Frank Is a School Bus Converted Into a Homey RV With a Recirculating Shower

Although 40 ft (12.2 m) sounds like a tiny space, it is different in a bus. You could have almost every necessity while still having enough space to move around. Some compromises must be made, such as getting rid of a lot of your stuff. It is quite surprising how much we can gather throughout the years and not realize that we don't need even half of these.

Rachel and DJ live in a 2005 Blue Bird school bus named Frank. The exterior still keeps its original yellow color and all the hidden storage. Since there is little room underneath the bus, they could only manage to have a 30-gallon gray tank and a diesel heater. While this exterior might sound like it could be more impressive, the roof deck is quite amazing. It was placed on the front side of the roof next to the solar panels alongside an umbrella pole. It measures 14 ft (4.2 m) in length and 8 ft (2.4 m) in width.

The first area accessible from the outside is the living room. Two curtains were added between the living and the driver's cab to ensure the couple has enough privacy inside their mobile home. Next, we find a 7 ft (2.1 m) couch that folds out and transforms into a two-person bed. Since the cats are an essential part of the family, they have a little archway underneath the sofa from one side to another.

In front of the couch, we find a big wood-burning stove surrounded by a hearth built using little river rocks. Safety should be everyone's concern, and this couple came up with a great idea to ensure nothing would burst into flames. A small orb resembling a Cora ball (the laundry globe used to catch microfibres inside the washing machine) was placed on the wall next to the wood stove. If the temperature rises enough or there is an open flame, it will explode and shoot out dust that will put the fire down. An entertainment center was added next to the fireplace. A TV sits on it and is also used as storage for all miscellaneous items.

The floor and ceiling have been covered with wood to give this bus a homey look. They used stained tongue and groove pine for the roof, while the base is Brazilian pecan hardwood.

Next is the kitchen area. A large and functional kitchen might sound like a dream in a motorhome, but this bus shows it is possible. The butcherblock countertop measures no more, no less than 6 ft. There is also tons of storage inside the base cabinets and on the open shelving. A large double sink, a portable Camp Chef stove, and a fridge give the functionality of this kitchen. To store all the goods, a sizeable pull-out pantry was added here.

The bathroom is accessible through a barn door. It is quite small, but it fits everything you would generally need, such as a tiled shower cabin with a bench, a composting toilet, and a storage cabinet.

A recirculating water system was needed to be able to boondock for a longer time. Underneath the shower base is a three in. deep reservoir holding a bit under 8 gallons (30 liters) of water. A pump draws the shower water through three oversized home filters, a UV filter, and the water heater. This way, the couple has endless water, and only a bit of energy is used for the pump.

The bedroom was located at the rear side of the RV. It has a California king-size bed with hydraulic lifts, a long bookshelf, a dog bed with memory foam, and a mini-split. Plenty of storage underneath the bed is used as a garage area and a dresser.

The couple bought this bus for $10,000 and another $20,000 for the off-grid system. They ended up spending around $65,000 to convert it into a suitable home on wheels. The build is not quite finished yet. They want to repaint the exterior, finish the entryway, and add a tow package for the future car.

This price is quite a lot for a school bus. Most of those completely off-grid buses with a full bath and a kitchen cost much less than this if you go the simple way. But as is always the case with a home, the sky is the limit (or the wallet), and you can get to unexpected costs depending on the options that you choose to have.