Building your camper?Let’s get it right.
I’m Dave. I’m an electrical engineer, I built my own van, and I’m now in my second year living in it on the road. I combine my engineering background with what I’ve learned actually living the van life to create simple guides and tools for your build.
Featured & documented
Free, practical starting points
Guides
Practical guides based on systems I’ve built, tested, and had to live with.
Free guide
Electrical System
Start with the questions that shape a useful, safe power system.
Free guide
Open Electrical System
Free guide
Water System
Plan water storage and use around the way you actually travel.
Free guide
Open Water System
Free guide
Cooling Setup
Think through cooling before heat and sleep become a problem.
Free guide
Open Cooling Setup
Free guide
Van Surfboard Rack
An adaptable external surfboard rack setup that works with many vans and roof-rack systems.
Free guide
Open Van Surfboard Rack
Free guide
DIY Van Kitchen
Plan the cabinets, sink, fridge, cooking, plumbing and storage—with the things we'd repeat and the small layout mistakes we'd fix after living with ours for more than a year.
Free guide
Open DIY Van Kitchen
Free guide
DIY Van Bed
How we fit a full-size permanent bed sideways, built a lightweight platform and kept it dry—and what happened after more than a year on the road.
Free guide
Open DIY Van BedGear from our build
Gear from our actual van build
Electrical, water, cooling, kitchen and build gear we use—organized by system so you can find what you need.
Browse all van build gearSome links are affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Start with a better plan
Your planning toolbox
Tools I wish I had when I started building my van.
First tool
Electrical System Calculator
Tell me what you want to power and I’ll help you estimate the battery capacity, solar, and inverter your van may need.
- Battery
- Solar
- Inverter
Water planning tool
Water Tank Calculator
Estimate how much fresh and grey water storage your camper actually needs based on your travel style and water use.
- Fresh water
- Grey water
- Water weight
Stay in the loop
Want the next thing I build?
I’ll send you new guides, tools, and useful lessons from the road when there’s actually something worth sharing.