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Vanlife has become incredibly popular in recent years. However, converting a van yourself is time-consuming and not the easiest of tasks. Many also don’t realize that getting full-time traveling insurance on a DIY van conversion can be challenging. However, plenty of professional van conversion companies know their stuff and provide excellent results.
If you’re looking at options for your future van conversion, you’re in luck! Today, we’re sharing how you can find reputable van conversion companies. Let’s get started!
What Is a Van Conversion?
A van conversion is a full-sized cargo van that goes through a serious overhaul to become a livable space.
The best conversions have everything a nomad could need to live comfortably on the road for an extended time.
They’re great for solo and couples looking to hit the road for adventures.
Some of the most popular vans that nomads choose to convert are the Mercedes Sprinter van, Ram Promaster, and the Ford Transit. Each is unique and has its benefits.
As long as it provides enough liveable space and can get you where you want on your adventures, it’s a match made in heaven.
Pro Tip: Check out some of best professionally designed camper vans to see if they fit your needs!
What Is the Average Cost of a Van Conversion?
If you’re considering a van conversion, you need to know they’re not cheap, especially if you’re considering a professional conversion.
That can range from $30,000 to more than $200,000. We told you, they’re not cheap!
The cost is why many van lifers choose to take on the laborious task of doing the conversion themselves.
Is this easy?
Absolutely not.
Can it save you a tremendous amount of money?
For sure!
Doing the conversion yourself also saves you a lot of money on labor and allows you a bit more control when selecting equipment and materials.
If you do it yourself, you can expect to spend $5,000 to $15,000, excluding the actual cost of the van.
What Is the Most Reliable Van for Camper Conversions?
The most reliable van for a camper conversion is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
Its strength, durability, and reliability are just a few reasons so many choose it for their conversion.
However, the Ford Transit puts up quite a fight and can nearly go toe-to-toe with the Sprinter.
Sprinter vans are incredibly reliable, and the van community has practically crowned them as the standard.
Nearly every reputable van conversion company will have experience with Sprinter vans.
If you’re going the DIY route, almost every conversion kit company offers an option for Sprinter van conversions.
If you choose a Sprinter van for your conversion, you’re making a wise choice.
AutoWise declared it as one of the best work vans available.
So if you’re on the fence about which van to choose, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will get the job done for you!
How Do You Find Reputable Van Conversion Companies?
You don’t want to entrust your van conversion to just any company. You want to ensure that the finished product looks like you dreamed of and can perform. Let’s look at how you can find some of the best van conversion companies.
Van Life Trader
If you don’t have time, energy, or skills to do your own conversion, buy one already done for you.
Van Life Trader is an online marketplace that’s easy to use for buying and selling campervans.
We love the ease of using the filters to narrow your search and find the perfect campervan for you.
Using Van Life Trader allows you to search hundreds of different listings from across the country.
Explore Van X
Explore Van X is a directory of experienced outdoor enthusiasts that want to help others experience the outdoors.
You’ll find various businesses nomads rely on to help improve their experiences overlanding and to make van life a little bit more comfortable.
Whether you’re looking for a place to get a custom van conversion, buy a conversion kit, or get some help with your conversion, you can use this resource to find it.
There may be an expert near you who can lend a hand!
Keep in Mind: Wanting to make your camper van feel more like home? Give some of these Camper Van Decor Ideas a try!
All you have to do and see there’s no shortage of posts for #vanlife.
Those in the community love to share their builds and how they’ve customized their rigs to meet their travel needs.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you see something you like.
However, you must remember that some larger channels may not get back to you quickly (if ever).
If you’re considering a van conversion, follow accounts to get ideas of what you might want in a van.
Slide into the DMs of accounts to learn about their likes and dislikes of their vans.
Social media is a fantastic way to learn about the possibilities of the lifestyle.
We also recommend joining large groups on Facebook where you can ask questions and learn from others.
There’s practically nothing Google can’t help you accomplish, including finding a reputable van conversion company.
Make sure you take your time when doing your research.
If possible, ask for references so you can ensure customers are happy with the final product.
Use Google to find reviews and look for any red flags.
You might just find that there’s a reputable van conversion company near you!
What to Look For When Picking a Van Conversion Company
You want to be picky when choosing your van conversion company.
There are several things that you should look for when shopping.
Consider each interaction with any potential companies to be an interview and watch for any red flags.
Let’s look at a few things you should look for when selecting your van conversion company.
Reviews
A reputable van conversion company should have a surplus of reviews for you to check.
Don’t expect that you’re going to find a company with only positive reviews.
Not every customer will have realistic expectations, and no business is perfect.
A business will miss the mark from time to time.
However, how they respond to negative reviews is important too.
Look for consistencies in the reviews regarding how a company treats its customers.
See whether their build was completed on time and if it met their expectations.
You can learn a lot about a business simply by reading reviews from previous customers.
Pro Tip: Another option for van conversions is Glampervan if you don’t want to convert your van on your own!
Professionalism
One of the most important aspects of any business is its professionalism.
How they handle themselves and treat customers is essential.
If they don’t display professionalism to you as a potential customer, they will likely not treat your van with the care it deserves.
A lack of professionalism could mean they’re willing to cut corners or not take pride in their work.
When a company has professionalism, it’ll stand behind its product or service.
If you’re hiring a company to do work, you want to know that they’ll make it right if a problem is their fault.
You don’t want to be stuck paying for something that they should’ve done right in the first place.
Build History
There’s nothing wrong with new van conversion companies; everyone had to start somewhere.
However, there’s a good chance you don’t want your build to be a company’s first.
They’re still learning their style and what works and what doesn’t.
Having a track record of successful builds is important.
It can also provide some references to see how their work has held up during adventures and traveling.
Let a Van Conversion Company Take on Your Dream Project
If you’re one of the many people who dream about owning a conversion van, make sure you do it right.
Take your time, and don’t rush the process. You don’t want to pay more than you should or find yourself with a converted van that doesn’t meet your needs.
So start searching for reputable van conversion companies and make your dream a reality!
