How important is having a van you can stand up in ?

[markallen5]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am trying to decide on a suitable van to convert on my budget.
Someone I met who lives in their converted horsebox lorry said 2 things were a must, even if you were just spending a fair amount of time in it .
One was being able to stand up and the other was a fixed bed.
But there's plenty of vans out there that one can't stand up in so just how important is it ?
Vans I'm considering are ex Motability window vans , both SWB , first there's the Peugeot Boxer with enough width to have a bed across the back but only about 5' 4" headroom, the other is the Renault Master , slightly less width but around 5'8" height , still not quite enough to stand up in.
The other is an L1 H2 Sprinter with plenty of headroom and is just about wide enough to put a bed across the back.
The problem with the Sprinter is that for the same money as the others, I'd have to get a higher mileage one and it would need much more work to convert it . There seem to be a few ex Gas Board workshop Sprinters around.
I do like the idea of a van with factory tinted windows all round and a quality diesel night heater already fitted as in the Boxers or Renaults that I've seen , but that brings up yet another question , windows all round or not !
They are also low mileage and seem to me to involve less work to make into a decent comfortable space to enjoy being on the road in.
I'd be glad to hear some feedback from people who've already been there as it were to help me make the right decision.

 

[Two of usI]

Must admit that we haven't converted a van, however, I would not consider a van where I would not be unable to stand up, bearing in mind that I am 6' 4", we have struggled even back to when we had caravans..... I found it VERY uncomfortable not to be able to stand.... Our other issue was we did prefer a fixed bed ( our choice) but, can't imagine having to park up, make up a bed before flaking out !!!!

 

[the1andonly]

My view is the opposite, i need to be able to stand up but not worried about a fixed bed. The ability to stand can be in a restricted area but necessary, the fixed bed a probable waste of space. However i have sucessfuly survived in a Bongo and some here have cuboards bigger. Now i have much more room, a 6m van and a fixed movable bed (electric stored in roof). An alternative view.

 

[Otter Spotter]

If you are going to use the van regularly then I would suggest you need to be able to stand up in it, otherwise you will spend a lot of time either sat down or outside the van.
The other thing to consider is if your van has auto glass like mine (see avatar) then in winter the glass gets cold ( can cause condensation) you will need to ensure your van is properly insulated and you have some form of window insulation for nighttime. I made up thermal covers for each window which slots into the blind screen slots. We put them up at night and remove in daytime.

 

[meanders]

I'll start by saying I have never converted a van, but that aside, I think the difficulty is that whatever is a priority for anyone else, maybe perfectly acceptable to you, or the next person. There are plenty of Funsters who have vans that it's obvious that there is no standing room inside, and there must be hundreds who do not have a fixed bed. We sleep over-cab, but others cannot do that. The second bed in ours is where the table and seating era is and converts in under a minute. Again, others will not find that acceptable.

Our criteria in order were:

1. 6m or less long. This was for both storage reasons and manoeuvrability getting in or out of the village at home. The latter restriction, I could possible stretch to 7m provide very little overhang.
2. A bed I can sit up in.... (Just!), Usable toilet with it's own door.
3. Some locker space.
4. Hob
5. Oven
6. Sink.
7. Toilet and shower.
8. Double floor and fully winterised.

A no-no from would be one where I constantly had to stoop as I suffer back trouble, but if you are sitting down to cook etc, or cooking outside, is it a problem?

Our resulting van is 3.3M high externally. We are happy with that, but other Funsters have said that it would be too high for them because of their access requirements. We have looked at the big liner's that are gorgeous inside, but totally impractical for us (as well as out of price range).

My list above is likely to be completely the wrong list, and probably in the wrong order for you. Realistically only you can decide.

I would suggest getting yourself to one of the motorhome shows where you can wander round and try all combinations you can think of and a few more beside. Make sure you sit in them for a while, but also try moving about and imagine what you might be doing when out in it. Then you will be better placed to decide what is important to YOU.

Worth noting though, that everything is a compromise whether buying ready done, or converting yourself. Ditto a lot is down to budget. Not having standing room, and not having a fixed bed are irrelevant, if all you can afford is a 30 year old panel van, in which you start by throwing a mattress, a camp cooker and an 12v coolbox.

Good luck in your search for a vehicle to convert, but I do suggest going to look at a few before you make a decision.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tinkertaylor]

Your small enough to sleep across the back of a van, get a ducato, boxer one its got a wider back end and sleeping across save space length ways. You need to be able to stand up imo. You also need a toilet, we do. Imagine midnight visits to a bucket because that's what happens without one.

I have done a conversion and it took 12 months, don't rush into buying a van unless you know exactly how you are going to use it, how prepared you are to compromise on comfort (no toilet, make up bed) . Then plan the layout to see if everything fits in. I used graph paper to layout it all put to scale, bed , toilet, fridge, sink basically everything.

Mines built on boxer 6m van, see picture for a rough layout. My beds fixed and raised to allow bike storage but if I did it again I would lower the bed and buy small bikes.

 

[Hedgewitch]

Head room: absolutely essential. I used to have a 6m panel van conversion, now in a VW Transporter.
For driving experience, parking, general convenience on the road the VW beats the PVC off the planet. As a campervan/motorhome it is failing miserably.

Fixed bed: if you are only away a few nights at a time then making up the bed each night, and packing up your bedding the following morning is probably not an issue. Stay away for a couple of weeks or more and it quickly become a pain.

 

[Shrimp]

Be able to stand up…..yes.
Fixed bed….no, take up too much room, plus if you are on your own you can use a sleeping bag on a ‘settee’/long seat.

 

[interbear]

Head room: absolutely essential. I used to have a 6m panel van conversion, now in a VW Transporter.
For driving experience, parking, general convenience on the road the VW beats the PVC off the planet. As a campervan/motorhome it is failing miserably.

Fixed bed: if you are only away a few nights at a time then making up the bed each night, and packing up your bedding the following morning is probably not an issue. Stay away for a couple of weeks or more and it quickly become a pain.

I agree with this. We currently have a VW. As a daily driver it’s great. For camping we’ve really enjoyed it. However, to stand up in the van we obviously have to raise the pop-top roof. That’s OK for a weekend, but it gets annoying quickly on longer stays when you’re doing it more often. Likewise with making the bed up every day as you say.

We’re currently reviewing options for panel van conversions with a higher roof to allow for (1) standing (2) a fixed bed and (3) onboard toilet. Still needs to be less than 6m for parking on our drive and for regular non camping use so we are looking at the smaller 5.4-5.5m vans, it’s quite remarkable what can be squeezed into them. But height to allow standing is definitely something we will value highly.

 

[scotjimland]

If you can't stand up.. you have to cook and shower sitting down..
stooped walking about, no thanks.

Standing room for me is paramount.. as is a washroom with toilet and shower..

Fixed beds use up a lot of space .. we have a pull out sofa that leaves the end of the van for a washroom and wardrobe

Windows all round mean no space for wall cupboards, wardrobe or shower room.. they make the van hot in summer and cold in winter , so you need window insulation screens .. pain to put up and down every day and you need somewhere to store them..

On top of van price, I would budget at least £10k for materials, appliances and parts... but you can save money by buying a 'donor' caravan and using the furniture , upholstery and appliances ..

Other 'must haves'..

12v Compressor fridge ,
Solar and a decent sized battery bank of at least 200ah ..
( I don't have lithium, found no need to upgrade )

Diesel night heater
Water heater ,, gas and 240v

Our van is Ducato 2.8JTD 5.4mt .. ideal for a daily driver as it was for almost two years.. can park easily in most car parks..

A few pics ..
I have replaced the wall and roof lining and carpets .. new roof light, new control panel .. and new upholstery

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/media/albums/timberland-independence-pvc.1241/

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[VXman]

Each to their own. You need to decide what you can cope with.

We wanted space. Fixed bed was a must as we often go to bed/get up at different times. For the same reason we went for singles. For me standing up comfortably would be a priority too.



However, I see people perfectly happy to live in small campervans which you cannot stand in and basically you have to live 'out' of......and there are many in between.

 

[oldiesontour]

Before buying a van decide what you want in it for us we wanted the smallest van possible,that woul house 2 folding ebikes,2 deckchairs,a folding table for outdoor eating,shower,toilet double bed (at normal height ,too old to be mountaineering in middle of the night),hob,sink,fridge,inside table and seating
Once you have A list,draw main items to scale and cut out then play with different layout on graph paper with scale outline of van.
You have more choice of layout and less cold glass if you put windows where you want them,the £100 Chinese night heaters are very good in a pvc,you also need to think about conversion costs they will probably suprise you £5k doesn't go far

 

[chaser]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am trying to decide on a suitable van to convert on my budget.
Someone I met who lives in their converted horsebox lorry said 2 things were a must, even if you were just spending a fair amount of time in it .
One was being able to stand up and the other was a fixed bed.
But there's plenty of vans out there that one can't stand up in so just how important is it ?
Vans I'm considering are ex Motability window vans , both SWB , first there's the Peugeot Boxer with enough width to have a bed across the back but only about 5' 4" headroom, the other is the Renault Master , slightly less width but around 5'8" height , still not quite enough to stand up in.
The other is an L1 H2 Sprinter with plenty of headroom and is just about wide enough to put a bed across the back.
The problem with the Sprinter is that for the same money as the others, I'd have to get a higher mileage one and it would need much more work to convert it . There seem to be a few ex Gas Board workshop Sprinters around.
I do like the idea of a van with factory tinted windows all round and a quality diesel night heater already fitted as in the Boxers or Renaults that I've seen , but that brings up yet another question , windows all round or not !
They are also low mileage and seem to me to involve less work to make into a decent comfortable space to enjoy being on the road in.
I'd be glad to hear some feedback from people who've already been there as it were to help me make the right decision.

What you need is an ambulance, ours is a Renault master but there are others, you have the windows and heating and wired for electricity, and high enough to stand up in, split charging already in.
Necessary for me is a proper toilet and shower first thing in , after that don't mind a bit of compromise, but on the bed our preference is a longitudinal bed even if you have the room width wise as each one of you can get up without disturbing the other by sliding off the end.

 

[Lenny HB]

Being able to stand up is essential unless you are only going to use it for the odd weekend.
Fixed bed is good but does take up room but convenient if using
The van a lot.
Windows all round would be a terrible choice. It will be boiling hot in the summer and dripping with condensation in the winter. Far better to get a standard panel van and fit a few double glazed windows.

 

[chaser]

Being able to stand up is essential unless you are only going to use it for the odd weekend.
Fixed bed is good but does take up room but convenient if using
The van a lot.
Windows all round would be a terrible choice. It will be boiling hot in the summer and dripping with condensation in the winter. Far better to get a standard panel van and fit a few double glazed windows.

This always crops up about the windows, we honestly don't find this, whether it's because they are tinted, or special glass or something but we never get all this condensation that people always come up with, maybe having the roof light open helps as well but we have windows all round with not a scrap of trouble.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

This always crops up about the windows, we honestly don't find this, whether it's because they are tinted, or special glass or something but we never get all this condensation that people always come up with, maybe having the roof light open helps as well but we have windows all round with not a scrap of trouble.

Also depends on how hot you like to keep the van in winter.

 

[chaser]

Also depends on how hot you like to keep the van in winter.

We don't use any heating if we can avoid it, in fact we haven't got any apart from the diesel heater it came with and that sounds like a 747 taking off so definitely don't use it at night.

 

[Lenny HB]

We don't use any heating if we can avoid it, in fact we haven't got any apart from the diesel heater it came with and that sounds like a 747 taking off so definitely don't use it at night.

We don't use heating overnight but do like it around 23° in the evening and the timer set so we wake up at 18°.

 

[oldiesontour]

Something else to take into account is that the conversion costs the same on an old high mileage van as on a brand new one,newer lower mileage vans tend to sell for disproportionately more and at least In theory need less maintenance and be more reliable
(I did say in theory)

 

[gus-lopez]

so just how important is it ?

very. I converted an H2 semi high.I can just stand in it but you always incline your head so not good for long periods.shower & toilet were a must+ heating & cab air con.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Coolcats]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am trying to decide on a suitable van to convert on my budget.
Someone I met who lives in their converted horsebox lorry said 2 things were a must, even if you were just spending a fair amount of time in it .
One was being able to stand up and the other was a fixed bed.
But there's plenty of vans out there that one can't stand up in so just how important is it ?
Vans I'm considering are ex Motability window vans , both SWB , first there's the Peugeot Boxer with enough width to have a bed across the back but only about 5' 4" headroom, the other is the Renault Master , slightly less width but around 5'8" height , still not quite enough to stand up in.
The other is an L1 H2 Sprinter with plenty of headroom and is just about wide enough to put a bed across the back.
The problem with the Sprinter is that for the same money as the others, I'd have to get a higher mileage one and it would need much more work to convert it . There seem to be a few ex Gas Board workshop Sprinters around.
I do like the idea of a van with factory tinted windows all round and a quality diesel night heater already fitted as in the Boxers or Renaults that I've seen , but that brings up yet another question , windows all round or not !
They are also low mileage and seem to me to involve less work to make into a decent comfortable space to enjoy being on the road in.
I'd be glad to hear some feedback from people who've already been there as it were to help me make the right decision.

We have a 5.4 mtr Ducatto converted by Hymer my wife and I are both tall (I am over 6ft) we have side end rear windows with skylights front and rear there are no rear side windows. The bed is hinged so it can be fixed or upright. Go have a look at PVC’s many are like this.

Some have lifting roofs some like ours are just 2 berth.

This is a Hymer link (many other brands are available)

HYMER Fiat camper vans at a glance | HYMER camper van

Powerful, economical Fiat engine, open visual axis and unique concept for two people. The HYMER Fiat camper van is the flexible all-rounder.

www.hymer.com

 

[TrudeandDall]

We ran a VW Transporter with a pop top roof, which was essential to be popped up to be able to stand up. However on strong winds days and particularly at night when the van being blown about we had to drop the roof. Working under a dropped roof while bent over was accepted, but only for a short period and what a relief to pop it up again. The bed had to be made and unmade each day, it's what we had to do and we just got on with it.. We did become very proficient at "the Transporter Tango" every morning and night.
We now have a 6.4 Ducato with a longitudinal fixed bed. Would we go back to low roof and non fixed bed - not a chance.
The other thing that fixed beds provide as a bonus, is lots of useable storage underneath the bed, IMO way more than a seating area that converts to a bed has available.....

 

[Podney]

Headroom to be able to stand up straight: essential
Fixed bed: personal preference. For me it’s a “want” as I don’t like faffing about making beds when it’s time to snooze.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am trying to decide on a suitable van to convert on my budget.
Someone I met who lives in their converted horsebox lorry said 2 things were a must, even if you were just spending a fair amount of time in it .
One was being able to stand up and the other was a fixed bed.
But there's plenty of vans out there that one can't stand up in so just how important is it ?
Vans I'm considering are ex Motability window vans , both SWB , first there's the Peugeot Boxer with enough width to have a bed across the back but only about 5' 4" headroom, the other is the Renault Master , slightly less width but around 5'8" height , still not quite enough to stand up in.
The other is an L1 H2 Sprinter with plenty of headroom and is just about wide enough to put a bed across the back.
The problem with the Sprinter is that for the same money as the others, I'd have to get a higher mileage one and it would need much more work to convert it . There seem to be a few ex Gas Board workshop Sprinters around.
I do like the idea of a van with factory tinted windows all round and a quality diesel night heater already fitted as in the Boxers or Renaults that I've seen , but that brings up yet another question , windows all round or not !
They are also low mileage and seem to me to involve less work to make into a decent comfortable space to enjoy being on the road in.
I'd be glad to hear some feedback from people who've already been there as it were to help me make the right decision.

I just read your post again and note unless you fit side panels on the Sprinter your transverse bed would be probably too short, most people with sprinters have a longitudinal bed. Think about how you are going to use the van, if you have a fixed bed, it’s great for storing big stuff under, folding bikes etc,but you then need a front lounge/dining area to seat in, not really feasible if you are getting a 5.4m van. Better to look for a 6m van which gives you far more layout options.

 

[hja]

We have had fixed beds and not. When we were researching for our current van fixed beds were a must. If no fixed bed think about storage of bedding. We also needed singles, for getting in and out of bed during the night. Loo and shower essential as we like to be on no facility sites. We rarely eat out so having work surface for prep was essential, although two burner hob only is absolutely fine. We would want to be able to stand up, too cramped otherwise. And I wouldn’t fancy cooking sitting down. We were parked up next to a low top van and watching them with just the one bench seat, cooking sitting down, the cab seats didn’t seem to turn round, wouldn’t do for us at all. But each to their own. See as many vans as you can, imagine living in them as you want to, with the stuff you need and people/animals you intend to travel with. If you are going to spend a lot of time and energy let alone cost doing a self build then you need to be as sure as you can you have the right sized base van.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[starquake]

We have had fixed beds and not. When we were researching for our current van fixed beds were a must. If no fixed bed think about storage of bedding.

Should add our experience is a decent throw on top of the bedding (like a fluffy blanket) or hessian makes the bedding on our singles look like a posh sofa ... so we don't actually have to make the bed, we just pull off the topping and the sheets and matress topper are below. Far easier than stowing the sheets/topper every night in the lockers, and also ... takes less space as the throws we use on top take a tiny amount of locker space at night, and we shrink wrap the pillows (and do locker these) with the vaccum bags you get so they take literally half a locker for 4 pillows - we have 8 lockers, so it's no big deal)

Fixed beds for us were not a thing. Standing up was, but the use of clever options like above allow convertable bedding trivially. Also stops our dog ruining the bedding in day!

 

[Coolcats]

if you are getting a 5.4m van. Better to look for a 6m van which gives you far more layout options.

Not necessarily you get .6 of a metre the layout of which can be the same as a 5.4, you may get a few more draws but in most cases it’s only by going to a 6.5 do you start getting longitudinal bed layout. So most have a similar design, due to space restriction. Unless it’s make up beds in a lounge rather than fixed

 

[DJIT]

We had a VW T6 for years that had the standard roof - so you couldn't stand up in it - and had a bed that needed making up every night. There were inconveniences of course, but only you can decide on your priorities.
We have a larger van now that we can stand in, but we still have a converting bed - as the few minutes is takes to convert the bed are worth it for the extra space and flexibility the layout gives us.

 

[Lumpy]

Stand up YES. Fixed bed Not really they take up too much room in my opinion, slide out or Murphy bed, but it's a personal choice. Go to a motorhome show or sales outlet and look around to make your choice.

 

[dna]

If possible I would have a bed that can be put away for more floor space. You don’t have to put it away every day!