The Transit on day one — 92,000 miles, straight from a plumbing company fleet.
The Van
2019 Ford Transit 148" high roof, bought from a plumbing company with full maintenance records. 92,000 miles. Purchase price $16,400 — not included in the build budget below. I had zero construction experience. I'd watched 80 hours of YouTube before buying. I still made expensive mistakes. That's exactly why I'm publishing every receipt.
Week 1–2: Demo & Rust Prep
Week 1: stripped to bare metal. Two rust spots near the rear doors — both surface rust, easily treated.
Weeks one and two were mostly labor. Removed the factory cargo liner, cleaned three years of plumber grime, found two minor rust spots near the rear doors (manageable), and built a full cardboard mockup of the floor plan on the driveway before touching the van.
Week 3–4: Insulation (and the $340 Mistake)
Week 4: second attempt at insulation after the Amazon foam failure. Froth-Pak 650 only from here.
I bought a 2-part closed-cell spray foam kit from Amazon that advertised 200 board feet of coverage. Actual yield: 110 board feet — and it didn't adhere properly to bare metal ribs. I had to scrape off everything and start over with a Froth-Pak 650 from a local supplier. That decision cost $340 extra and two weeks of time.
Week 4–5: Subfloor & Wall Paneling
Cedar fence boards ripped into tongue-and-groove strips — cost 1/3 of pre-made shiplap.
Week 5–6: Electrical
The electrical bay: Ampere Time 200Ah lithium, Victron MPPT, BMV-712 monitor, Blue Sea fuse block.
Week 6–8: Furniture & Finishing
Week 8: finished kitchen, plywood cabinets, and the Dometic CFX3 35 fridge that we wish was 10L bigger.
Done. Eight weeks from empty cargo van to move-in ready.
Grand Total
| Phase | Cost |
|---|---|
| Week 1–2: Demo & Prep | $118 |
| Week 3–4: Insulation (incl. $189 wasted) | $793 |
| Week 4–5: Subfloor & Walls | $378 |
| Week 5–6: Electrical | $1,737 |
| Week 6–8: Furniture & Finish | $1,154 |
| Tools purchased during build | $484 |
| Shipping, returns, misc | $290 |
| Total Build Cost | $4,954 |
| + Wasted / mistake money | + $189 |
What I'd Do Differently
- Buy the right spray foam first — Froth-Pak only. Saved $189 in waste immediately.
- Plan all electrical runs before walls close — I had to drill through a finished wall for one forgotten cable.
- Get the 45L fridge not the 35L — $60 more upfront, significantly more room every day.
- Add a diesel heater from day one — Added a Webasto 3 months after move-in. Should have been in the original build.