The Six Phases of Building Out Your Van

Taking on a van build can be a daunting task. The most frequent question we receive as professional builders is: Where do I even begin?

In this post, we'll bring you through the six phases and roughly what order we recommend building out your van.

Disclaimer: This is from our experience, and is meant to act as a guide. Each van and van builder will be unique!

Phase One: Vehicle Prep

This is the beginning of it all! After a mountain of research and budgeting, it's time to finally buy that van.

1. Buy a van
2. Strip and prep your van - remove seats, factory trim, factory lights, etc.
3. Decide on a (general) layout - you won't need to have everything locked in 100%, but at least decide which side you'll have water, electrical, appliances, and any cutouts

The Featherbuilt Planning Kit is a great tool for this! So is our Van Build Budget!

Phase Two: Foundation Prep

In this step, you'll start to install the baseline for the rest of your build. This is a critical step because it acts as the foundation for everything. There are also parts of this phase that cannot be done later (or would be reallllyyy tough to do later), such as running electrical wiring.

1. Install rivnuts for a rail system, or your chosen furring/structural base
2. Install exterior components that require holes being cut into your van (fan, windows, AC, shore power, heater, solar penetration)
   1. Note: if you plan on installing a roof rack, check if you have factory rails. If not, you will need to install factory rails during this step because you need access to the van ceiling.
   2. Note: you don't need to install your solar panels during this step, just the penetration plate through the roof for the solar wiring.
3. Install seat swivels
   1. Note: this is important during this step because you'll already have your seats out for the heater installation and heater wiring!
4. Run 12V and 120V wiring
5. Sound deadener and insulation

If you're planning on using the Featherbuilt rail system, check out our Wall and Ceiling Kits for the Sprinter and Transit!

Phase Three: The Shell

This is the phase that will finally get your van starting to look like a home!

1. Floor
2. Walls and Window Trim
3. Ceiling and Overhead Lights
4. Door Trim

Our favorite trim kits are from GoCode. Check out the trim options for Sprinters and Transits.

Phase Four: The Interior Layout

Believe it or not, if you've made it through pre-wiring and installing your walls and ceiling, we're moving onto some of the easier parts! At the very least, this is the phase that is most similar to a regular home build or renovation.

Wheel Well Cabinets

1. Electrical cabinet
   
   1. Note: you don't need to install your entire electrical system at this stage, but it is nice when you still have easy access to the cabinet. It's also nice to be able to use lights and devices while you work!
2. Water cabinet
   1. Note: you also don't need to finalize your entire plumbing system at this stage, but it's good to run any wiring and plumbing lines to their final location.

Shop Sprinter, Transit, or ProMaster Wheel Well Cabinets

Kitchen Cabinets

1. Overhead cabinets (these are much easier to install without lower cabinets in your way!)
2. Galley cabinets
   1. Note: you can choose to do the final installation of all your kitchen cabinets in this step, or simply choose to place the base cabinets. You can install appliances, countertops, drawers, and doors at a later time.

Bed

1. Bulkhead/divider wall
2. Bed platform

Phase Five: Interior Finalization

Phase four was a big one, so you might need a break before coming back to all the final touches. Unfortunately it's true what they say, and the final 20% can sometimes take the longest.

1. Installation of shelves, tables, and cargo drawers
2. Final switch/thermostat/monitor installation
3. Final wiring installation
4. Final kitchen installation (drawers, appliances, countertop)
5. Final plumbing installation
6. Final trim adjustment/installation
7. Testing systems

Phase Six: Exterior Accessories

We save this step for last, because exterior accessories are usually not dependent on any part of the interior build. The only time where this would not be the case is for exterior lights and a powered awning, which should be part of the initial pre-wire phase.

1. Roof rack and solar panels
2. Side steps
3. Rear door ladder/tire carrier
4. Awning

 

And now it's time to get out there and actually enjoy your van! Give us a follow and keep us updated on all your adventures!