Engineer Reacts to Van Conversions | Tiny Home Design Tips
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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FYI, Boxibl waiting list is very long. They cannot keep up with demand. There are many others who are doing the same thing that have shorter waiting lists and different designs. Problem is, they are so small that many zoning laws do not permit them.
Is there a way to add a tank that could handle waste? Let's just say you have to take a leak and it's cold as fuck outside
When you were talking about the nimby my ears what up I'm in Massachusetts. Too many of them that type of housing which I think is very sharp it's a fate worse than death
Excellent critique Evan! You should definitely continue doing a series of these videos. Please build a PVC sink for us. You could even sell a kit.
Some of these van-builds add such a huge amount of weight to the van.....I wonder about decreased gas mileage, and overall wear on the engine and tires.
Most of these vans are made to carry huge weights anyway. They are usually for commercial use which means carrying lots of materials or produce. The van will tell you its max axle weight.
@@tartytube Ahh, that makes sense! Thanks for telling me 🙂
@@tartytube I heard sprinter Vans rear axles falling off.😰
@@tartytube not accurate.. many of these van builds do not have large holding tanks... Because the suspension can not support the weight
If you look at the vans that are built by many of these specialty shops the first thing they do based upon the configuration is outfit the suspension..
The weight issue has always been something I’ve paid attention to. I like to camp, my husband is still working and can’t go out as much as me cuz he has shared custody of his 3 sons, so I started with a little 1987 Coleman Columbia pop-up tent camper that I got for a very reasonable price and invested in new tires w/balancing, packing the axel, new battery, new electrical harness, sanded the tounge and painted with rustoleum. Then I lubricated the sliding mechanisms and the lift bars, cleaned and repaired damage on the canvas, then stripped and painted the faux wood paneling with water sealing interior paint. It was adorable but my husband was still worried about the soft sides and intruders. I found a good deal on a 2017 Aliner Classic Off-road edition A-frame type pop up trailer with duel hard dormers and got that and my son and DIL bought my tent trailer. The GVW is around 1800-1900 lbs for the Aliner with max axel weight of 3500 lbs. I towed it with my Honda Pilot with a towing rating of 4000 lbs and now with my Tesla X with a towing rating of 5000 lbs. it’s been a breeze. I can pop it up super fast and tear it down quickly too. I never use the water tank, water heater or even the stove inside the trailer, it’s just not how I camp, as I prefer to do the cooking outside, I use a pressurized garden sprayer to wash dishes and will use campground bathrooms or do sponge baths. I use a urinal at night. It has plenty of room and weight to put the camp chairs, tables, rug, and screen room inside when I travel.
Since my husband is going to retire soon we bought a 2010 Airstream Interstate Grand Lounge on the Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 with Dual rear wheels. It can tow 5000 lbs and we can take the Aliner and grandkids with us camping! We got it Nov 2023 and it has under 13K miles! The previous owners didn’t take it on long trips but had it to have private space when they visit more local areas.
12:30 When the aesthetics are very plain, clean, and barren, I feel like it is like an elegant hotel room, as if I’m just renting the space and not really living in it.
Agree, sterile in many ways.
First, I'd like to thank you for speaking well about Bob W. The Carpenter we viewed was a master cabinet maker. His Techniques were old school. It will be very hard to break those perfectly cut and glued joints.
Your van built is the best. Bathroom. Kitchen. Bedroom. Storage. Able to not stand out in any area as a tiny live in van. Also gas saving.
Yes ! The only drawback I see to your van is the lack of ability to stand up in the van. Otherwise, it is essentially a complete home with indoor working toilet, shower, sink, food storage and prep, and storage. It is a really well thought-out production!
I completely agree. He built everything with incredible insight and logic
I'm only 5'1, so I almost could stand up in a van to shower. Sorry peeps
Suggestion: Do a reaction video on Japanese campervans :)
I think the dark walls acted as a frame to the view out the window making the outside the focal point even while inside in the cocoon
Agreed
@@Celestials615 focal from focus, is the center of attention, the point that captures the eyes.
Vocal comes from voice, is about sound, not sight.
Not a native too, those similar words can be confusing 😅
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Where do you defecate when your home is your van ?
This isn’t a van, but are you able to critique it?
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Great video. Cool how you can apply your experience to see if a build is aesthetic and functional. Very entertaining and informative. Looking for the next one.
Can you do a tutorial video on how to make the sink build you recommend?
I agree with the easy access to running water and sink. Also, I can't stand when people say they are "minimalists", when their van is packed all the way up to the ceiling, with all the batteries, electric appliances, etc..I like how you designed your van.
Right!!
👍
Glad you’re back! Hope you are doing well. I agree with what you are saying about a sink. I am planning a van build and I keep getting stuck on what size van. I want to do Silk Road and good gas mileage but I also want to be able to stand up. Something has to give. Lol
Yep haha, can’t have everything. I think the path of minimalism is a better path to take. Having less and being content with less is a good mindset to achieve. Also, the constraints in small van can allow for more creativity then a larger van too. Just some thoughts for you as you try to make a decision. Good luck on your journey
Perfect solution to be able to stand in is find yourself a long wheel base model van with a poptop or install one.
Got one myself. Totally stealthy and makes the van feel 10x bigger when you open it all up.
You're very kind, Evan -- perhaps too kind -- when you refer to them as "nimby's". Many choice words come to mind when I think about people who embrace such values. This idea of wealth-driven segregation is only slightly less offensive than the skin-color segregation of earlier eras. We're all human. Skin color and wealth don't make any of us less human, or 'better' than any other human. I feel a rant bubbling so let me switch gears here...
I enjoyed your feedback on the various videos. I also appreciated the craftsmanship of the fabricator guy. And I agree with you about a space being too clean and lacking any sort of warmth/character. I've a feeling I'd enjoy more videos from you like this. Not instead of your other content, but in addition. Cheers!
Please do more videos like this!! This kind of video is soo important for anyone looking to do van life or to improve their own van life.
This sink is a really controversial topic amongst van dwellers. It seems people feel strong one way or the other. Clearly you feel it's very important. When I think of no sink I'm always reminded of Van City Van Life. Chrome always preaches that he's never felt the need for a sink. Everyone is different!
That’s understandable. A sink is very convenient if you stealth camp and I stealth camp full-time. When I lived in SF in my van, I would only use my sink to brush my teeth and relied on gym showers for the rest of my hygiene. Nowadays, I rely much more of my sink. But I can see how a van dweller wouldn’t need a sink if they’re not stealthing it all the time
The problem I'm having with most of this kind of content is that nobody seems to think about security. With so much crime, security has to be a huge consideration. Think about how devastating it would be to be carjacked of all your belongings.. your clothes, your shoes, your food, your shelter, etc. Somebody is going to have to address the security element.
Yeah, me too... they should talk about locks , having guns, tasers or pepper sprays to protect them selves.
You’re beautiful. Sorry don’t mean to be creepy. I am wishing the best for you.
Sharp corners on cabinets. I would be black an blue if I tried to live in most of these designs. In such a tiny space all corners should be rounded.
Not a concern I’ve thought of in van 😂
@@StoriesFromaVan No one ever called me graceful. Sharp corners are my nemesis.
Milo had the wall partition behind the driver seat because when you open the sliding door to the back on the driver side you are opening up his garage where he has tools and access to his electrical setup. He is in the process of converting his new vehicle. He is a photographer and travels throughout the US taking new jobs along the way. His boyfriend also has a van. Milo also has to consider the temperature in the van at all times because of his dog and the partition helps to reduce the amount of heat and cold transfer throughout the year depending upon where they are. I really like how you did your van and the storage base was really a brilliant solution that other vanlifers should consider using. The couple with the Murphy bed have actually converted a school bus, the van you saw which they also did a remodel on during Covid, and they are currently making more changes and changing vehicles since welcoming their baby last year. Each time they make a new build it is on a higher level with multiple improvements. I really like the ones where it doesn't scream that someone is living in the van or whatever vehicle it may be especially when it is a single female. After seeing a video about the night a couple from Florida, who have been living in their van since before Covid, were woken up by someone who was trying to break into the van while they were sleeping I was really concerned for their safety and that of other vanlifers especially while in other countries. The thing that prevented the would be robber from getting inside was something called security film. It's a protective film that goes both on the inside and the outside of the glass in all of the doors and windows and even the windshield. The glass may break, but the film prevents it from shattering and falling inside or creating a hole through which they could pull it out or reach in and unlock the door. Their channel is CurtandSnow and he created a number of awesome features for their van that includes locking storage on the roof and solar panels that they can tilt and change the angles so that they can set it up to take advantage of the sun wherever they are in the world. They even added a screen door/wall so that they can open the sliding door to allow fresh air in whilst keeping their 2 cats inside.
Nice video. Love the commentaries and your thoughts on all the built and design in this video. Keep it up. Hope to see more of these and maybe the different type of vehicles that can be convert to be a caravan too.
Really loved this video! Very informative and also a way to see what really works and what doesn't. Thanks for sharing.
Van life is not about having perfect running water system. Van life is about simplicity it's about freedom it's about not having to conform to the norms and still thriving.
Van life is also about prioritizing what's important to the van dweller.
It's pretty obvious by your video that what you wear is a priority to you because all we can really see of your van is your neatly lined up shirts hanging that really seem to take up too much space in my opinion. But obviously again to each his own on what their priorities are.
If you actually LIVE in a van, to be self sufficient you need toilet and running water. Just imo. Otherwise you're living in a car and still tied down to finding public utilities. Although I do agree with you that his shirts storage seems to take up an unnecessarily large amount of space in his van.
I think I have one tiny house I want you to react to. I’ll submit it on your form.
I’d like to see that too.
I think it is important to have an air gap between the water basin and collection tank to prevent back flow.
Nice review, several of those I have seen before and followed those people. But honestly, I still like your van design the best for that. size cuz you have a ton of storage.
As an older person I wish that I had this option 50 years ago. Maybe I did but back them the pressure to confirm is a lot more than now. I love your van and it is so well thought out and everything is convenient to hand. Kudos to you sir. I watch a lot of these videos and yours is the one I would go with. I truly think that the economy will get worse and that more people will find them selves in a van life. I friend of mine went through a horrific divorce and he had enough left to buy a tiny house. You could not get him out of that house with a crow bar.. He loves it. This is going to be the way of the future. Keep up the fantastic content and may all your miles be good. Remember there is always something new around the corner
K
Ironically, this lifestyle has sprung up in popularity because conformity (specifically purchasing and owning a house) is a lot less attainable than it was 50 years ago, all the while renting becomes increasingly expensive while the means of earning a living stay the exact same. Not that there aren't positive and liberating aspects of this lifestyle, but it's one bred out of necessity for conservation during these difficult times for young adults.
Great take on builds and what's holding us back from more housing, NIMBYs.
Cool combo of tiny homes to compare from each other... helps give an idea of how you can do it yourself
12:14 no soul is a great way to describe a space like this. I love the look of this but it looks like an amazing picture in a magazine and not a home. 12:45 the greenery doesn’t make the space feel like home. It doesn’t feel lived in it looks like a fancy hotel room or showpiece.
My favorite part of this video?
You weren't mean to anybody's build; nothing but compliments, and suggestions.
Agree, on all of your views ! You have good taste ,Evan 👏
Btw, hi from Ireland 🇮🇪. You're welcome here anytime ,dude ! I've spent so much time on the West Coast USA, I wanna return the hospitality, if you like !?
Thanks for the welcome! Maybe when I start traveling abroad again!
That culture of strict zoning and lack of mixed zones that creates those horrible suburbs is the real problem. Houses should be in all sizes and shapes, I live in a small apartment but I have neighbors with a 5 room house and 3 cars on a massive garage, I hava bakeries, grocery corner stores and beauty salons around too. The whole not in my backyard only appears to really extreme stuff, like people don't wanting a addiction treatment center around the neighborhood or something like that
Well done. Also first time I have heard of NIMBY in anyone of the videos I've watched about tiny/van homes.
😂😂😂, looks like we’ve been watching the same videos 🙈. The prefab foldable house for a 50k I personally didn’t like it, I think we’re just trying to push anything in term of housing that we forget that we are humans not robots. For my a house needs to have a soul . Today we do so much in our houses.
I agree, Bob Wells is so practical
The tiny house shown @ 12:10 is beautiful but cold. It looks like something you would see in a "glamour" home magazine.
12:08 what an incredibly uncomfortable space to lounge and watch tv
Your van is more simple and has all the stuff you need but I have seen that others make their cans more complex and try to add unnecessary things but u keep it simple right down to the dot. Keep up the great work!!
A lot of this "affordable housing" is way too expensive.
I think for me if I get into van life, the most most important for me is having a toilet so I can pee at night. I can live without plumbing. I can always shower outside, gym or at my work. Usually people build based on their needs.
I think I know what word you were looking for at 12:06 when you said "there is no soul" to the build. A good word for that could be that it feels "too clinical" .
That design does look clean and tidy but it does feel and look like sitting down at the waiting area at the dentist lol.
BTW love the vids, I subbed. Do more React vids!
Big like 👍. Happy for the review. Your ideas 💡 should be shared with van lifers.
Dude look at your own conversion. Grey and crowded. Look around before you judge
I like your videos because you don't have a dog. I think living with a pet would get so gross after a while.
Two of our neighbors rent rooms in their houses. In one house, there are 5 people living in a 3 bedroom, and there are 3 people living in a 2-bedroom, a couple doors down.
Renting rooms is the only way many can afford things these days. We live in a middle-class area and I don't mind most of the renters...but, many don't take care of the property; the weeds grow tall, they are sometimes very loud (parties, car mufflers, don't respect neighbors, etc.) and generally unfriendly. If neighbors knew how to contact the owners, or the rental management company, it would make life better for all. There are reasons for people saying, "NIMBY".
Interesting video. However, I'd disagree on one point. I realize that sinks are very popular. With many actually considering them to be mandatory. Especially for full-time vanlife. That's not always the case. After 20 plus years of vanlife and over 10 full-time. I find sinks not needed. In three complete van builds, I've yet to install a sink. I do have a water tank, plumbing, pump and faucet. But no sink. I cook a lot of elaborate meals for multiple people easily in my van as well. It's all about understanding was systems are important and how to bypass those considered by others as mandatory. Good luck.
its like living in a showroom😂
Would love to see your reaction to Foresty Forest's different van builds. They seem pretty unique to me.
loved this video, please do more of these
Is it possible to do it in a sedan part time only
Seems as if you reuploaded this video and deleted my original comment. 14:41 is my favorite.
You have great commentary and practical insight, given that you actually LIVE in your van, not just as an influencer or on vacation. One thing I didn't see mentioned was the apparent lack of toilets in these van builds (which i noticed you have in yours). Now I've never lived in a van, but the #1 issue of van life seems to me the reliance on public toilets. If you don't have one in your van, you're still quite tied down.
If I was gonna do a van I would copy your van . Your van is perfect. It has everything.
The guy in the first clip just got out of the British army and he had to get something done fast. You should see his van build now, complete with sink, stove, fridge, diesel heater, all the amenities of home. Granted his current van is much bigger, his buddy got his older van and kept it a while, refurbished it, got a bigger one and his is tricked out even more!
Okay again, One of the most helpful van builds ever. It would be great if you would do more of these. Yep Bob Wells is the godfather of van life.
Bro I have the cheapest setup ever lol I just don't know when I'm going to show it 😞 I been super busy working 😅
Very informative, interesting and well researched. Good job young man, keep up the good work! 🧐
Really enjoyed this video. I found it especially interesting that you didn't just go into the pure technical side but also addressed some of the artistic choices and social/political circumstances.
Greet video. Loved the Aussie tiny home. I was really interested in what you were thought were good and not as functional van builds. 😁
Who wants to use a sprayer for a sink? The USB faucets arw awesome to have running water. I personally love the PVC sink. Genius
Loving this format!
Hey! I would just like to share my “tiny home” experience I tried out to lower my cost of living during the pandemic.
I have a condominium with two parking lots. I tenanted out the unit and one parking spot. The other is where my parked my Hyundai Starex (it’s an 11 seater) it doesn’t have the height but it’s long. I remove all the seating and converted it to a seating set for the condo unit, saves cost in buying couches and I freed up space in the MPV.
Minimal modifications.
1) Foldable thick mattress for comfortable sleep.
2) Mini fridge that can be powered by the car battery.
3) Plastic drawers for my clothes, almost no cotton based materials so I can fold them without worrying about creases.
4) Very silent ventilators which are hidden under a Thule roof rack. Black out the windows for that stealth mode too.
5) Initially I did intend to add battery packs and a second alternator to charge it but I didn’t want to add cost.
In the end it was just a place to sleep.
I keep one set of access card for myself so i can use the swimming pool, shower, sauna, BBQ pit, washrooms, business center and other facilities of the building like any resident.
Cost of fuel was my only concern. Mostly I get free electricity at the business center and charge my power banks there.
Free parking and didn’t need to worry about security or police knocking on my door in the middle of the night. And parking in a fully lit condo parking basement doesn’t feel as creepy as parking at random places outside.
I did that for a while then I tenanted out my stealth mpv 😂 I’m back living with my folks and earning maximum from that condominium.
Housing is expensive because of property taxes. We ask the government to do too much for us. Minimalism is also about relying less on our governments.
Doesn't Elon Musk live in a Boxabl? ( Just looked. Apparently he has it as a guest house. Didn't want to be inauthentic by deleting the 1st part, though. )
Edit: I believe the point he's making about Boxabl vs traditional built homes is that Boxabl is built indoors, and is then delivered and set up on the property. Never having it's "guts" exposed to the elements during the build. Traditional construction will see bare 2x4's exposed to the elements from day 1 of framing. Yes, it is marketing, but there's a sliver of truth there.
Edit #2: (😂) Maybe NIMBYS will chill out if it's associated with one of the richest people on the planet. "Well Elon Musk has one, so I guess it's alright." 🤩🤷
It might help!
I'm a really big fan of the bowl-type sink that sits on top of the counter, because you only have to drill holes for the drain and faucet. You can also use large metal mixing bowls as sinks. These cost less than an above-the-counter sinks you can buy at the local home improvement stores. All you need is the parts to make it into a proper sink.
12:25 it's called "cozy". You like coziness!
I think what NIMBYs really don’t like is the density of housing, ie: going up, building what essentially here in the UK are called ‘flats’ built in a multi-storey configuration. NIMBYs want other surrounding houses to be identikit to their own houses to make them feel safe. Flats put a greater number of people into a smaller footprint than conventional housing.
As to some of the van builds: an external/outdoor grill - fine for dry weather, but days of heavy rain mean you’ll get wet cooking, surely not the aesthetic they’re looking for and Dookie doesn’t appear to have any awning for cooking? I see too many builds going for a replication of what someone had in a house, hence butcher block countertops, yet aren’t these heavy solid items?
You ought to have a look at Dustin Klein’s van build (he didn’t build it, AVC did) as it has a good use of space.
You should do more interviews of other Stealth Van owners and ask their experiences. You already have a great channel name for it.
Good content and selections, but... Your attitude is a bit much to bear. Come down a few notches off the high horse. Take off the "sophisticated, exasperated critique" cap. It actually comes off as kind of nerdy. That would go a long way.
I believe that is Elon Musk's business with prefab homes that are affordable and can be set up quickly and comes with appliances already.
Overkill with the faucet idea just used gravity. I still gave you a thumbs up though because I learned something new nimbys (not in my backyard).
Jeepers I can't believe there are pretentious people I like that out there. What a horrible society we live in these days.
Why can't I just put the link to a video recommendation for you, here.🤔
It's much easier. I'm all about making things easier.😁
Um, you're a "self-taught" engineer? That's... not how that works. Source: I'm a licensed mechanical engineer. Misleading clickbait.
Henry Royce seemed to manage.
He's in England, it's tiny and never far away from a shower/toilet - probably lives most of his van-life in the drive-ways of family and friends.
16:37 High rise residential buildings trying to maximise the number of people they can cram into a given area is not a new idea at all, in fact it's a very old one. It's actually what created the slums and ghettoes of many 19th and 20th century cities, and it's something that (here in the UK at least) we're currently trying to reverse by tearing down the high rise buildings and putting more street level housing with better access to gardens and outside spaces.
Throwing a few electronic devices and doing some rebranding doesn't change the fact that this guy is proposing tenements for poor people.
One of the problems with particle board in a van is that particle board is glued together with formaldehyde glue so it can be toxic in a small space. Also particle board is heavier and weaker than plywood or wood.
Just found your channel and loving it ! Thanks !
I saw in one of your videos that you cut your hair yourself. That is a nice haircut. Ever thought of becoming a Barber on the move? 😊
Each time I see your videos I think you should buy the hangers invented by simon Giertz the UA-camr
you should watch maxoutfun's old Ford transit connect van build, so well packed
Great review but the person you said why do they build a wall petition if you look right we're closing your speech about it . They slide the wood panel over it's not a permanent
The overly clean design lacks any character it's not warm and inviting it's like somebody who's single living in a city never entertains anybody at home kind of a boring place you don't want to be there some guy owns it
We used to say, "That's a model home, not a real one", about minimalistic stripped bare look...
Hey! Just watching from NBC bay are news! Salute to you Ma’am…
Affordable housing is bought up by big companies and left vacant to increase the value of the other properties they own.
Why do so many women have really irritating voices?
I wonder, have you considered renting an office space to live in during the day? Much cheaper than residential
13:00 Sterile. The word that comes to mind is sterile. It's TOO clean. Not cozy.
What makes it cosy? Hello, it's Sunny Australia! 😉
So engineer is your day job? If so it all makes sense now lol
You make glamping looknice the way your well dressed.
12:10 did he just say "vandom"?!
genius!
The “clean minimalistic” look could also be described as “soulless” and “clinical.”
Now that you have been in your van for a minute is there anything you want to change? Add or take away?
I think it would be interesting to rearrange my layout. The dark color cabinets in the rear of my van is my “galley”. Most small van builds have their galley run from the front to the back. I wonder, because I’m still not entirely sure, what benefit I would gain and lose if I went with the more standard layout while maintaining the same design principle of forgoing walking space to create more storage. For the most part, I’m very content with the design of my van and would not make any major changes. The design has turned out to be surprisingly flexible, allowing me to accomplish things I never anticipated. Like, live streaming in my van. If I was traveling the country in my van for half the year, I’d probably design it differently but given my specific van life style, my small van design is perfect for me 🙏
@@StoriesFromaVan WOW Chrome if that was REALLY YOU , thank you for responding!!! I didn't think anyone ever wrote!! WELL YOU'RE THE FIRST!!! Thank you. Have fun and stay safe.
I deeply apologize I saw the van (it looks like his) and I was just blown away anyone wrote back!! Please forgive me I do watch you too. Much love again have fun and stay safe 💓
Oh wow, that idea with tank sprayer is brilliant! Thanks man, have a like
Too much weight less gas mileage too much crap and clutter inside keep it simple
Beautiful egalitarian NIMBY discourse🙏
Maybe the wall partition is for stealth and safety?!
casetta invented the nakajin capsule tower / metabolism