This Cozy Skoolie Packs the Comforts of a Conventional Home but Costs a Fraction of One

Transforming a school bus into a mobile home has several advantages - I dedicated an article to this topic if you want to learn more.

Meet Thor and Deb, the owners of this rig. It's a 35-foot (10.7-meter) long 1996 International Navistar Genesis bus sporting a 19-inch (48-centimeter) roof raise. Many bus dwellers opt for roof raises, especially those who, like this couple, live in the rigs full-time. Everybody wants enough headroom in their mobile homes to stand up straight.

Thor and Deb found this bus only three miles away from their hometown. They spent a mere $21,000 (€19,359) to get their hands on it. What's more, they invested a further $4,000 (€3,687) into it, bringing the total cost to $25,000 (€23,046). That's an excellent deal – if you're not familiar with the typical costs and prices of tiny homes on wheels, know that you can spend double this much on a camper van conversion, and that's without including the price of the base vehicle.

Like always, I'll start with the rig's exterior. To be honest, there's not much to talk about. The bus comes, like most other bus models, with some storage compartments. One notable modification done to the roof was the installation of a sizeable deck holding six 100 W solar panels and a StarLink antenna.

Step inside, and you'll be greeted by a finely designed interior. It boasts a warm aesthetic, blending a wood ceiling with pale green and blue touches. I also like the open layout, which makes the interior feel much roomier than it actually is, especially since there are so many windows.

The driver's cabin lower part was left as original, while the top part was transformed with multiple storage spots and the addition of a TV.

The first behind the driver's cabin is the "living room." It consists of two sizeable couches, one on each side. The cool thing about the couch on the passenger side is that it's made of individual benches, so you can move them around to create an L-shaped setup or whatever arrangement works best for you. Moreover, you can connect them to create an additional sleeping spot for guests.

All benches have storage underneath, with the exception of a fixed one that holds the bus's electrical system. Its highlights are two 100 Ah BattleBorn batteries, an MPPT solar charge controller connected to the 600 W solar panels on the roof, and a 3,000 W inverter. It's not the most advanced setup, but it's still enough for the couple to enjoy off-grid exploring.

Next up, we have an L-shaped kitchen located on the driver's side of the interior. It features a massive oven/stove combo, a striking live-edge pine countertop, a deep stainless steel sink, a Breville coffeemaker, a small fridge/freezer, and plenty of storage space via beautiful blue cabinetry with lattice doors.

Opposite the kitchen, you'll discover a large table with storage space underneath. Above it, there's a mini-split unit. This part of the bus was empty when the couple bought it, and they felt there was too much dead space, so they came up with this solution – it's not the best-looking solution, but it does the job.

Walk past the kitchen, and you'll be right beside the bathroom. It's surprisingly spacious, featuring a mirror, a Nature's Head composting toilet, a shower, and a custom stainless steel shower pan. I also love the look, with metal panels blended with old-school tiled walls. Furthermore, right next to the bathroom entrance, the original builders mounted a ladder that leads you through the skylight to get on the roof.

Opposite the bathroom, you'll notice Deb’s workstation – it's nothing fancy, just a keyboard placed on a box and a laptop placed on three other boxes. This setup sits on a live-edge countertop, with some drawers and a cabinet underneath for extra storage.

And finally, we have the bedroom at the very rear of the interior. It has a massive queen-size bed, an enormous drawer underneath, and more storage on the back wall via shelves.

All in all, Thor and Deb got a fantastic deal for $21K - their tiny home on wheels is nice, bright and uncluttered. I'm especially fond of its open layout, old-fashioned aesthetic, and cleverly designed features, such as the modular couches.