A man in Texas decided to try his hand at building a tiny house on his own. After looking at his options, he opted to do a school bus conversion and purchased a bus from Austin School District for only $2,200. Being 6’4, he ended up having to do a full makeover including raising the roof but the results are quite impressive and prove that anyone can achieve their goals of independence and tiny living given enough time and determination.
With a background in graphic design, he started working on floor plans and went through several options before settling on the one that allowed him the most space for entertaining guests. All of the public areas are towards the front of the bus with the bedroom in the back.
Next up, he completely gutted the bus and literally cut it in half to raise the ceiling height. He then covered the surfaces in reclaimed wood and started building the walls and built-in furniture.
A large kitchen was designed as well as a massive entertainment center so framework was put in for both. He got very lucky by finding IKEA cabinets on clearance and a wood countertop. For the entertainment center, he built his own cabinets.
The Helm—2-Story Container Home close to Magnolia Market
He even found his dream kitchen sink in the clearance section! The most expensive component of the kitchen ended up being the faucet.
In the end, the kitchen looks high-end with white subway tile, butcher block countertops, and a modern sink.
His IKEA couch was disassembled and a new base and arms were built to better fit the space in the bus.
A large desk area was added with a deep and wide desk giving him plenty of room for his graphic design work. The wall behind it was made out of reclaimed floor boards.
The large entertainment system was a must-have and features a 55” TV that was bought on clearance for $200.
The living room is in the back of the bus with another entertainment center built at the foot of the bed. He chose to keep the original windows and door in the back of the bus to add character and to allow him to open the door up for ventilation.
Solar panels were added to the top of the bus over the extended area giving him the power to run his system off-grid.
We’re impressed with the way this man was able to completely DIY the entire build of this tiny house! He ended up with a spacious home that fits his needs perfectly.
If you want to see more pictures of this school bus conversion and to learn more about his sometimes-harrowing process, go to https://imgur.com/a/sJOcN#AHmj5Ii.
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