I live in an old school bus full time… it has its own shower & kitchen – it all cost me less than £10,000
A DIY whizz now lives full-time in an old school bus which he’s converted into a home with its own shower and kitchen for less than £10,000.
Nathan San Luis has revealed the transformation he’s made of the former Ford E-350 which used to carry pupils back and forth.
He has not only installed pristine new kitchen and bathroom facilities but also repainted the bus from its former yellow to a more muted shade between dark grey and blue.
Nathan has given his travelling tiny home the name “Imi Ola” – Hawaiian for “seek life”.
He has shown off the results of his work on the motorhome in a 14-minute video on YouTube which has attracted admiring comments.
The vehicle used to belong to the Los Angeles Unified School District in California, before Nathan bought it for just under £1,800.
After all the upgrades he has applied, Nathan believes the overall cost of making it his new home amounts to a little over £8,000.
He now travels across the United States in the converted bus, Motor1 reported.
He said in a Tiny Home Tours video: “I’m trying to seek life right now.”
The interior features he has added include laminate wooden floors, while friends donated a fridge-freezer and a marble counter from a construction site for the kitchen.
A neighbour upholstered an inside bench’s seat cushions, while Nathan has decorated the walls with pictures by friends and loved ones’ signatures.
There is also a ladder on the outside leading up to a rooftop deck, while Nathan owns an electric bike he can hitch to the back.
The vehicle has 335,000 miles on the clock.
One impressed viewer wrote: “I love this – you’ve done a great job, Nathan.”
Another commented: “I like how much open space there is in the centre – it doesn’t look crammed.”
Nathan was also told: “Your rig’s features look comfortable and practical, with the necessities and some unique amusements.
“And so classy cool for those shout-outs to family and friends who have blessed you.”
A poster also said: “What a steal on the skoolie, and I like the fact that many of the things you were given to you.”
The home was also called a “beautiful build”, “perfect size for one person” and “very nice and neat”.
Nathan is not alone in turning an unlikely vehicle into a home.
A family of four have also begun living in an old school bus.
A couple took a Sainsbury’s delivery van and transformed it into a cosy camper they now plan to take on an Arctic trip.
Meanwhile, a mum bought a water-damaged 1979 caravan and gave it a “dream home” makeover – winning plaudits after sharing the results on TikTok.
A furniture-maker from Somerset turned an old builder’s van into a £39,000 luxury motorhome.
Another man told how living in a transit van can be tough but allows him to save on rent while making money at the same time.