ByRising rents and huge student loans, coupled with difficulty finding job security, are leading more and more young people to reconsider what a home should look like. Brittany and Steven of Adventure or Bust are one example of a young couple who opted to convert a disused school bus into a full-time home. They converted the bus themselves and will use it to travel and work on the go.
The majority of the interior space is taken up by the lounge/kitchen area. The sitting area features an L-shaped sofa, which can be converted into a full-size bed for guests. There is also a flat-screen TV in this area. The kitchen, which adjoins this space, is fitted with full-size, energy-efficient appliances, namely a fridge, stove, and a washer/dryer combo unit. The bus they used for the conversion has a side door, and the kitchen counter they installed across it can be lifted to make the door accessible.
The bathroom is fitted with a Nature’s Head composting toilet and a small shower. The bus is very water efficient, since no blackwater is produced, and all the greywater is filtered and used to irrigate the vegetable garden. They use the compost on their fruit trees. The bus also features plenty of closets and storage space.
The bedroom is located at the far end of the bus and is just big enough to fit a queen-size bed. The latter can be lifted up to reveal a storage area, the 100-gallon water tank, and grant access to the rear door of the bus.
They renovated the bus themselves, and the total cost came to just $17,600, which includes the purchase price of the bus. While the bus is very water-efficient, it has to be hooked up to the grid for power. They are currently saving up for a solar power array so that they can use it completely off the grid. They also plan on painting the exterior as soon as funds allow it.
