North County San Diego Van Builder: Meet the Builder

If you’re looking for a custom van builder in San Diego, you’ve probably noticed something: most conversion shops are big operations with sales teams, production managers, and a rotating crew of subcontractors. There’s nothing wrong with that model, but it’s not how we work.

Emery Custom Builds is an owner-operated van conversion shop based in North County San Diego. Our founder, Andrew Underhill, is the person who answers your inquiry, walks you through the design, and then builds your van with his own hands. That direct line from concept to completion is the foundation of everything we do.

Who We Are

We’re a small, focused shop that builds custom vans and cargo trailer conversions. Andrew started Emery Custom Builds because he wanted to build things the right way, without the compromises that come from scaling too fast or cutting corners to hit production quotas.

This isn’t a franchise or a volume shop. Every build gets full attention from start to finish. When we say “custom,” we mean it. We don’t sell pre-designed packages off a menu. We sit down with each client, figure out how they actually plan to use their van, and design a conversion around that reality.

That approach takes more time upfront, but it produces better results. A weekend warrior who wants to surf Baja needs a very different van than a couple planning to work remotely from the road for a year. We design for the actual use case, not a generic template.

What We Build

We work on four platforms: Mercedes Sprinter, Ram ProMaster, Ford Transit, and cargo trailers. Each has real strengths depending on the client’s priorities, whether that’s interior volume, drivetrain capability, budget, or towing flexibility.

Our builds cover the full scope of conversion work:

• Electrical systems including lithium batteries, solar, inverters, and shore power
• Plumbing and water with fresh, gray, and hot water systems
• HVAC and climate control from diesel heaters to air conditioning
• Interior and layout with custom cabinetry, sleeping platforms, kitchens, and storage
• Exterior work including roof racks, ladder mounts, and weatherproofing

We handle everything in-house. No farming out electrical to one sub and plumbing to another. That means every system in the van is built by the same person who designed the layout and understands how all the pieces connect.

From Costa Mesa to North County San Diego

We started the shop in Costa Mesa, in the heart of Orange County. It was a good launching point, and we built some great vans there, including the Anchor Sprinter and Haven Transit builds that helped establish our reputation.

But when the opportunity came to relocate to North County San Diego, the decision made sense. This area is the center of van life culture in Southern California. The people who build vans here actually use them. On any given weekend, half our neighbors are headed to the desert, down to Baja, up the coast to Big Sur, or into the mountains east of town.

Being in Encinitas puts us closer to the community we serve. Our clients aren’t just buying a vehicle. They’re buying access to a lifestyle, and that lifestyle is right outside our shop door. Understanding how people use their vans in real conditions makes us better builders. We see firsthand what holds up on washboard desert roads, what works when it’s 105 degrees in Anza-Borrego, and what fails after six months of coastal humidity.

What Makes Emery Custom Builds Different

Owner-Operated Means Owner-Built

Transparent Pricing

We quote in detail. You see every line item, every material, every system. Our builds fall into three general tiers to help frame conversations:

These are labor and materials only. Vehicle is not included. Every build is custom-quoted based on your specific van and your specific needs. The tiers are reference points, not rigid packages.

A Documented Build Process

We follow a 5-step process on every project:

1. Consultation and Discovery — We talk through your goals, budget, timeline, and how you plan to use the van. This is where the design starts taking shape.
2. Design, Quoting, and Planning — Detailed layout, materials selection, and a transparent line-item quote. No surprises.
3. Building — The actual conversion work, with regular photo updates sent to you throughout the process.
4. Systems Testing and Quality Check — Every electrical circuit, plumbing line, gas fitting, and mechanical system gets tested before we call anything done.
5. Walkthrough and Handoff — We walk through the entire van with you, explain every system, and make sure you’re confident operating everything before you drive away.

Photo updates during the build aren’t a marketing gimmick. They exist because you should know what’s happening inside your walls before we close them up. If there’s a question about insulation coverage, wire routing, or plumbing layout, it’s better to address it when everything is still accessible.

Builds That Speak for Themselves

We let our work do most of the talking. Projects like the Anchor Sprinter, Haven Transit, Daybreak ProMaster, Wanderwell cargo trailer, and Crosswind Sprinter each represent different client needs and different solutions. Some are full-time living rigs. Others are weekend adventure vehicles. A few are mobile workspaces.

What they all share is thoughtful design and solid execution. We don’t rush builds to hit a production number. Each van gets the time it needs to be done right.

Why North County San Diego

Beyond the van life culture, North County is just a great place to operate a build shop. The climate means we can work year-round without weather delays. Access to suppliers and specialty parts is strong across the San Diego metro area. And the location puts us within easy reach of clients throughout Southern California, from LA and Orange County down to the border.

For clients who want to visit the shop during their build, Encinitas is easy to get to. Right off the 5, close to the coast, and worth combining with a day trip if you’re driving down from further north.

We also benefit from the outdoor community here. Conversations with fellow surfers, climbers, and desert runners constantly inform how we think about builds. Real-world feedback from people who put their rigs through hard use keeps our designs grounded in practicality rather than Instagram aesthetics.

Ready to Talk About Your Build?

If you’re in San Diego, North County, or anywhere in Southern California and you want a van conversion built by the person you’re actually talking to, reach out. We start every project with a conversation, not a sales pitch. Tell us what you’re trying to build, and we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right shop for the job.

You can also browse our completed projects to see the quality and range of work we do, or read through our process to understand exactly what working with Emery Custom Builds looks like from start to finish.

We build vans for people who care about getting it done right. If that sounds like you, let’s talk.