). The average conversion costs range from £3,200 to £8,000 (40,000 to 100,000 SEK).

Accordingly, a vehicle with conversion typically costs £13,000 (175,000 SEK) in total. However, a lot of individuals convert their vans for much less money. In my instance, I paid £5,600 (70,000 SEK) for the car and an additional £5,600 (70,000 SEK) for the conversion.

In the US, most people spend between £4,000 and £12,000 (50,000–150,000 SEK) on their van conversion, with one-third spending less than £4,000.

We’ve put together a comprehensive list of all the materials you’ll need for a van conversion. You can download it for free here. The list includes three different levels: a basic, a mid-range, and an advanced conversion. If we follow the list and buy everything new, the costs look like this:

• Basic conversion: £4,800 (62,000 SEK)

• Mid-range conversion: £9,500 (121,000 SEK)

• Advanced conversion: £24,000 (311,000 SEK)
  

If these costs seem high, don’t be discouraged – you can easily reduce the price by buying used items and simplifying your conversion.

We estimate that about 40% of the cost of a conversion goes towards electrical installations, making it the most expensive part of the build.

Van Lifespan

What’s considered high mileage for a van? Data from a report by the European Commission shows that the expected lifespan of a commercial van is 140,000 miles (224,000 km), and the average retirement age is 13 years.

This doesn’t mean that a van can’t last beyond these figures. In our study, we found that many people had bought vans with much higher mileage.

We also found that the most common registration year for a van in 2023 was 2015, meaning they are on average 8 years old.