We build a house on wheels with our own hands. A home on wheels with your own hands: how to turn a minibus into a cozy home How to make a home on wheels out of a minibus

Making a mobile home with your own hands is not a very difficult task for any craftsman. The design, in the course of construction, will be improved and because of this, the production time may be delayed. To prevent such a situation, it is necessary to think over the interior design in advance, to get rid of unsuitable elements. This approach is important when converting small vehicles when assembling a RV, for example from an old trailer.

A mobile home is a type of transport that is both housing and a means of transportation. This kind of housing gained its popularity at the beginning of the last century.

Motorhome device

By standards, a mobile home should be able to accommodate eight people. Each tenant has his own sleeping place, there is also a small kitchen. Other amenities and equipment may vary depending on the specific model, but in most cases there are also:

In more expensive models, there is a bathroom, consisting of (often replacing a chair, which gives several additional meters of free space), a washbasin and a shower. Sometimes mobile homes are equipped with showers.

Note! In a motorhome, the driver's and passenger's seats are movable, as a result of which, when parked, they turn into an addition to the living space. At the tail end, there is often a separate room with U-shaped furniture.

Story

The series production of mobile homes began in the last century, although some historians believe there were earlier homemade counterparts. They were small vans equipped to accommodate people (mainly pastoralists).

The first mobile home mounted on a conventional car chassis was introduced in 1938 by Jennings.

Varieties of mobile homes

There are several classifications of motorhomes. So, according to the design features, they are distinguished:

Depending on their purpose, they are divided into:

those that are used as long-term / permanent housing;
those that are used for travel.

In the first case, more comfortable conditions take place, while often moving structures are extremely rarely divided into their own living space and a cabin.

About the name

The term "motorhome" (another name is "camper") often refers to an automobile caravan.

Note! Campers are called B- and C-class trailers, while mobile homes are exclusively A-class models.

It is also worth noting that in some countries, without exception, motorhomes are called vinebago.

It will take a lot of time and effort to transform a car into a motorhome, as well as the appropriate equipment.

Note! First, you should study this issue from the point of view of legislation. Self-made RVs are perceived differently by different registering organizations, and it will be frustrating if the transport ends up being illegal.

Stage 1. First, the number of residents is determined and, based on this, a vehicle and internal "filling" are selected. A detailed design plan is drawn up - this can be done on paper, but it is better to use a computer.

Stage 2. Next, the car body is cleaned. If dents have been identified, they are removed and the peeling paint is peeled off. Several windows (if there were none) in the building are equipped for lighting and fresh air supply.

Step 3. Cut vents and valves for gas supply. All areas of "bare" metal are coated with a primer to protect against corrosion and aggressive environmental influences.

Stage 4. The house is finished with heat-insulating material.

Note! To do this, you need to use exclusively high-quality materials; it is extremely undesirable to save money. In addition, the material from which the hardware (metal fasteners) is made should be similar to the metal of the car body - this is for additional protection against rusting.

Stage 5. The inner surface of the motorhome is finished.

carpet covering;
moisture resistant plywood.

Thick panels with stuffed strips for furniture installation are inserted into the side walls. It is characteristic that at first it is better to align the ceiling, and only after that move on to the walls.

Step 6. After installing the furniture, you should take care of the water supply. To do this, you can install several canisters of water under the sink and install small pumps. In addition, large tanks can be installed - for example, for taking a shower.

Note! Do not forget about waste water - another tank is installed for this. A common garden structure can be used as a toilet.

Step 7. For cooking and heating, as noted earlier, it is better to use propane gas. The balloon is located in the lower part of the body, as well as an additional vent for ventilation. This can be explained quite simply: the weight of propane is greater than that of air, therefore, in the event of a leak, such safety measures will prevent unfortunate consequences.

Stage 8. All that remains is to take care of the power supply. The best option is a powerful rechargeable battery equipped with an external charging outlet.

Mobile home from an old trailer

Our trailer-trailer costs about 500,000 rubles. The amount is impressive, so if there is an opportunity to purchase an old car trailer, then you can build a small motorhome with your own hands. This will require:

trailer (always with a sturdy chassis);
wooden elements (slats, bars, wagon boards);
plywood;
metal profile (for the roof);
fittings made in the same style;
a set of appropriate tools.

Manufacturing technology

Such a motorhome will be a trailer with a rear end. By the way, it is better to make the bed for the entire width of the structure - this way it will connect the side walls and thereby increase the rigidity. The bay window will be manufactured later and equipped with an individual unit. The door is installed in the Dutch style - it will consist of two halves.

Stage 1. The trailer is disassembled, the chassis is thoroughly cleaned and covered with anti-corrosion paint. A frame is constructed from pine boards, props are cut in the appropriate places.

Stage 2. A frame is constructed from slats with a section of 2x2 cm, an oak strip with a section of 3x3 cm is additionally installed in each corner. From above, the frame is tied with a horizontal strip.

Note! For thermal insulation, you can lay the lining in two layers.

Stage 3. The floor is covered with plywood sheets. For the roof, poplar beams are used - they are screwed along the frame with a step of 30 cm. Plywood is fixed on the beams, on top of which a moisture-resistant material and a small-section metal profile are spread.

Stage 4. There will be only one window in the body (if the door is not taken into account) - in the upper part of the back wall. It is desirable to make the window in the form of a bay window.

The door lock in such structures is located at the bottom, but you can put another one - additional one - at the top. In addition, the door is equipped with a small casement window.

Stage 5. It is recommended to equip a table that can be pulled out from under the bed (as was once the case in Great Britain trains). For this, special lockers are formed under the bed. By the way, the lower space can also be used as a sleeping place.

In addition, shelves and a removable staircase are built from wood.

Letter of the law

No additional permission is required if the motorhome dimensions do not exceed:

400 cm high;
255 cm wide;
100 cm in length (excluding the part that does not protrude beyond the trailer).

If the dimensions are larger, then the motorhome is transported according to special rules (flashing lights, escort, etc.). Of course, this only applies to trailers.

Business organization on mobile homes

On the construction of motorhomes, you can organize your own business. There are four options for developing such a business.

Option number 1. Manufacturing of houses for sale for summer holidays or residence in the country. This will not require serious material costs, since the houses will be of a simplified design - for example, without insulation.

Option number 2. Rent out mobile homes. This is a relatively new business, and everything new can be very expensive. The number of motorhomes in this case is growing as the customer base grows.

Option number 3. Making mobile eateries or convenience stores.

Option number 4. He's the most interesting. It consists in the creation of a car park and its further use as a hotel. The main thing here is to divide the trailers into budget, premium and middle class.

For a more detailed acquaintance with the construction technology, check out the thematic video.

Video - DIY home on wheels

TOP 10 best motorhomes

	Name	Rating
Top 5 best motorhomes
#1		⭐ 100 / 100
#2		⭐ 99 / 100
#3		⭐ 98 / 100 2 - voices
#4	POSSL ROADCRUISER	⭐ 96 / 100 4 - voices
#5	Motorhome KAMAZ 43118	⭐ 90 / 100
Top 5 best Fleetwood mobile homes
#1	Fleetwood RV Jamboree Sport	⭐ 100 / 100 1 - voice
#2	Fleetwood RV Tioga Ranger DSL	⭐ 99 / 100
#3	Fleetwood rv storm	⭐ 98 / 100
#4	Fleetwood rv bounder	⭐ 97 / 100 1 - voice
#5	Fleetwood RV Discovery	⭐ 96 / 100 3 - voices

This real palace on wheels is built on the basis of MAN. The length of the motorhome is almost 9.5 meters, which requires unconditional skills from the driver to drive cars of this class. Everything here is subordinated to the main thing - the maximum comfort of passengers. The interior is designed in the style of luxury yachts - the elegant narrow doors of the numerous lockers suspended from the ceiling contrast with the high-quality leather upholstery of the sofas and armchairs in the seating area. Each lamp, each, even the smallest, interior detail (curtains, for example) fills the space with luxury and splendor.

Specifications:

the most luxurious mobile home;
spacious bathroom;
average price: 23,602,000 rubles.

The base of the camper was created on the basis of the Fiat Ducato truck, as a result of which the car has good handling and stability on the road - the windage of the camper does not exceed the permissible values for this chassis. A spacious and bright mobile home for four people. Light enters not only through the side windows (all have curtain systems, including the windscreen), but also through the transparent sunroof located in the front of the camper. Expensive and sophisticated interior furnishings accentuate the interior space, while the swivel seats for the driver and passenger make the living area huge by integrating with the cockpit.

Specifications:

better comfort;
country of origin: Germany;
average price: 13,367,000 rubles.

The motorhome is based on the Mercedes Sprinter 316 CDI and has all the capabilities of this reliable and trouble-free car in management. And if from the outside the integrated camper does not stand out in any way, it can easily get lost in city traffic, then inside it is a real compact house for 4 people. One drop-down bed is located above the driver's seat and the other two are at the back of the house, behind the toilet and shower. It is noteworthy that these two beds for the greatest comfort can be transformed into one huge one.

Specifications:

unique body protection;
large luggage compartment;
country of origin: Germany;
Average price: 9 176 188 rub.

Is it difficult to build a mobile home on the basis of a conventional car trailer? What materials can this trailer-house-cottage be built from? What are its minimum dimensions? What interior layout will allow the most efficient use of the interior space? Let's try to find answers to this list of questions.

Goals

A small country cottage is probably the most widespread hobby in the post-Soviet space over the past half century. The area of cities is growing every year, and areas are naturally moving away from the center of settlements. Distances are sometimes measured in tens of kilometers; the most comfortable way to overcome them is to drive your own car.

At the same time, not all summer residents are ready to turn a small plot into a place of permanent residence. The maximum that an average city family can decide on is to spend the night on their site once a week. Building for the sake of this overnight stay is a capital house - a dubious undertaking; sleeping in a car is very uncomfortable ...

For summer residents who have basic skills in working with a power tool, homemade caravan trailers are often the way out.

We have to study one of these structures, having become acquainted with the materials used and design solutions.

Acknowledgments: The photographs used in this article were kindly uploaded by one of the regulars on the League of Caravaners forum.
The author's work was reduced only to clarifying some technical subtleties.

Choice of materials

In most cases, a single-axle trailer with a maximum load of no more than a ton becomes the basis on which a compact caravan-caravan is built. Taking into account the weight of household items and a couple of people, our choice is a dacha trailer weighing up to 750 kg.

The weight limitation affects the choice of material.

We will make the frame of the building from a pine bar with a cross section of 50 mm.
The walls are made of 10 mm plywood (moisture resistant or impregnated to reduce the hygroscopicity of the material and prevent it from rotting); the floor is 12 mm. It is also used for construction inside.
External cladding - galvanized steel. Sheets are hemmed to the frame bar with self-tapping screws; the overlaps are additionally sealed with silicone sealant. The outer corners are reinforced with an aluminum corner - again sealed with silicone.

What to choose as insulation, laid between the inner and outer layers of plywood - we leave it to the reader to decide. Here is the comparative thermal conductivity of popular heaters:

Nuance: glass wool will inevitably cake over time.
Better to use tough insulation.

Dimensions (edit)

A reasonable minimum of the size of the trailer required for our purposes is 2300x1600 mm. Such dimensions will make it possible to build a fairly comfortable sleeping place for two people inside and leave some space for a table under a washbasin and / or a gas stove.

A two-axle caravan trailer will provide much more comfort; however, the price of such a trailer will be twice or three times more. Its dimensions (up to 4.5 meters in length) allow you to build a full-fledged toilet room.

A reasonable minimum building height is generally 2 meters. The height can be adjusted depending on the size of the owners: it is clear that a very tall person does not want to constantly cling to the ceiling with the crown of his head.

Building

So let's get started. How is a dacha built from a trailer with your own hands?

Floor, bottom rail

The sides are completely dismantled. Only a flat area remains from the trailer. If the horizontal base is sufficiently rigid, the floor joists and harness can be attached directly to it; It is better to weld a thin flexible sheet with a frame made of a professional pipe with a section of 50x25 mm.
Then the lower strapping of a bar, laid along the perimeter, is fixed to the base with bolts; the side bars are connected with logs with a pitch of 20 cm (for 12 mm plywood).

Alternatively, the entire structure can be assembled at the stand and only then pulled to the base of the trailer.

The lags are attached to the strapping with a galvanized corner; the bar must be impregnated with hot linseed oil twice.

Tip: instead of drying oil heated in a water bath, you can use cold oil.
In this case, after applying each layer, the bar is warmed up with a building hairdryer.

Insulation is laid between the lags; then the floor is covered with plywood, which is attracted by self-tapping screws.

Frame

The instructions for assembling the frame are no different from the construction of the lower strapping: the bar is connected by corners with self-tapping screws. Before or after assembly, the tree is impregnated with linseed oil. Do not be afraid that the frame will not be rigid enough: the sheathing will give the structure strength.

Sheathing, insulation

The finished frame begins to be sheathed from the inside. The plywood is attracted by self-tapping screws 32 mm long in increments of about 25 cm. The self-tapping screws are only galvanized: in damp weather, black steel will inevitably decorate the walls with untidy rusty streaks.

Three nuances:

Holes for self-tapping screws are pre-drilled and countersunk so that the hats do not cling to clothes. An alternative is the use of self-tapping screws with half-countersunk heads.

Plywood from the inside must be sanded before varnishing and after applying the first layer. Any moisture will raise pile on the top veneer layer, which will make the surface rough.
The volume of work will be quite large, so it is better to use a grinder - even the simplest, vibration one. If there is no electricity where you are building, there is always a way out: renting a diesel generator for a summer residence costs from 1000 rubles a day.
The outer side and ends of plywood also need protective impregnation. And in this case, the cheapest and most practical option is two layers of hot drying oil.
The insulation is fixed in the grooves formed by the frame and the inner lining, after which it is sheathed on the outside with plywood rolled on both sides.

The door is assembled similarly to walls and hung on galvanized hinges; a regular door lock or a pair of latches are used as a lock - inside and outside.

The last stage is the external galvanized finish. It is fixed with self-tapping screws 25 mm long in 10 cm increments along all the frame bars; then the corners are closed with a corner. Do not forget about the sealant: it will protect the corners and joints from water leakage.

In the photo - the cladding, ready for painting.

Window

If you want your miniature home to have light windows, no problem.

The opening is provided even at the stage of frame construction. It is girded with a bar with a section of the same 50x50 mm.
As an outer glazing bead, a duralumin corner is used, which is screwed flush with the outer skin with self-tapping screws. The seat for the corner is pre-coated with sealant.
A piece of plexiglass cut to the size of the opening sits on the sealant and is fixed from the inside with a glazing bead from the same duralumin corner.

Internal layout

Our choice is a convertible seat bed and a folding table. The transformation mechanism will make the pictures understandable.

Useful little things

An alternative to galvanized plywood - external sheathing made of profiled sheet... In a similar scheme, country houses are often built from block containers.
Do-it-yourself cottage trailer repair usually comes down to periodic painting of galvanized... Old paint can be removed with removers. In those few cases when the wheels, fenders or suspension of the trailer are damaged, spare parts for the caravan are bought at the nearest auto shop.

The simplest way to organize ventilation is to provide a pair of hatches closed with a mosquito net (bottom and top) in the door.

Conclusion

Some travelers and outdoor enthusiasts prefer DIY caravans to ready-made ones. The choice is explained not only by the lower cost of homemade structures - you can think over the layout and equip the interior as you wish. Before you build a home on wheels with your own hands, you should learn more about the process of making motorhomes, decide which option is better: a caravan or a camper.

Original motorhome

The device of a motorhome and a caravan

Regardless of the type, the motorhome should have minimal amenities: sleeping places for each traveler and an area for cooking and eating.

In addition, inside a minibus or trailer there may be:

wash basin;
gas stove connected to the cylinder;
shelves, lockers and other storage systems.

RVs designed for long journeys usually have a bathroom with a small shower.

Making a motorhome for yourself, with your own hands, you can provide for the presence of a bathroom and everything else that may be required on a trip.

DIY motorhome making

A do-it-yourself mobile home is made on the basis of a van or trailer. Buses are suitable for this purpose - a spacious cabin, a high roof make it a good candidate for remodeling.

Before converting a trailer or van, find out the conditions for registering caravans with the traffic police.

Motorhome bus

The construction of a mobile home consists of several stages:

drafting a project;
carrying out external and internal work;
communication device;
placement of furniture.

First of all, you need to decide what to take as a basis: a trailer or a van. The first option is more labor-intensive - the van already has walls and a roof, and in the trailer they will need to be built independently.

DIY motorhome based on a car

To create a mobile home, a car or, for example, an old bus is used. A vehicle for conversion into a house is chosen based on financial capabilities and the number of people who will live inside the building.

Depending on the number of residents, they think over the design of the mobile home, as well as its content. To make it easier to work, make a plan.

RV based on a cargo van

Before making a motorhome, you need to stock up on the materials and tools necessary for work:

grinder;
car paint;
screwdriver;
welding machine;
thermal insulation;
finishing materials (plastic panels, lining or other);
moisture resistant plywood;
carpet;
fasteners (screws, nails, dowels);
polyurethane foam;
primer;
paint brushes;
sealant;
metal brush.

Outdoor work

When the drawing is ready, the design is thought out, they proceed to external work. Would need:

Clean the car body from rust and other damage. If paint has come off the surfaces, clean it off.
Make several holes in the van for the windows, if they were not there initially. At the same time, cut out ventilation holes.
Determine the location and cut openings for exhaust gases, drain holes and other communications.
Cover cut areas, areas where paint has been removed with a primer to prevent rust formation. Wait until it is completely dry.
Paint the exterior of the van.

RV based van

Internal work

If you plan to separate the cab from the living compartment. Then the partition is mounted either with fasteners, or the metal frame is welded to the body with a welding machine.

First, the body is covered with heat-insulating material. Any insulation designed for residential premises is suitable. To fix the material on the walls and ceiling, hardware is used made of the same metal as the body - this technique will help protect the car from rust.

If the selected insulation does not tolerate contact with water, it will be necessary to additionally lay waterproofing.

Insert windows. Move on to wall decoration. For cladding, we choose moisture-resistant plywood. The sheets must be quite thick to withstand a serious load - they will subsequently be used for attaching cabinets, shelves, and furniture.

Work starts from the ceiling. Having fixed the sheets there, they sheathe the walls. Further, a wooden beam with a thickness of the height of the heat-insulating material is attached to the floor, insulation plates are laid between them. The floor is covered with plywood, fastened to the timber with self-tapping screws.

The salon in which the kitchen is located and the shower and toilet should be separated using a frame partition.

Plywood can be painted, varnished, or carpeted. The latter option also serves as additional thermal insulation. A special glue is used to fix the carpet.

The next step is the device of communications in accordance with a pre-drawn scheme: electricity, heating and ventilation. The cable, water and gas pipes are laid either on top of the inner lining, or they are mounted simultaneously with the installation of the insulation inside, making holes for the outlet of communications.

Furniture

The furniture for the motorhome is selected individually. The necessary furnishings include:

table with a bench for the dining area;
bed or sofa bed;
hanging shelves and lockers for storing supplies, clothes, bedding;
washing.

Since the furniture is subject to increased stress during the movement of a mobile home, it must be of high quality, strong, have reliable fittings and a minimum of moving elements. Make sure that the cabinet door will not open during a sudden turn and the contents will not spill over the cabin.

All furniture must be firmly fixed, it is desirable that it be fixed at two points: on the floor and on the wall.

Interior solutions in a motorhome

DIY caravan from a trailer

Making a mobile home from a trailer is more difficult than remodeling a car. In this case, you will need to build from scratch the base of the floor, walls, roof.

For the construction of a camper, single-axle trailers are most often chosen that can withstand a load of up to 1 ton. Therefore, it is necessary to select materials for the frame, taking into account the weight of the future structure.

A camper trailer is erected using a frame:

metal;
tree;
sandwich panels.

The most affordable and relatively lightweight material for making a house on a trailer is wood. It is easier to work with and does not require special tools to connect the elements.

DIY vintage camper trailer

Frame

To make the frame you will need:

timber 50 * 50 mm;
moisture resistant plywood 10 mm for walls;
plywood 12 mm thick for the floor;
fasteners (screws);
screwdriver;
drying oil, brush;
galvanized corners;
jigsaw;
metal profile for the roof;
galvanized steel (for external cladding);
silicone sealant;
insulation.

A preliminary drawing of a future caravan-trailer is drawn up, only after that the purchase of building materials for the manufacture of the facade and roof of a house on wheels is carried out.

The minimum parameters of the motorhome are 230 * 160 cm. The height of the building is from two meters. With such dimensions, inside the living compartment, you can organize 2 berths, a dining area and a sink. If there is a need to equip full-fledged housing with everything you need, then the size should be increased by 2-3 times.

The process of making a motorhome trailer

Work order

Remove the side from the trailer.
They clean the chassis, paint it with an anti-corrosion compound.
If there is a sufficiently strong base, the logs and the lower frame of the frame are fixed directly on it, if it is absent, then the frame is welded from a metal pipe 50 * 25 mm.
The bottom strapping is carried out from a bar 50 * 50. The side elements are connected to each other using lags. Lags are placed at a distance of every 20 cm. Metal corners are used to connect them to the timber.
Cover the wooden elements with linseed oil in 2 layers.
Insulation plates are placed in the space between the lags.
Cover the base with 12 mm plywood, fixing it with self-tapping screws.
Go to the frame racks. The beam is connected to the lower strapping using corners and self-tapping screws. After that, the upper strapping is performed.
Cover the entire structure with linseed oil.
In places where windows should be according to the plan, beams and racks are installed from a bar.
The sheathing starts from the inside. Plywood is attached to galvanized self-tapping screws every 25 cm along the perimeter of the sheet.
Grind the inner surfaces using a grinder. Cover with varnish.
Outside, the sheets are treated with linseed oil.
Insulation is placed in the cavities between the frame racks, the frame is sheathed with sheets of 10 mm plywood, which are pre-coated with drying oil on both sides.
The door is made of timber and plywood sheets. The door is installed on galvanized hinges.
Insert windows. A simple solution is Plexiglas sheets.
A self-made mobile home is sheathed with galvanized steel sheets. Self-tapping screws are used as fasteners, they are screwed around the perimeter at a distance of every 10 cm. The corners of the trailer are sheathed with a corner.
The joints of the sheets with each other and the corners are treated with a sealant to prevent water from entering the structure.
It remains to make the roof and roof. It is necessary to cover it with corrugated board, fix the sheets on galvanized self-tapping screws.

Internal layout

The walls, ceiling and floor are already sheathed, so all that remains is to paint or varnish them. If the size of the building allows, the shower and the bathroom are equipped with a separate room. A frame partition is erected, a door is hung. All the remaining space is divided into zones: a bedroom, a recreation and eating area, a kitchen. You will need to install sockets for electrical appliances, it is important not to forget about high-quality ventilation for a mobile home.

Furniture

To save space, transformable furniture is installed inside the trailer. For example, they do it on their own or purchase a folding table, a sofa bed. In the upper part of the walls, shelves are mounted in which things, kitchen utensils, and clothes will be stored.

Useful little things

What else is worth knowing before you start making a motor home:

For the outer sheathing of the frame of a trailed motorhome, you can use not only galvanized steel, but also a professional sheet.
If it is not possible to organize the ventilation system, you can cut small holes in the doors and close them with a mosquito net. If there are opening windows for ventilation, then this is not required.
In order for the mobile home to serve for a long time, the condition of the casing must be monitored, the metal must be painted if necessary.

The process of creating a mobile home on your own is quite laborious, it requires financial investments, a waste of time and effort. Therefore, proceed with it with full confidence that you will be able to independently develop a project and bring it to life.

A mobile home is the dream of many travel lovers, since there is no binding to one place of rest, the need to book hotels and purchase tickets. It is both a home and a vehicle that allows you to travel anywhere with maximum comfort. The price of such a product on the market is large, so many are interested in how mobile homes are built with their own hands.

Varieties of mobile homes

It is much cheaper to make such a vehicle with your own hands from an old car or completely from scratch. In addition to the vehicle itself, it is necessary to prepare a different tool. Moreover, making a mobile home will require work experience, a lot of effort and free time.

Before investing money in such structures, you need to find out from the regulatory authorities the legality of the movement of such a vehicle in order to avoid any violations. Otherwise, traveling with him will not work.

A large mobile home can be made from a van, but the price is too high. Cheaper options can be made from:

bus;
gazelles;
an old but still sturdy trailer.

To build a mobile home, it is necessary, in addition to the vehicle, to make a plan for the future construction. Planning will make your caravan as comfortable as possible. It can be simply drawn on paper or designed on a computer.

RV communication

If there is no electricity, gas or water in a mobile home, then it can hardly be called a comfortable journey. For the presence of electricity in it, batteries and chargers are used. How the electrical wiring will take place in such a house must be planned and displayed in the drawing. You also need to think about where the external connector will be located for recharging the battery. They come in different capacities. It should be selected according to the expected range of travel and the load on the electrical network.

Gas cylinders are often used to cook food and heat the van. If you use electricity for this, then the financial costs will be much higher. When a mobile home is equipped with a kitchen, it is necessary to install an extractor hood with a ventilation system. This is especially important when using gas.

It is not recommended to independently install the gas system and the electrical network if there is no relevant experience. Such work should be done by professionals. If incorrectly installed, it could cause injury or death to the traveler.

Such a kitchen cannot be as comfortable as possible without a dedicated storage space for water. Usually, a special container with a pump is used to supply water to the tap. As a sewage system, they also use a container inside the room under the sink or outside. Sometimes such a motorhome is equipped with a shower. It will be difficult to make a bathroom in it, and a dry closet is used for this.

Furniture must be installed small and compact, since there will be little space in such a house. To save space, you can use folding beds, sliding tables and the like. Such structures must be well anchored to the walls to ensure safety while driving. Furniture for a motorhome can be bought ready-made in a store, but if there is a great desire to save money and learn something new, then you can easily make it yourself, taking into account the size of the room.

Sometimes car seats are used as a sofa and chairs. It is quite possible to equip a house on wheels from a trailer with your own hands. Before that, you need to prepare the room. Depending on what basis is taken - a minibus or a homemade trailer - the stages of work will differ.

Using the Gazelle and the old bus

It is necessary to start altering the minibus with a complete cleaning of the body from seats, trim and dirt. After that, you need to cut out all the holes for windows, ventilation, and so on.

The further sequence of actions will be as follows:

Leveling and cleaning all damaged surfaces. To do this, use a metal brush, hammer or special equipment for leveling dents. If necessary, then it is necessary to weld the places of corrosion where holes have formed. Then they are cleaned and primed to prevent further rust formation.
The interior is carefully insulated, including the floor and ceiling.
After the thermal insulation coating, it is necessary to sheathe everything with waterproof plywood.

After such work, you need to carry out gas, electricity, water supply, install a bathroom and furniture. To securely fix the furniture, it is necessary to pre-install thick plywood on the walls. Furniture needs to be attached to it. Alternatively, you can install reinforcing strips on the floor and fix the headset to them.

If such a house is made not from an old trailer, but from a gazelle or a bus, then the chassis must be brought into working order. Then such a structure will actually be mobile.

Trailer as the basis of the design

You can also make a motorhome with your own hands from a trailer, but there will be much more work here. First you need to clean the chassis from corrosion and other defects. Then all the holes, as in the minibus, need to be welded, cleaned and primed. This is followed by painting.

When the base is ready, you need to start building the floor, walls and roof. You need to act in the following sequence:

After these works, you can start installing gas equipment, wiring electricity, organizing a kitchen and toilet, as well as installing furniture. Then you should install the headlights, license plate and fenders. The trailer is ready for travel.

Before starting work, you need to think carefully about the possibility of performing them efficiently. They require special skills and a lot of tools. But in any case, you can make a trailer house on wheels with your own hands if you have a great desire to learn how to do it.

Comfortable movement

Although such a structure is not intended for permanent residence, the need for comfort on the road and travel has not been canceled. Today, there are many techniques that can make living in a mobile home easier.

Indoor light

To ensure the availability of constant light and electricity, you can use a battery or accumulator, a charger, wires for electrical wiring, a control panel for supplying electricity.

Heating in the house

For these purposes, you can use several types of heaters. It is preferable to use a gas cylinder, as this will also enable cooking.

If the technology for installing gas supply is rather complicated, then you need to seek help from a specialist. Do-it-yourself construction of such a vehicle is commendable, but the safety of its inhabitants must be taken into account first of all.

Water supply, kitchen and bathroom

Any home will not be comfortable if it does not have basic amenities such as a bathroom, a well-equipped kitchen, and the availability of water. At the planning stage, you need to think carefully about their location for maximum comfort. Do not forget about the automatic water supply system and tanks for it.

Furniture installation

When installing furniture, certain difficulties may arise, since it should be as compact as possible along the entire perimeter. Basically, they use folding furniture, which can be folded out if necessary. This saves a lot of space. You can buy it only to order, and it will not be cheap.

It is better to make at least 2-3 windows. Due to their large number, there will be no need to turn on the light during the day.

Legality of construction

If we talk about the legality of movement, then such a vehicle will not have any special status of a vehicle. A RV in the legal framework does not differ from a conventional trailer. All that is needed is the presence of headlights and dimensions on the back side, as well as a license plate.

An additional permit is required if such a trailer exceeds the dimensions:

4 meters high;
2.55 m wide;
10 meters long.

If the dimensions are larger, then such a vehicle can move according to special rules: the presence of flashing lights and police escort. You can make good money on such facilities by organizing a business. There are many options for such entrepreneurial activity.

Alternatively, you can make such houses to order for summer vacations and temporary residence in the country. This does not require large initial investments, since small economical motorhomes can be made without insulation.

Houses like this can be rented out. An entrepreneurial activity of this kind is new. The market value has not yet formed, and, accordingly, you can set your own price. The number of such facilities should be increased as the client base expands.

You can also make your own car park and use it as a hotel. An important factor here is their division into economy classes, medium and vip.

Making a camper with your own hands is not too difficult for an experienced craftsman. But the timing of such a construction can be very delayed due to the constant improvement of the design. In order not to get into such a situation, you should think over the interior in advance, abandoning obviously unnecessary elements. This is especially important when equipping small cars, for example, when creating a home on wheels from a GAZelle with your own hands.

A mobile home has undeniable advantages - comfort, coziness and mobility. Moscow is a bustling city from which you sometimes want to leave. Trailer owners do not have to find a place to sleep, and travel becomes very economical. If earlier it was not possible to use this original housing, you should first familiarize yourself with their classification.

Types of motorhomes and their classification

When choosing the type of future mobile housing, you can be guided by its division by:

mind - there are trailed, van or mobile homes combined with a car;
class - there are three comfort classes of motorhomes;
trailer type - there are trailer trailers, hybrid trailers and fifth-wheel trailers.

If everything is clear with the trailed view of a mobile home, then the difference between a van and a combined caravan is not immediately visible. In the first embodiment, the living space is located in the van of the car and is separated from the driver's seat.

This option is suitable when traveling together, when no one stays in the "house" during the travels. Thanks to this design, it is possible to fit more functional furniture using a blank front wall.

Motorhomes converted from GAZelles or minibuses are exactly combined.

The comfort class can be called conditional. For example, class “A” mobile homes include spacious trailers made on the chassis of large trucks. Outwardly, they resemble a bus, they can have folding structures, but inside they do not differ in functionality from a small apartment.

It should be borne in mind that the driver must have a category "C" license to drive this vehicle.

There is much less space in it, but it is still convenient to travel in them. What is important - you can drive such a car with a category B license if the weight of the car or the total weight of the car with a trailer does not exceed 3.5 tons.

Class "C" indicates the simplest motorhomes. It can be a small trailer or a minibus converted into a camper. There is no separate sleeping place - its function is performed by folding sofas or armchairs. But by equipping such a mini camper with a roof rack, a folding canopy and a set of camping furniture, you can get a comfortable stay with a minimum of costs.

These construction trailers are also called hybrid trailers to distinguish them from simple trailers. Separately, it is necessary to note the Fiveswil trailers, the shape of which is designed for use in conjunction with pickups. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the length of the entire caravan, because part of the trailer hangs over the body of the car.

Mistakes in the construction of mobile homes with your own hands

The prices for mobile homes are noticeably biting. Not surprisingly, the desire of the skilled heads of families to save the budget and do everything yourself. It is important to be wise and learn from other people's mistakes:

you should not do everything from scrap materials - you will have to live in the house for at least a week and you want to spend your vacation in comfort;

serious revision of the body, heating system, wiring will be required - you cannot do without the skills of an auto mechanic;

if you still managed to fit the shower and toilet, do not forget about the drain tank - pouring dirty water onto the asphalt or lawn is extremely unethical;
it is better not to forget to make a connector for connecting 220V at camping sites, well, and a converter for 12V from a car battery.

Making a trailer in-house

If difficulties do not frighten, and the desire for action is unstoppable, you can try your hand at building a house. And to remake a GAZelle or build a trailer-trailer from scratch - the choice is strictly individual!

DIY GAZelle mobile home

To work you will need a grinder, a welding machine, a hand saw for wood and a lot of patience. The step-by-step modernization of the car looks like this:

The seats are removed from the passenger compartment, the old trim is removed. All metal parts are treated with a special solution to prevent rust. The walls and ceiling are insulated with polyethylene foam, plywood sheets are laid on the floor. All wiring runs under the floor and wall cladding, this should be thought out in advance.

A frame for furniture is welded directly into the body. If it is impossible to set the car straight, you can use a pipe resting its ends against the lower edge of the window openings as a level. After rough welding, the frame is removed and everything is welded, cleaned and again brought inside.

Window openings are pasted over with Carpet. Carpet-pasted ceiling panels are also installed. After finishing the interior trim, you can fix the slats under the mezzanine and mount the furniture frames.

For the front seats, you can make a swivel mechanism. To do this, you need a front hub, for example, from a VAZ and part of a pivot stand. The circuit is pretty simple.

The final stage is the installation of the furniture on the frame, connecting the lighting, installing the pump for the kitchen sink, lining the mezzanine and making minor improvements to the interior. For cooking, you can put a small gas stove on one burner.

Instead of welding the furniture frame, you can use ready-made headsets, reinforcing them from the inside with corners and additional screws. You also need to fix the kitchen to everything - the floor, sofa, wall. This is to protect furniture from loosening when driving on bumpy roads.

It should not be forgotten that such a modification of the car requires registration with the REO. To do this, you need to write a statement and receive a resolution from the technical department of the traffic police and the protocol of an authorized organization.

Stylish plywood trailer house

If the car has a towbar, it’s a sin not to take advantage of the situation and not make a nice “drop” trailer for spending the night outside the city. For this:

The side walls of the future van are cut and attached to the base. All openings for doors and windows, as well as for lightening the frame, must be cut out in advance, so it is better to think over the drawing well.

Shelves are assembled from the furniture board and installed on the base. The same shelves will serve as the front and rear walls of the van.

A plywood sheet is bent on both sides in the shape of the van above the shelves, and a load-bearing frame made of timber is fixed on top. One side is lifted, giving access to the kitchen.

The top hatch and skylight are cut out. The entire frame is insulated, the wiring is laid.

Everything is glued on top with veneer sheets. When the door and window openings have been cut, you can proceed to the exterior painting and varnishing.

Doors, top hatch and supply and exhaust ventilation are installed. After securing all the fittings, side lights and wheel fenders, you can safely go on a journey!