Choosing a Cargo Van Over a Campervan

Before we get into the post, I would just like to let you all know that there is a new site page up! It is called Resin Pictures and has pictures of all the resin things I have made, and will be updated every Monday! If you wanted to go check it out, here is a link: https://baileymchatton.com/resin-pictures/

    There are many available campervan options that are already built out, and there are also many options to buy a custom build kit that you can either install yourself right into your van or you can have it installed. Both of these options are very tempting to choose over completely building out the inside of your van from scratch, but I did not choose either of them.    

The main reason that I chose to completely build out my van myself is money. Completely built out campervans are extremely expensive compared to the price of a cargo van and then building it out. The kits that you can buy are also a lot more expensive than just building out the van yourself. However, if you have the money or you do not want to spend all that time building your van out, this would probably be a good option for you.

     Another reason I did not want to pick either of these options is flexibility. All of the campervans and build kits that you can buy are not 100% customizeable, and none of them had exactly what I wanted. I also liked the idea of being able to put anything I want into my van, and take out anything that I did not want. There are some things I want like a closet drawer and a fixed bed that would have been very hard to find without dishing out much more cash for a completely custom built campervan. Again, if you have the money, go for it. Another reason you might choose this option over building it out yourself is because you want what these vans and kits have to offer.

     Probably the most interesting reason that I chose a cargo van over a campervan is intimacy. By building out my van myself, and doing almost everything with my own hands, I will know exactly what everything does, where everything is, and how everything works. This is huge for me, since I have a ton of anxiety over not knowing how to fix something when I break down.

Additionally, I would really love to be very familiar with all of the tight spaces in the van, to make getting into them a lot more comfortable for myself instead of not knowing what they look like. Knowing every single thing about my van will help put my mind at ease when I am on the road, something that I would not have if I was living in a van that had been built by someone else, partially or completely.

     The last reason that I chose to do everything myself is because of weight. You do not really get to choose any of the materials that go into these vans that are premade, and weight is a huge factor when living in a van. By building my van out myself, I will get to choose every material that goes into my van, including the weight. I need my van to be as lightweight as possible to avoid spending a ton of money on gas, or reaching a weight limit that my van can take before finishing it. I think that this is a huge factor in building out a van, and doing it myself lets me have a lot more control over what I put into my van.

     So, in conclusion, the reasons I want to build out my cargo van into a campervan are because of money, flexibility, intimacy, and choice. These are all important to me, but may not be important to everyone, so this decision was the right one for me, but not for everyone.

     Thank you so much for reading my blog post and supporting my journey! 

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