Thank you very much!! I am a 75 yoa DIY handy man and this is my first conversion. The words of a seasoned teacher (Sylvain) is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again!!!!
Absolutely love your videos. I have one suggestion and one request. Sylvain is not only a wealth of knowledge but has a wonderful presence in front of the camera and Dom, you draw him out perfectly. I'd suggest that in the new configuration of your channel, that Sylvain have an even stronger and more frequent presence. Most aspects of van builds (i.e. your first 7 steps) are pretty well covered on RU-vid. There are also lots of van tours on line that give people pretty good ideas about finishing (steps 9 and 10). I find there isn't a lot of content about the design and fabrication of trim and accessory structures (step 8). I would love to see an in depth episode (or more) on trimming and accessory structures. One good example of each, if well chosen and shown, would give us the basic principles and approach that could be applied to any finishing part of the build. Many thanks!
That's a very nice comment! It is true we could go deep into how to make specific pieces of a van that no one talks about. We had ourselves to figure out those trims more than once. We would have to think of other topics that people struggle with so we can be useful in the long term! Any ideas?
From just the perspective of expanding on step 8, an episode on trimming the slider or back doors would be excellent. Not sure what other aspects of the build people are struggling with.
Your humor makes these videos so enjoyable!! I have 2 questions: 1. Is a vapor barrier needed after applying insulation on the walls? 2. What is the best way to keep the grey water tank from freezing in the winter? Thank you and looking forward to the next episode =)
Thanks for your comment. Here are two answers for you: 1) No, you don’t need vapor barrier. We simply add those because we want the plastic from the barrier to work against water and humidity (not the wood itself) . The barrier is simply to give the wood a break, not to insulate the wall. 2. The ABSOLUTE best way to keep the grey water tank from freezing during the winter is to have it inside and to keep your van warm. With weather in Canada going below -40˚C many times this year, it’s an extreme environment to keep any tank of water (outside). Otherwise, there are some RV and Boat anti-freeze especially made for those tanks. You can also plan on installing a heat-pad around your tank to prevent it from freezing. However, like I said, temperatures here are extreme and those approaches aren’t guaranteed.
This is fantastic!!!👏👏👏 Thank you for sharing your recipe, I appreciate it sooo much! A clear, logical way for me to organize the project! Creeping closer to the goal!! Thank youuuu!!!
This is such a helpful video. I am very confident my wife will never jump in to the van life, so these steps man not be directly beneficial to me today, but it'll be one that I file away to remember when she bumps off and I hit the road. Of course she'll definitely live longer than I will...so there is that. LOL!
Good morning! Y'all packed a lot into ten minutes! I'd still like to see you build out a shuttle bus, or a box truck. (Because that's what we did with a '09 Chevy 11 passenger shuttle bus with rear/side wheelchair lift. Paid 6500$ for base vehicle, ended up less than 12k in finished camper.) Show us a budget build, without cutting corners round!
YES! Id Love to see a BUDGET build! bc honestly I dont think I can do this on my own, its seems very costley ,so I would love to see this done on a budget!
Great video!!!! I bought a truck cabine with only a chassis and 4x4, will build a polyester box for expedition use ( to visit you guys in Canada🤪). The truck 5.5 TON will arrive this coming week, and we will start the build next week. So this video couldn’t be in a better time 🤪, greeting from the Netherlands 🇳🇱❤️🇨🇦👌✌️💪👍🥇
Wow!!! So glad I came across your channel. I was asking myself these questions. I am a rookie-noskills-no experience mom who is currently building out my minivan and documenting on my youtube channel. I want to get my ceiling done but I am not sure how to do the wiring, max air fan etc. Thanks.
Hello, Dom & Sylvain😊. No questions, just want to say I’m very impressed with the workmanship that goes into your van builds. Magnifique😉 Dom, glad you are sharing your family with us, they are a joy! Thsnks for the build explanation and the shenanigans, as always! Have a wonderful week, hoh-hoh! 🧡🧡
Hello guys. Great detailed video and humerous too. Im planning on buying a Step Van to build out. Would the same principles you have here apply to all types of van builds. Hope that made sense. Im just a girl with no building skills and a big dream to fullfill and confused too.
And I have to add a question - where did you get the tambor door? Is it a finished unit you bought and just had to install or was it a kit you had to assemble or did you fabricate it yourselves?
So a little-talked about aspect of van buildouts is the permanent blocking of basic electrical and other components that mechanics need to get to for repairs. I’ve seen this pop up a few times now. Thoughts? What do you do to make access to important components modular and accessible?
We make sure we're able to access the vehicle at all times. For example, all the lights are accessible from the back panels and the trimming. You just have to take out 4 screws to make the repairs on the truck.
Hello Dom and Sylvaim, Thank you for your tutorial, very informative, very helpful. I had unsubscribed, because I found watching Dom and Marie sad because the equation has changed, but then I see Dom again with his father, and I have to subscribe. Anyway I am looking forward to finding the right van for myself and getting everything done to it that I want for the needs that I will require for long-term living. So I look forward to maybe even having your dad do the job. And would that be in Canada,That is,his location for services? Thank you in advance. It’s good to see you again, and hopefully Marie is happy, and maybe the two of you were still together, but I wish you both happiness together or not. Take care. Linda Luiacono
Thanks for subscribing again, and sorry for the sadness in the last episode. Marie and I are figuring things out and doing this partly public has its consequences. However, we always wanted to remain transparent with you guys so it's part of the game I guess. You'll have access to a ton of information on vanlife in 2022, so stay tuned! And thanks for being there!
Intéressant et amusant, comme toujours! En tant que chanceux nouveaux propriétaires d'une Promaster, nous débutons tranquillement notre aménagement. Des videos régulières avec "pepa Sylvain" seraient grandement appréciées pour nous accompagner 😊. D'ailleurs, j'aimerais savoir ce que vous utilisez comme matériau pour l'isolation des murs. Merci Dom et Sylvain!
Pour l'isolation des murs, on utilise du Roxull Wool (laine de roche). C'est facile à installer, c'est isolant, et c'est aussi facile à travailler. Toutefois, ce n'est pas une option super eco - Les gens de la ville où la laine est fabriquée nous ont dit que ça avait des effets assez dévastateur sur les travailleurs de l'usine et les habitants de la ville. La laine de mouton ferait aussi l'affaire (Haveloc). Plus difficile à installer toutefois. Il faut la maintenir en place avec des fils. Pour plus de vidéos du genre, je vous invite à visionner ce que Marie et Dom ont produit l'an passé. Ils ont fait une série de 20 vidéos complètes sur la construction de leur véhicule.
Sylvain, avez-vous des fournisseurs pour les divers items comme les batteries, fan, etc. ou bien vous passez par les mêmes fournisseur qu'un particulier aurait accès pour leur propre builds?
On passe par sensiblement les mêmes fournisseurs que les particuliers, mais avec quelques rabais à gauche à droite à cause des achats groupés que nous pouvons faire.
Elle vous permet de voir a quelle hauteur vos meubles vont se faire recouper par les murs de votre véhicule. Suffit de l’accoter contre la van et noter les hauteurs qui vont interférer avec le chassis!
Dreaming of one day converting a compact van (for weekend trips but not to live in permanently) like a Transit Connect or NV200. My question: Is a ceiling fan absolutely necessary?
Bonjour Sylvain et Dom! Vos vans sont tellement belles et de qualité ! Avez-vous pensé offrir des projets clés en main incluant la van et le financement (ex.: avec Desjardins pour 10 à 20 ans) comme d'autres cies de conversion de van québécoises offrent ?
Nope. On fait ça pour le plaisir avec un grand focus sur la qualité (et non sur la quantité). On garde le processus le plus simple et agréable possible pour nos clients. Nous n’avons pas l’ambition de compétitionner les « vraies » compagnies de transformation (qui font déjà très bien ça d’ailleurs).
@@vanlifesagas j'adore votre réponse 😊et... à mon avis, vos vans compétitionnent déjà avec les autres cies de transformation québécoises 😉parce que vos vans sont superbes et que justement vous focusez sur la qualité👌🏻🤩 BRAVO !! J'ai déjà hâte au prochain vidéo dimanche prochain!
why not use hard foam sheets? theyre stiff, insulating, easy to form into right 3D-shape and can hold a nice plywood (or whatever surface) for visible surfaces.
Sylvain, will a polyester box with 4 cm insulation be enough to visit the cold winter weather in Canada. I will add a diesel heater in the box. The box will be build behind the cabin and will be complete polyester all around with a bottom of 5 cm insulation. Thanks for your answer. Greetings from the Netherlands. PS. When my project is finished I will visit you Guyana’s Canada for sure.
Please come and visit. The trick to comfortable living in Canada will be to keep your van as heated as possible. With temperatures going down to -40˚C in the Winter, no matter how well you insulated your truck, you will need to heat it pretty much full time.
Bonjour Sylvain, Bravo pour vos vidéos ! Question about your stove (Gasland 2 burner), propane stove have a limitation on using them in altitude. Dometic doesn't recommend above 4500 ft, I was not able to get info from gasland , neither through the cabinDepot. What is (if any) your experience using it at an high altitude (in know you want to Colorado !)
Allo Dominic et Sylvain. My question is: I’m thinking to buy a van this year and looking for the E-Transit. What do you think about the electric van? I will go south in winter…meaning long hauling. Thanks a great work👏🏼
Gooood question!!! E-vans are definitely coming. Based on the little we know so far on these, they are currently built for a commercial market requiring relatively short range capabilities. So if your vanlife routine involves short ranges/routes, an E-Transit might be for you.
Oui, le projet est né de notre première van, Vanessa, avec laquelle nous avons amorcé Vanlife Sagas. Nous avons ensuite eu une deuxième demande que nous avons construite à la maison. Puis une troisième. Sylvain a fini par se louer un garage, s’acheter des outils, et s’équipe de logiciels pour transformer les vans avec la plus grande qualité. Résultat : les enfants font de la photos et de la vidéo pendant que les parents construisent des vans à la maison!
Hello we just watching your video and subscribe. We just bought our van and we are starting it this week. We are only curious on how did you built your roof? Is the black behind your ceiling what is it? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Thank you for your reply. We watched some of your videos and it is interesting and fun, specially videos that you work with your dad And interesting info like you interview with you Accountant and van customs..
Well, seeing is believing I suppose. In our case, it really makes a difference…more often than not. Why do I say that? As stated in their manual/instructions, weBoost will do wonders for you “if” it sees an antenna. The system works “line of sight”only (and the antenna can be relatively far) and it will really “boost” your signal…more “bars” on your phone. In our case, more bars mean faster uploads and downloads which is great for our work. If speed or staying connected is not important for you, obviously a weBoost might not be a good investment.
Bonjour Dom et Sylvain, ça serait vraiment plaisant si vos vidéos étaient en français aussi 😉. Où peut-on aller vous rencontrer cet été ? Une fois qu'Omicron sera passé 😏
Do you not start with framing the van? So when you screw in cabinets and furniture it goes into the wooden framing and not the metal of the van?? It's confusing when / what order this step is done.
@@vanlifesagas Thank you! Are the kitchen cabinets only secured at the top of the van and not the sides? I think I understand you use the ceiling and floor to drill into and secure the cabinetry and furniture but what about the side walls of the van? Do you use vertical blocks of wood to frame the van at all so you can screw into or secure things to the side walls?
Love the videos, I was wondering what you did with the propane system? We are only going to run our two burner cooktop (built in) like yours :) I am planning to build a sealed box and am looking into regulators and components to make it happen. Any advice?
You seem like you are looking in the right direction. We recommend flexible piping for the distribution. The box for the tank can be easily sealed with silicon membranes (or any other compressible fabric that you can stick between the door and the box itself). You just have to lock it once the installation is completed. Don't forget to vent your propane box to the exterior and to add a net around the "exhaust" to avoid small animals or bugs getting inside.
I’m in South Carolina. My fiancé just left me today. We also have to move out in 3 weeks. So it’s van time. We traveled in an rv for a year across country so I’m ready. I just don’t have money to get one of these nice vans. What’s my best go to here?
What would be a lighter material for interior? I would like to start one on my own and I am watching numerous videos at this point. This one have a lot of information :) Thank you :)
Sketchup is great! But, the walls in this app are at 90º angles to the floor, so you have to be mindful of spacing with sketchup. Unless I don't know about a van specific add-on.....
Very informative. Thank you. Do you need to worry about weight distribution at all (equal amount of weight over each wheel)? Thanks for the French lesson 😅😂😅😂
Yes, weight distribution is taken into account in our builds. Most of the weight will be over the rear axle, and evenly distributed on each side of the vehicle. So on one side will be the battery bank with the kitchen cabinets. On the other side will be smaller cabinets but with the whole water tank! Hope that helps!
Dom, when I can afford to buy a van, can I please fly your Papa over to the U.K. so he can build me a van? I am very good at holding screwdrivers and making coffee …
Hey Dom et Sylvain, fantastic video as always. In a Ford Transit, you will find these big ugly black triangle foam that are hiding the air bags. Can both foams be definitely removed, or it might impact your safety during a crash ? Will it void any crash insurance and is it against Ford specification, therefore may void the warrantee? merci a l'avance, Dom
Hmm, always be careful with airbags. We had to remove some from the back cargo box (living area) as they would explode the cabinetry if they were fired. Never remove or play with the front airbags (the ones that are essential for people that are wearing seatbelts). Always make sure with your dealer what is possible or not with airbags. Sure thing though, never install cabinets over them.
Love it! So far we’re following your steps. We’re waiting for our van to get pulled from paper to build. We ordered back in October and patiently waiting to hear back when our van will be made. 😀
We do not manage the purchase of the van since our specialty is mainly the conversions - But a conversion price would be around 45,000-50,000 CAD depending on what you plan to install in the build. Add to this the price of the vehicle (ranging from 30 to 80,000) and you have your answer!
I just got a lot of my difficult stuff installed and it’s running now and I came to the realization it wasn’t actually that hard as long as you put time into doing research and get yourself enough to have a good idea on what needs to be done. Extra research is always better than not enough. I’m very new to this and I accidentally wasted some money and had to go through processes of returning things which took a lot of time but at least I didn’t harm myself or anyone else lol. One thing I learned is to purchase stuff from their actual website and don’t just purchase every electrical component off amazon because some of those off market sellers will indeed give you a faulty component every once in a blue moon. If you are going to get anything that is renogy, go buy it from their website. Anything from paneltronics, get it from their website, etc.
@@MajkiM-hp7wlYou should always be tastefully afraid of electricity if it poses unknowns. But the more you learn about circuitry and wiring, the more comfortable and confident you are about setting up safely
