HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A SKOOLIE? Full Budget Breakdown for the Basically Nomads Bus!

We're back with a user requested video this week! We've had quite a few people ask us how much we spent building the Basically Nomads bus, so instead of simply replying we made you a video! Enjoy the video and let us know what you think.

Subscribe to the channel @Basically Nomads for more and follow us @basicallynomads on Instagram.

For DIY projects and more skoolie love follow Spencer @metaspencer

TIME STAMPS
0:01:23 - BUS BUDGET
0:01:29 - THE BUS
0:02:04 - ELECTRICAL
0:03:16 - PLUMBING
0:03:53 - HVAC
0:04:58 - DECK
0:05:23 - COUCH BUILD
0:05:44 - PLYWOOD
0:06:12 - CEILING/INSULATION/FLOORING/KITCHEN
0:06:42 - WORKSTATION
0:07:27 - MISCELLANEOUS
0:08:07 - GRAND TOTAL

BUDGET OUTLINE
BUS $5,000
ELECTRICAL $3,639
STORAGE $2,600
PLUMBING $2,049
HVAC $1,472
DECK $,1000
COUCH $540
PLYWOOD $1,000
CEILING $500
INSULATION $740
FLOORING $500
KITCHEN $476
WORKSTATION $465
PAINT $180
MISCELLANEOUS $1,000
EVERYTHING ELSE $640

Links to where to buy the featured items in the links below. Shopping these links helps support us!

Woodstove seen in the video:

KITCHEN

SOLAR/ELECTRICAL

PLUMBING

MISC:

[TheSolescope]

"I feel like we took our money pretty far" dude.... you stretched your money MILES beyond what it should have bought you, this is an unbelievably good build, for any price point! Congratulations on your incredible home.

[RoadsideJourney]

Wow, your bus is one of my favorites, I can't believe it only cost $22k! You guys did an amazing job.

[sheryl]

And the Oscar goes to...BASICALLY NOMAD! Best video, best bus conversion, best design. You guys are great. Straight forward info. Bullet point format. Love it!

[bethanymay]

I was so happy to find your video today. I have had my bus now for almost a year, have done the tear out and been patching up bolt holes in the floor, etc...little prep work...getting it ready for my tax return where I will be dumping it's entirety into the bus. I was stressing out big time, thinking I couldn't afford the solar, plumbing, and insulation with my budget, but your video has given me hope. At your costs, if I can stick around what you paid, I will be able to do it all. Such a relief. The rest I have no problem slowly doing, but those three things I wanted off my to-do list right away. Thanks for sharing this info!!

[ginoferreira]

Wow! That's amazing!! 22k is a great value for your end result. Fabulous! All of the sudden, I feel this is doable! Thanks for making and sharing this video!

[flgirl]

I love what you’ve done with your bus. The washer/dryer combo was a surprise. Great Job

[beyourownweirdo]

I’m so happy me and my hubby can do everything between us I’m a mechanic and do electrical work also as well as I can upholster my self . He’s a carpenter and works I. Residential construction. . I love your build specially the things for the cat . We are getting a bus .. our kitchen is a lot smaller . Me and him are like u love our gaming not giving that up hahahahaha . We wont be doing extra bedding for other ppl ( my mom will want to get a hotel room regardless hahahaha and he’s from a family of 8 they aren’t sleeping here hahaha) we are also having a small business so we will utilize the space for that as well . Love your build and has given us some great ideas keep making content

[dianerokas]

Hi! You guys did a greatjob on the bus, I would love the outside view of the raise up shower, and info on how you came about.

Thanks Diane

[gypsyhermitishtarot]

Thank you so much for being transparent when it comes to your budget. I know that helps me wrap my head around actually taking on a project like that and it helps so many others too. Peace ...gypsy

[djonketchup]

Best bus build I've seen. Will be watching much more in the future! thank you!

[teresahancock]

I recently began watching your bus conversation after Randy Bishop shared one. It took a little while but my brain finally clicked that you're Randy's friend, Devin, from Patoka. I'm his aunt from Arkansas. Grandma and Grandpa would be so proud of you! Wish they were still here to see your accomplishments. Grandpa always wanted to fix up an old school bus to use for camping. Grandma would have loved to have one like you have designed!

[zaxanity]

How did you do the raised roof for the bathroom? I'm really curious about that

[cartert]

Video of what you’d do differently please, I’m hungry for knowledge on how to do it best myself! beautiful home you have!

[kenniharding]

All that hard work definitely payed off loos amazing

[HH-vchn]

great job you guys. I hope someday I can do the same.

[TravelingThru]

Wow, you guys really turned that bus out. Really looks great.

[CrosshairLunchbox]

I think you did well for the money. I think you made the right choice on paring down your triple to a single 34". I have a triple monitor setup with a center 34" and I don't think I would have a problem with just the 34". Also, let's get a breakdown on your solar/electrical setup. I would like to see how many amp-hours of solar storage you have and how that works with your gaming rig. Perhaps you only do gaming on shore power? Same for the mini-split, do you run that off your solar setup or only shore power? I think this is the second or third build I have seen with a large format monitor (one other being a Skoolie, and one actually being an extended Sprinter). What do you do for internet - 4G? Shore Wi-Fi only? Are you following the SpaceX Starlink internet? Soon you will have access to gigabit connection anywhere in the world pinging as low as 25ms(real world will probably be 35-50ms) due to the LEO configuration. Slap the antenna on your roof (estimated 24" x 24" x 1.5" thick) and you're a connected nomad. I grew up in the Midwest - we would recommend Colorado! The weather is much better but you still get a good lifestyle feel. How tall are you? I think I would have to do a full roof raise to feel comfortable as I am over 6' tall. My buddy did a full roof raise for his Skoolie in Southern Colorado (he's ~6'4"). Do you plan to travel a lot - I noticed a lot of locking cabinets? My buddy is permanently parked in his Skoolie.

[ArthurBrinkman-cz]

I love a Schoolie but I did things a little differently. I didn't have the time or space to build a bus.
I found a 1988 Gulfstream Sun Stream, Hi Rise Class A motorcoach gasser V8 with the Banks Power Pack at 10 years old. New it was $124, 000 and I saved the $100, 000 part buy buying it used. With still low mileage on it. I financed it at $230 per month combined with my lot rent I was at less than $500 per month for housing in Los Angeles. Totally unheard of at the time. During the 23 years I've lived in it I've made many upgrades, remodeled and repainted the entire coach to suit myself. I have replaced both rooftop A/C Unit. Upgraded the hot water heater to tankless/ endless. Have done a full body custom exterior paint job. Rebuilt, modernized, customized, refurbished, or altered the interior to suit me. I've taken many ideas from the Schoolies, turned stowage compartments into shoe cubbies, new vanity top built from scrap pallet wood, customized cabinets, doors and drawers.
But the best part of it all is it doesn't ride, handle or drive like a school bus. I have a full basement under the living area, a built in generator, a Xantrex power inverter system. That all came included. I do plan on adding solar power in the near future to get completely off grid.
So if it's a motorhome, travel trailer, Schoolie or 5th wheel you can build anything to suit you and your needs. There are many options out there, do your research and make the best decision for you!
I wanted a Motorhome so I didn't have to buy a truck to tow with plus I could put my motorcycle on a rear rack and not have to tow a car.
I think my motorhome has a Schoolie heart, or I do anyway. I love the Schoolies and incorporate what I can where I can in my now "historic motor vehicle" my 1988 Gulf Stream, Sun Stream! You don't need a multi million dollar coach to enjoy the off grid, off road, camping, Boondocking, camp site parking, traveling lifestyle. Buy, build, rent or borrow what you want to suit your lifestyle. A girlfriend of mine told me when I moved into my coach full-time: OMG! You've gone to Girl Scout Hell, the camping trip that never ends! I love it here, thanks!

[LifetheWildRide]

I think by the time we are done ours we will be in that price range as well. We also are DIYers so most of the labor is us. Thanks for sharing.

[thatsmesmiles]

Keep doing this thing!! Love the description and detail put in your videos! PLUS how beautiful y'alls Skoolie is. BEST on youtube! Can't believe this is a custom built. Just watched all y'alls videos and I need more content now :)