The coronavirus lockdown has seen a surge in van sales as DIY enthusiasts buy up the vehicles to convert into campervans.
With ‘staycations’ set to become the new normal when lockdown comes to an end, people are transforming the vehicles into holiday homes on wheels.
Keen adventurers have kitted out the vans with beds, kitchens, sofas and solar panels so they can take their motor homes on trips around the world.
Emily Conroy, 27, from Newmarket, Suffolk, bought this Ford Transit van during lockdown to convert into a campervan. She has affectionately nicknamed it ‘Connie the campervan’
The number of people applying for their vans to be redesignated as living spaces jumped by almost two-thirds in just two years, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency revealed.
But sadly the recent rise in demand for these vehicles has also sparked a spate of thefts as criminals capitalise on their rapid surge in popularity with thefts doubling during lockdown.
Many people who flip their humble white vans into ideal holiday homes share snaps of their transformations on social media.
Take a look at some of the vans set to be roaming the nation’s roads when lockdown is lifted.
Rebecca Booth, 28 and her husband, Robert Booth, 42, were fed up of paying staggering prices for hotel rooms while travelling with their children, Cody, four, and Phoebe, two.
The family-of-four decided to look at purchasing a caravan to travel cheaply but found the prices out of their budget.
The pair then decided to purchase a regular van and build their camper from scratch, converting a second hand Mercedes for only £11,000.
The camper van pictured after its renovation. The family built fit in solar panels, windows, installed flooring, a kitchen area with a microwave and sink, alongside a portable toilet
Rebecca Booth, 28 and her husband, Robert Booth, 42, were fed up of paying staggering prices for hotel rooms while travelling with their children, Cody, four, and Phoebe, two
Rebecca and Robert fit in solar panels, batteries and inverters for electricity and heating.
They then fit windows on both sides of the van and installed flooring, beds and fitted the entire van with sheep’s wool to keep the space warm.
The pair managed to install a kitchen area with a sink, two gas hobs, a fridge, freezer, microwave and a portable toilet in the small space.
Rebecca said: ‘We started looking at inspiration from other family camper vans and took notes of different layouts and ideas we liked.
‘We purchased a van with only ideas in our heads and couldn’t wait to get started and did so straight away.
‘We spent most evenings and all weekends building the van for 2 months and had our first adventure!
One of the bedroom areas, after the renovation. The parents fitted the entire van with sheep’s wool to keep the space warm and windows to allow light inside
Cody, four and Phoebe, two, enjoy the camper van, fitted with a television after its renovation. After two months, the family-of-four finished their entire project
Robert takes his children out on their inflatable boat they are able to transport with their DIY camper van, which they built from scratch to travel across the UK
‘We loved the build and doing it all ourselves kept the cost down! We wired the solar panels, fitted batteries and installed inverters for the electrics for all the power and lighting and heating.
‘We insulated the entire van with sheep’s wool and fitted the windows in both sides to allow light inside.
‘We put in flooring and tongue and groove for all the walls and ceiling.’
She added: ‘We measured up a full-size bed for us and smaller beds for the children, who needed their own private space too. We tried to find every bit of empty area for storage.
‘The kitchen area has a sink with clean water and a wastewater tank, two gas hobs, a fridge freezer and a microwave.
The camper van after its renovation, showing the kitchen area i the background, tables and bedroom area towards the back. The family now embark on trips across the UK
The two children’s bedroom area, fitted with a door. The family love travelling to Wales, beaches and seaside coasts in the comfort of their self-contained vehicle
‘A porta toilet was a must with young children.’
After two months, the family-of-four finished their entire project, setting them back by £11,000, including the cost of the van purchase.
The family now embark on trips across the UK in their DIY camper van and love travelling to Wales, beaches and seaside coasts in the comfort of their self-contained vehicle.
Rebecca said: ‘We love Wales and all the sea coast. We love any beaches, the scenery and fishing with our inflatable boat.
‘The van has now allowed us to have more holidays and adventures throughout the whole year.
‘With a cheaper option being fully self-contained, we can go anywhere we like and we can’t wait to enjoy our family time.’
Travel blogger Mollie Bylett bought a VW van in December 2018 but only finished renovating it in November last year.
The 26-year-old transformed the T5 high top model that she bought for £12,000 into a stunning home, kitting out the inside with bespoke wooden cabinets, a bed and a kitchen.
She said: ‘It’s been my dream to have a van for three or four years.
Travel blogger Mollie Bylett, 26, bought a VW van in 2018 for £12,000 and spent over a year kitting it out with a kitchen, bedroom, solar panels and even an outdoor shower
‘I didnt do it on a budget because I wanted to bring my dream to life exactly as I imagined it.’
The conversion set Mollie back by around £10,000, but the van is fully kitted out with everything she could need on the road.
‘We’ve got a full kitchen with a fridge-freezer, two hobs, a shower out the back to rinse off boots or the dog, a solar panel, and a roof rack so you can climb up on top and watch the sunset,’ she said.
Mollie had planned to drive her van to the Swiss Alps when her conversion was complete, but the coronavirus lockdown meant she had to stay closer to her Berkshire home.
The travel blogger intended to drive the van to the Swiss alps but when lockdown hit she has driven around the UK visiting the beach at West Whittering and the Surrey hills
The van before Mollie kitted it out with bespoke wooden fittings, along with a bedroom and kitchen in the renovation that took more than a year
Instead she has driven the van to the Surrey hills to go hiking and visited the beach at West Wittering, West Sussex.
Mollie hopes the lockdown will encourage other people, including van owners, to explore their home turf rather than travelling abroad.
‘I think its nice people are looking a little closr to home for the adventure,’ she said.
‘It allows people to explore whats on their doorstep.
‘When you actually start exploring the UK you will realise you don’t have to go so far (for adventure).
Mollie hopes the rise in van life culture means more people will explore the UK and look for adventure on their doorstep instead of feeling the need to go abroad
‘I think there’s going to be a longterm increase in domestic travel because people will realise there’s so much here.
‘Van life is quite trendy and very instagrammable hence why its blown up so much. Especially with lockdown and domestic travel being encouraged I don’t think it’s going to quieten down any time soon.
‘We’re in it for the long run.’
Sales manager Emily Conroy, 27, bought a Ford Transit van during lockdown for £3,750.
She wants to convert it into a campervan so she can travel around the UK and Europe.
It is a project she has been considering for a while, but after trying her hand at DIY during the lockdown she decided to take the plunge.
‘I was doing DIY stuff at home with my housemate,’ she said.
Emily Conroy, 27, had been thinking about converting a van for a while, but realised she would be able to do it on her own after trying her hand at DIY during lockdown to upgrade her flat
‘We renovated our kitchen and living room in our flat, and I realised I could do the handy stuff by myself without having to get help.
‘It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, plus I have more time with coronavirus.
Inspired by video tutorials on YouTube, she plans to add a bed and a little kitchen to the 15-year-old former National Rail van, now affectionately nicknamed ‘Connie the campervan’.
The 27-year-old has been watching YouTube videos to show her how to do most of the refit herself, but she will get help to do the electrics and cut windows into the van
Her plans also include adding windows and electrics to the van, which she will get help installing from professional tradesmen.
Emily, who lives in Newmarket, Suffolk, recently returned to the UK after living in Australia.
She hopes to use the revamped van to travel a little nearer to home once the nation opens up again post-lockdown.
The sales manager used to live in Australia but now she is back in the UK, she wants to explore what is on her doorstep by travelling around the UK and Europe
She is already planning her first road trip to Cornwall.
‘Because travel is going to be so limited now, I wanted the opportunity to still travel without the risk of flying or going abroad.
‘And after Australia I wanted to travel more on my doorstep around the UK and Europe. And give my family the chance to use the van for trips as well.’