Couple Turns School Bus Into Off-Grid Mobile Tiny Home With Meditation Roof Deck

Shaina and Max are two outdoorsy people who built and designed their unusual home in a skoolie. To match their desires, they even mounted a meditation spot on top of the bus, which can be accessed via the hatch in the roof. This roof deck is made from steel tubes and measures 7ft (2.1m) by 8ft (2.4m). The floor is made of LVT (Luxurious Vinyl Tiles), which is a type of elastic flooring that preserves heat.

Most mobile tiny homes are built to allow for off-grid living, and this one is no exception. For their electricity needs, the couple installed solar panels capable of 500 Watt-hours, while their water needs are taken care of by a 65-gallon (246-liter) freshwater tank.

If they can't leverage the energy from the sun, the bus also has a 30amp electrical connection to a generator. At the front of the bus, they customized two air tubes that connect to the air conditioner and circulate the airflow, allowing fresh air to constantly come in. Also present is a dehumidifier to help control humidity, which can become a problem during rainy nights in nature.

Usually, school buses are yellow, but this one has been painted fully white to reflect the sunlight and give it a more elegant look. To make the vehicle look more like a home, the roof is now made of wood, and lighting is provided by a few chic spotlights. The door has a custom-made frame with a usual door lock system.

The kitchen is fully functional with a stovetop, an oven, and a Dometic fridge. Two small pantry drawers were built to store all the food cans and condiments. The couple stated that they chose to let the natural look of the wood unpainted, which makes them feel more connected to the outside world.

In such small homes, there is not always space for every type of room you normally find in a conventional home. So, a living room with a couch and a tiny table can also convert into a dinette area. The wood board in the middle of the couch can be removed and added on top of the table. This way, you get two seats and a decent-sized table to serve dinner on.

A bedroom with a two-person bed has been included at the back of the van. The couple added lots of storage scattered all around the bedroom, from wall-mounted compartments to even more of them on top and under the bed. Feeling hot while sleeping in a vehicle made of metal is not a problem due to the addition of a roof fan that constantly adds fresh air.

The bathroom is minuscule, with a composting toilet and a shower head right above. To prevent excessive steam and the formation of mold, a small fan that also serves as the room lighting has been installed. To drain the water caused by showering, the floor has been made of wood lath, which lets the water flow through and fall into a 40-gallon (151-liter) water tank.

For this couple, the skoolie is a perfect place to live, work, and travel everywhere they want. They started with a budget of $15,000 (€15,426) but ended up spending a bit more than $20,000 (€20,569). The total cost of this home is definitely a bargain considering the prices they would have had to pay for a normal house in most cities or suburbs. The whole build took them about a year and a half, only working during weekends.