How much does a van conversion cost?
For a DIY build, roughly €8,000–€20,000 for the conversion alone on a medium panel van, excluding the vehicle. Heating, electrics and whether you fit a shower move the total more than anything else.
Van Build Cost Planner
Not another guess at what van life costs a month. This is the build itself — every component, system by system, with the ones people forget already on the list. Tick what you are actually doing, edit the prices to your own quotes, and watch the total move. Nothing leaves your browser.
Your build
Twenty percent contingency is not pessimism. Something is always rotten behind a panel, a part is always the wrong size, and the tool you need for one screw costs forty. Builds that come in on budget are builds that planned for this.
The build, system by system
Prices are rough mid-range starting points, not quotes — overwrite each one as you get real numbers. Anything you do not need, leave unticked; anything missing, add it at the bottom of its section.
Where the money goes
| System | Items | Cost | Share |
|---|
If electrics and insulation are not two of your three biggest lines, it is worth asking why. They are the two that are miserable to redo once the walls are in.
Your data
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Printing gives you the build sheet — every ticked item with its price, and the totals underneath. None of the editing controls appear on the page. The HTML file is one self-contained file you can keep or email; it needs no internet and no app to open.
Once it is built, the tracking changes shape — fuel, tanks, maintenance, where you slept and what it cost. That isVanNest, a one-time purchase with no subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What do people forget to budget for?
Fixings and adhesive, cable and connectors, tools bought for the build, insurance changes, and vapour barrier. Together these are commonly €1,000–1,500.