This School Bus Turned Tiny Home on Wheels Will Make You Want To Go Off-Grid

So, why would you choose to live in a former school bus? For one, it offers more space to create your dream home than any other vehicle. Furthermore, school buses are incredibly durable, well-maintained, and won't break your bank. They typically cost a lot less compared to a used motor home or a tiny house.

What we have here is a 2001 Thomas Built full-size school bus, measuring a staggering 37 feet (11 meters). It's equipped with a Cummins 5.9-liter engine paired with an Allison automatic transmission. According to Chuck, the builder of this bus, this mobile home is prepared for off-grid, all-season adventures.

Let's start with the exterior. One of the first noticeable modifications of this bus is the 16-inch (41-centimeter) roof raise. While this structural change might be a bit trickier to carry out, it's definitely worth having that extra space inside.

Another distinctive detail regarding this bus is that there's no front door. The builders devised another one in the middle of the bus, sealing off the front door and installing a large storage compartment in its place.

Moving further back, you'll discover an under-mounted section containing the mini split heat pump and a compartment for the propane tank. Also, on the right side of the bus, toward the rear, you'll notice a large storage space just underneath the diesel tank port. By the way, the diesel tank holds an impressive 100 liters (26 gallons).

The diesel heater was mounted in an underbelly toolbox. This Wallas Spartan diesel heater is typically used in the marine world, but Chuch chose it for this bus as you can run multiple lines out of it, unlike other conventional systems.

Another essential utility on this bus is the 10-gallon exothermic propane electric water heater. What's nice about this piece of equipment is that you can use energy to power it or propane if you're running low on battery. The second scenario is highly improbable on this bus, as it boasts an impressive power system – more on that in a bit.

At the rear, Chuck extended the bumper by about 14 inches (36 inches), leaving enough room to mount a custom ladder leading to the roof. What's more, he installed a set of stairs into the trailer, making it easier to reach the rear door.

Some bus conversions feature a rear garage where owners typically store tools and bikes. In this case, you'll find a bit of a different space: a tiny office. You'll notice a bunch of little pockets and drawers and a small desk, all lit up via puck lights and LED strips.

Other notable exterior add-ons include a backup camera, an outdoor shower, and an LED lighting system. You'll discover lights all around the bus, including two light bars at the front. Moreover, the bus's original lights were replaced with LED ones.

Head on inside, and you might even forget you're on a bus. The interior boasts a modern design with clean lines and a timeless aesthetic. Let's see what it's all about – I'll present from the front to the back.

You'll discover the driver's cabin feels very spacious. This being a front-engine bus, Chuck had to find a way to enable the owners to work on the engine, as it's accessible from the inside. And so, he devised a small couch – its bench can be lifted, leaving enough room for repairs if needed.

There are a bunch of storage spaces behind the couch, with extra space to store your stuff in the form of three large shelves, which can actually hold over 150 lbs. (69 kilograms) each. On the opposite side, you'll notice a small bench with extra storage underneath, and a table can be mopped nearby.

At the front, just above the driver, are three substantial overhead cabinets and two speakers. A seemingly minor but handy add-on is a red LED light system – whenever you need to move inside the bus at night and don't want to strain your eyes on the usual light, just turn this system on.

Next up, we have the kitchen space. It's devised in two parts, one on each side of the interior. One of them features a sizeable sink, a custom-built drying rack, many cabinets and drawers, an enormous floor-to-ceiling pantry, and a full-size fridge/freezer. On the opposite side, you'll discover a large countertop and an oven with a four-burner cooktop.

So, you got pretty much all the essentials and more for cooking. But what I especially like about this kitchen are its tiny, clever details. For instance, many toe-kick cabinets are on each side of the kitchen. Furthermore, a Berkey water filter was neatly integrated; you have to pull a string to fill it up from time to time.

This bus already looks like an excellent conversion, but there are many more things to see. Step deeper inside the bus, and you'll be in the bathroom, which, just like the kitchen, is split into two parts.

One houses a spacious shower, complete with a custom stainless steel pan and a two-pattern tile design. On the opposite side, there's a Nature's Head toilet, a small window, a mirror cabinet, and a beautiful round sink with two drawers underneath.

You're expecting the next area in this bus to be the bedroom. Well, it is a bedroom, but not the main one. This space features two twin-size bunks, a long shelf, and reading lights on one side. The other offers some more storage space in the form of a wardrobe and large drawers, and there's even a washer/dryer.

And finally, we've reached the bedroom. You'll notice a long bookshelf, a headboard with storage spaces inside, and a reading lamp on each side.

The utility systems were neatly fitted underneath the bed. Specifically, you'll find the back side of the gas electric water heater, the 100-gallon (379-liter) freshwater tank, 13 Kw battery storage, a 3,000 W inverter, and many other electrical components.

What will probably blow your mind is that this bus comes with 2,600 W solar panels on the roof. Furthermore, Chuck said this rig ran on its own power for eight months before it was sold.

This is genuinely such a detailed build – it's got everything you need for off-grid exploring: the utilities, the comfort, and a reliable base vehicle. Unfortunately, we don't know the price of this rig, but it's surely on the high side.