A couple used a school bus to convert it into a lovely, comfy home that offers everything a traditional small apartment would. On top of that, it was desgined to support mobile off-the-gird living.

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You might think living inside a school bus is not a very smart idea, but when you think about it - why not? In their blog at Midwest Wanderers Luke and Rachel Davis assure us: "I swear we're not crazy!" They purchased a USD $4,000 school bus, created a wonderful home out of it and now live as a travelling family, together with their young daughter and a - as they describe him - goofy dog.

They say they needed roughly a year and a half to complete the renovations. Among other things, they had to raise the roof by 24 inches. They completely trasnformed the 240-square-foot interior, so now the former school bus has upcycled bamboo flooring and reclaimed barn wood accent wall among other things. It offers a living room, bathroom and two beds. Adding to the charm are also some lovely porthole skylights. The kitchen is rather large and well equipped, so they can cook whatever you'd cook in a standard kitchen - Rachel is a former baker, so a kitchen like that was something she definitely wanted to include in their new home. To gain more space, the kitchen table can be folded down against the wall and the chairs stacked. The sofa with extra storage can easily be fliped down and become an extra bed for a friend, perhaps, spending the night.

When it comes to technical details, here's what the couple said: "Our bus is a 1992 AmTran Genesis. It's powered by an International DTA360 (5.9L) diesel linked to a 4 speed Allison automatic transmission. Stopped by air brakes. The overall length is 37 feet and the height (post conversion/roof raise) is 12'-9" which is the top of the chimney. In a pinch it can be taken down to 12'-3". Last but not least, top speed! A cool 55 MPH is her comfortable top speed."

The small bathroom features a DIY composting toilet utilizing a Kildwick urine diverter. It also has an RV exhaust fan to handle shower steam. They use a 900-watt solar array that supplies the family with all the power they need. Their stove and water heater both run on propane to make sure they are responsible for as little emissions as possible. When it comes to freash water, they use a 100-gallon water tank, which they say can last for up to 2 weeks, if they manage the supply wisely. For more information, you can head over to their 'tech talk'.

Would you also consider living in a DIY converted vehicle?

Video curtesy of Living Big In A Tiny House

July 4, 2017 Living photo: https://midwestwanderers.com/

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