He built a $35k Tech-Filled Tiny Home Skoolie to live a full life!
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2024
- Thanks to our sponsor, PODX Go--introducing the world's 1st self-folding, mobile tiny house! Check out the crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo; special pricing starts at $49k: www.indiegogo.com/projects/ti... ✨ Meet Richard, a 59-year-old tinker, inventor, adventure lover, and DIY builder. He converted a 32 ft dog-nose school bus into a tiny home. It's full of a mind-blowing amount of tech & his own clever custom solutions. This includes a high-tech home security system, 1800W solar power system, ham radio, unique transforming dining table/lounge, custom urinal, and much more!
👉Check out his skid plates for your 4x4 off-road rig: www.skidmark4x4.com/
🚌 Follow Richard's bus life: / ourbusrufus
🏡 Watch a TOUR of this unique Adobe-Style Skoolie: • Couple builds Adobe st...
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CREDITS:
❇️ produced by Tiny House Expedition's Christian & Alexis
❇️ shot by Blake Hemmel, / blakehemmel
❇️ edited by Aaron Wong, aaronwongcinema.com
❇️ extra footage from the owner, / ourbusrufus
Video Chapters:
0:00 - Our Bus Rufus
0:30 - 'don't wait for retirement to travel'
2:19 - 32 ft 2006 Int'l school bus
2:42 - outdoor tech & storage
4:58 - custom racks for AC & propane
5:43 - winterized water system
6:09 - 1800W solar panels
6:17 - rooftop tech
6:51 - interior tiny home tour
7:42 - high-tech security system
8:27 - sponsor message
9:44 - tour cont'd
11:18 - clever transforming lounge
12:45 - his off-road rig experience
13:20 - invented a rear hitch plate
13:44 - school bus cost & build
14:26 - tour cont'd
15:00 - more tech!
16:58 - mini split AC
17:58 - 4 heat sources
18:33 - inventive bathroom
19:55 - custom urinal
21:10 - queen bed converts to single
22:06 - rooftop deck
22:37 - bus conversion cost vs RV
23:37 - travel companions
24:16 - plan to retire in bus home
25:25 - hello from Alexis & Christian
#tinyhomebuild #busconversion #diytinyhome - Навчання та стиль
*We're thrilled to introduce the world's 1st self-folding, mobile tiny house by PODX Go! Check out the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign; special pricing starts at just $49k:* www.indiegogo.com/projects/tiny-house-world-s-first-self-folding-mobile-home 🏡✨Renaissance man Richard converted a 32 ft bus into an impressive tiny home, named after his dog Rufus.🐶 He packed it full of his own custom low-tech solutions, high-tech features & robust solar! 👉Tour a unique Adobe-Style Skoolie: ua-cam.com/video/PrGmfIYBuXU/v-deo.html
When will you film this house? Need more information.
@@themomentnn not sure yet, but soon as it’s ready! Hopefully within the next few months 🤓😄
Great build Sir, absolutely beautiful
Very nice build. I love the backup heating systems. The technology is great! One of the best builds I've seen.
"Looking out the window not having to cut the grass..." That summed it up very well. Enjoying the sunset instead of cutting grass in the sunset. 👍
OMG he planned this bus out so well and built it very mindfully. Love it. 😊
That RV/bus is worth triple if not more. You can tell he's an aviator by all the redundancy he put into it.
If he ever sells it, which I am sure he won't, whoever buys it is getting a steal!
LOL, this is true, aviators love redundancy. There’s even more not mentioned in the video.
This is the best bus conversion! You thought of everything!
Amazing 👏 🙀 It took me a minute to pick my jaw up off the floor before I could comment. Not only is this bus build incredible but the man behind it is as well. Absolute a fantastic job!!!
Ahh love that! Richard is the man 🍻
We lost our home during a layoff during covid and STILL cant find affordable housing down in our native Wilmington, NC AND found ourselves living with the kids...
JUST SAD...
We soooo want to have a smaller sizes bus, like this, as it's just the 2 of us!
We learned so much watching your amazing video and want to THANK YOU!!!!!
You covered all of our questions and safety concerns!!!
*WISHING YOU ALL THE HAPPINESS YOU DESERVE❣️✝️❣️
So sorry to hear that! Best wishes with your husband planning ❤️
Make sure you research engines, transmissions and have a mechanic look at the bus. It’s also important to do a test drive up to highway speeds. Some busses only go 55 mph. My bus was 6’7” inside providing headroom even with insulation added to the floor. It also came with panel screws versus rivets which makes removing panels much easier. A bus just out of service from a wealthier school system is more likely maintained well. But, remember your bus can cost a lot if it breaks down, so budget for that also. Good luck. Inflation and over inflation really is horrible!
This is an awesome bus! $35k? All of that!? $7 for the bus? C'mon! Would be great to hire this man.
He might really like that! 😀
Mr. Rich, I think you have articulated the beauty of the full time RV life! I hope to join your ranks one day with a schoolie of my own!
God bless you keeping your father’s memory alive, may he live forever
Thank you!
Absolutely beautiful, inspiring & innovative. One of the best skoolie builds I've seen & I've watched at least well over a 100. Love the open area & not building the "boxes" for the fridge & shower that we see in most. Every inch counts in a small space. Great tour. Thanks.
That says a lot, and you’re right; each inch matters!
Meet Rufus .. what a great, and unique, home. Thanks Alexis and Christian for sharing !
Our pleasure! 😊
Definitely the most ingenious and livable skoolie build I've ever seen on UA-cam / Instagram! It's got the best balance of features.
I'm not into Skoolie's and I wasn't sure I would even watch this video. But I was wrong. It was INCREDIBLE! WOW!
Love to hear that! 😄😊🤘
He loves aviation and proceeds to paint his bus Matterhorn White. Yep, he's one of ours.
Lovely bus build. Greetings from Jamaica.
Welcome, I’ve been there briefly, but to the fluffy tourists area.
the transit seat to coach is GENIUS
Thanks, that was actually my third idea for the couch with the first two ideas scrapped. I also custom welded the bracket from the swivel to the seat as the bolt patterns didn’t match and the height was wrong.
As a man “because it looks cool” is a great answer about the sink sprayer
As someone who's done a haphazard "short bus" conversion, I can tell you what this guy did takes A LOT of work and patience. Cutting out the seats alone with a grinder feels like it's going to take forever. Then everything you install has to be short stop proof, turn proof, extreme cold proof and summer heat proof. Every little thing you install has to be measured like a puzzle piece. Curtains hand sewn, etc.
And mine was nowhere near the amount of work this guy did.
It is a lot of work, for sure! Most people don't realize that until they get into it!
I’ve stayed in the bus in the mountains here & it is a great experience
Rich ,Peter your dad & I are so proud
it is a great project & a dream come true Bravo
💕😊
Thanks mom!
Rufus, the bus is pretty jacked up.
Jacked up on Mountain Dew 🤘
I lost my husband and father of our 2 boys. He passed at the age of 55 from pancreatic cancer. I understand how you feel as well as my sons. I truly love your way of living and I think as well as I believe that he and I would enjoy living this way. Congratulations in the travel/living schoolie.
So very sorry for your loss ❤️
Absolutely love Rufus!!
Just convinced the wife that we need a skoolie. 🎉🎉🎉🎉 thanks for the ideas!
Happy to share!
He is living the life! And a fantastic life it is. And he can skip a rock on a lake!
pretty nifty trick, indeed!
What a lesson of life and humanity!! It’s so hard to see such a genuine person nowadays, thanks for showing us part of your life!! You’ll never be alone!!🤜🏻
Wow wow wow. He should consider another career of doing skoolie builds, I'd absolutely buy one! He's covered all the needs and wants while addressing the safety concerns that's always held me back from joining this lifestyle. Fantastic job!
Seriously! 😄😊
OH that toaster!!!
We don't use them, but so enjoy seeing others'.
THe diner napkin holder!
This is one of the best midsize conversions I’ve seen!
It looks great but I would need a private toilet area or full bathroom. It must be a pain to use strange bathrooms. But everyone is different. You did a wonderful on the bus. Love it.
The bus was built for Donna and myself, so the bathroom works fine for us. If you go up front, you can isolate yourself from the bedroom / bathroom with a curtain. If I was building it for an entire family, I probably would have purchased a longer bus and isolate the bathroom.
He came up with some great ideas in how he routed the heating. The folding/swiveling seats that convert into a couch/bed base are cool. I gotta say he mentioned his security cameras, and how to check them, quite a few times. The vast amount of tech he's trying to protect is the security items he has to protect his security tech. I have never seen anyone as obsessed about security in my whole life...and that includes foundation homes.
I agree, it got mentioned too much, but I’m a camera guy, love IT. I wanted to keep things secure while away since I was parking all over. But, the top 360 camera was really just added as a wildlife viewing camera. It’s awesome to be able to look for nocturnal animals at night.
@@richbradbury I can understand wanting to feel secure, but I just can live my life with fear that someone's gonna take 'my stuff. I've ahd two trucks stolen. The second one a got back 6 months after it was stolen. They had even fixed several things. I had purchased another vehicle and I surely don't need two. I was trying to figure out which one to keep. I was out to go to a friend's house and made a stop on the way. As I was walking into the place I realized I had a bit of fear that the truck was gong to get lifted again. That's when I realized it had to go.
So many good memories from this❤ My stepfather built a camper/bus back in the late 60's early 70's. We had such fun in it. Wish I had one again!
Why not build one cheers to good memories
This is one of my favorites… I love the tech especially and the retro/modern/farmhouse feel… and the fridge seatbelt is genius and cool. I would love in this in a second!
Lots of great features. Very creative. One of the best bus conversions I’ve seen. Those mid-size buses look like the perfect size.
WOW Alot of back up heat! So glad your tech smart on all of the gadgets! Gives you allot of freedom to go to many climates and getting the full experience that life has to offer! ❤
So true!! ❄🏔
Thanks, I’m currently boondocking at 4500 feet just West of Los Vegas, snowy mountains in the distance. I’ll be turning on the diesel heater before going to bed.
Sweet bus! It’s even more impressive in person. So cozy and homey🤩.
Awesome! Where did y’all connect? 😊
WoW! you did some amazing work on your Bus!! Salute to your Dad for the knowledge and wisdom he gave you!
Great job 👍🏼
This man is living life. What a beautiful and intelligent mind and outlook he has! ❤
Love the way your little home is coming along. Absolutely love the imagination that has been incorporated into your designs. Looking forward to a walk through of the finished projects inside and the ongoing project of the big house.❤❤❤
M O S T DEFINITELY
WAYYYYYYYYYY BETTER THAN A CRAPPO-MADE RV
RV's have all sorts of problems
Mold
Insects
Rodents
Expensive
*Hardly no techs available anymore!
Long, long waits for svc...
I WANT A SCHOOLIE
💯
The digital camo look on the FJ is a fun touch.
I actually bought it new from the dealer painted that way. They did it as a promotion. Of course I did all the other modifications, plus that was my first solar install. Just 200 watts on the Baja Roof Rack.
Best bus build ever.❤️❤️
This is the coolest dude ever!!!
I like others have watched video after video,and this one is currently my fave! All for 35k too😳! I’m gonna tackle this dream soon of having a bus. You’ve given me so many ideas. Thanks for sharing.
So happy to share!
Love Rufus!!!!
🐶🚌💕
Thanks for showing us your home. Really like the vintage charm!
Incredible home; and the shower open to the bedroom one of the best ideas I've seen!!
An amazing build! The transit seats converting to a bed is inspirational.
One of the coolest builds I have seen. Love the heated options and all the technology. The transit van seat are very cool. I have ideas now!!!
That is a very cool modular home! I wonder if Kerry Tarnow has reviewed it as well. Your ads are great!
I really like the OurbusRufus design and the features he implemented, Thanks for the video! Shivering black bell, thumbs up
We appreciate you! 💖 We hope to be able to film a tour of the PODX Go foldable house in the future too!
Beautiful story
Awesome bus. Awesome life
Well done the redundant heat and different router as well as starlink
Yep, it actually auto falls back. If you turn off Starlink, the cellular kicks in.
I want that exact build with everything in it like that. I had all those ideas but I never seen it done. I’ve seen it and now it’s time for one!
Love it!You thought of everything!
Great design. So well executed. 👏👏👏👏👏
Beautiful build! I especially love the decal because the mountains remind me of the Maroon Bells.
Excellent ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxYGamVaHfdHiPlAQaLa7zkwR02OKpGYDU . I built the basic model with its help and it turned out great . It is intensive and really educational. Ryan got another victor! No one can represent it better than Ryan. Thank you, Ryan!
Just go buy an RV for $100K, they’re made of quality materials - not, lol. Versus an all steel safety reinforced bus!
You are definitely a problem solver
Love the build ...
Happy travels 🙏🏾
nice skoolie!
Great video! Thanks for sharing it with us!
dude i absolutely LOVE your bus, this is my retirement plan lol
🤘🍻✨
Wow beautiful home! Love it be safe happy travels!
Awesome next level build! Beautiful!
This the best build I’ve seen so far.
Seems like he thought of everything!
What an amazing setup! It’s incredible and it’s beautiful!!
He seriously did an amazing job! ✨
Genius to drop the shower pan for more head room
Thank you! I also insulated below the shower pan and ran my heat ducts to that space before the bedroom. That heats the fiberglass shower pan when it’s super cold outside.
I do air conditioning. I always wonder how these minisplits hold up after the driving and stuff. Because flared fitting are always a pain. Have you ever had a leak? I will use one cause I can fix it myself and buy refrigerant anywhere. So I can always fix that. Have you had any issues? But being a inverter it definitely uses way less power compared. Smart idea putting it under the bus to save space and not have it as an eyesore
Three years, no issues.
Another fabulous tour! I love a schoolie and the kitchen is 🤌🏾🚍
Thank you kindly! Agreed on the incredibly functional & lovely kitchen ✨
Thank you!
Enjoyed your video, saw your bus at the trail head today in JT. Good job and happy trails!
Yep, in the BLM now, heading towards AZ. Cheers
It is NOT silly to name your bus after your dog 😂❤
The best I’ve ever seen.
I’ve is short and God has given each of us a certain amount of time. Your father would be extremely proud of you. Just totally awesome
💕
What he said at the end got my attention.
I like the layout of areas. Nice job 👍
I'm in NC, an the problem I'm facing with a Skoolie build is insurance. A vast majority of insurance companies here will not insure a skoolie. An then there's the local parks that a lot of them will not allow school bus conversions. That's why I went with a van, as it's easier to argue with park owners an insurance companies are seeing that there are a lot of reputable companies building factory van conversions.
All vehicle / campers have different missions. I’ve built a van for someone else also. It’s on my Instagram if you scroll down quite a while. I also have a van sized class B plus camper back in indiana that I’ve remodeled. I fly between the two leaving my bus out west.
Insane build, very impressive. Personally Idk bout all that tech tho
Outstanding bus! Any idea what model of heated floors that was? What a great a idea and, I love the fact you can schedule what time they come on!
Quiet Warmth.
Absolutely epic Skoolie and a cool dude that built it.
He’s seriously cool! 😁
Those convertible dining chairs are really cool.
Seriously rad 🤩
I live in Alaska and have a 1997 Winnebago Warrior its like 30 ft long but you have definitely gave me a few ideas for upgrades for heat and a few other things i really like that you did.
Right on! 😊
Very well done my friend! Looks really comfortable. If I wasn’t married, I’d buy or build a rig and travel the country, but my wife won’t go full-time. However, I think I have her talked into going part time, maybe two months out, home for a couple months then back out for a couple months. I retired at 56, but my wife is retiring this year, so we have plenty of time to travel the country.
Cheers to part time adventures!
Wow what an amazing home!
Beautiful. From Australia.
Holy cow. This is AWESOME.
WOW , I am so sorry to hear about your dad, he has sure past on some skills to you You have done a fantastic job on this Skoolie you have thought of everything love the bear decals on the side s . The interior is epic the design the color the tech stuff so cool nice and bright. love how the seats fold down to a couch , Now Thats thinking! nice spaciouse bedroom and bed has to be one of the best well thought out Skoolie conversion . your bus needs to win a well thought out design conversion for a skoolie . Love how you named you home after your beautiful dog. You brought up some great pointers re retiring
💕
Patrick I agree with your comment. Very homey feel.
You are brilliant! Great, informative video.
I agree with his comments at the end about travel and retirement although I do do it in a older Monaco motorhome because I did not have the time or the skill set to do what he did. Thanks for the video
That’s awesome; good for you! And your most welcome ❤️
Was I the only female trying to figure out if I could use that urinal? Lol. Great bus! He has quite the resume, especially having invented something useful that had never been patented. Best of luck to you!
Think it’s a similar size the lady urinal, shewee! 😜 us.shewee.com
@@TinyHouseExpedition Shewee! That’s the name I was trying to think of! Lol.
If you watch Eamon and Bec on UA-cam, she uses a similar urinal in a van, but it just drains to the ground and no fresh water flush.
Enjoyed this tech sckoolie..and enjoyed the fold out mobile home..love to see one up close..,😁✌️💕
Us too! Hoping to film it soon 😁
Thankyou.. ☮️ &🧡
Nice build. Bravo
Great Vehicle! Love the details!
Nice bus! Looks like Lemon or Vallecito Reservoir.
Absolutely EXCELLENT!!! 👏👏👏
🙌✨
Very impressive!
Best I’ve seen!
Bravo
Thank you!
Beautiful Bus!
Particularly love the decal outside and the wood accent wall inside!
Very nice home Stay safe god bless
Wow, you thought of everything. Really an amazing bus.❤
He’d make an excellent bus conversion consultant for others 😄 so smart!
The design is the hardest part, we redesigned it several times before starting.
I love as a man you gave thought to Good closet space and storage. I'm sure Donna is happy she has such a thoughtful
man (I would be 😊)
I just told Donna about your comment 🙂 LOL, I think my backpack and the telescope is in her closet at the moment. Oops.
That's a lot of tech, but really nice😊