How Long Does it Take to Finish a Self Build Campervan?

The easiest answer is that you should budget for a year. This assumes that you cannot spend every day on it. This assumes that you have a day job, family obligations and social obligations. If you build campervans for a living, then you could probably do it within three months with the right tools and parts.

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Why Does It Take So Long?

There are several areas that take a very long time. The initial clearing out takes a while, as does the cutting. Things like installing the windows is a very difficult job because you have to position and set the windows and wait for them to cure, and then shore them up again as you try to put the glass into the setting. If you are just a few millimetres off, your windows will not go in, and you will have to re-set the frames.

What Are The Biggest Hold Ups?

Do you remember the 80s when people had broken cars on their lawn or do you know people who still have that motorbike project that they never finished? They are all due to the mid-project lull. Some people never recover from it. If you want to rebuild your motivation, then go looking to compare self build campervan insurance because quite often, when you see how cheap it is going to be, it gives you the push you need to get the job done and finished.

When it Takes Three Years

Even if you manage to get through the mid-project lull, there are some people who take three years to finish their campervan. Part of this is often due to funds. Few people can afford to buy everything at once, and most don’t even have space in their garage or yard to buy everything at the same time.

Even when you have finished the structural stuff, and you have your roof, windows and floor installed, it still takes time to add in the insulation correctly, and then cover it over so that it looks professional. Adding electrics is another big job, and the thing is that the small piece you need is often the one that takes three weeks to arrive from Amazon.

Plumbing can be another big time waster, especially when it comes to curing, setting, and adjusting. Plus, testing is a big issue because pipes bend and warp as they set, which means further adjustments, re-sealing and setting.

The Things That Go Wrong

Plumbing is often a big area where things go wrong, especially when people add in the plumbing and then cover it over with a wood finish, only to realise they have to pull everything out again to re-seal a pipe. Electrics are often a cause for concern too as amateurs have a hard time balancing the charges around the van.

What’s worse is that there are many end-game issues that come up that may extend the build time. Things such as weight distribution can be a big problem, usually caused by the unexpected weight of things like batteries, water bottles, furniture and storage areas. There is plenty that can go wrong, and each may add months to your build time. Nobody is saying you should avoid building your own campervan – you should just take on the project with your eyes wide open to the myriad of problems you may encounter.