Van Design, Anywhere in the US
We design your van. You build it, or we do.
The same van design process behind our $60,000+ custom builds, available to anyone, anywhere in the US. Real layouts, real systems, real prices, from a shop that builds vans every week.
The hardest part of a van build isn't the building
It's the two hundred decisions before the first screw goes in. What battery size. Which layout works with a shower. What order to do things so you don't build yourself into a corner. Most DIY builds don't stall in month four because someone couldn't use a drill. They stall because a month-one decision turned out wrong.
We make those decisions for a living in our Encinitas shop. Now you can hire just that part. If you're still weighing what a conversion runs, our van conversion cost guide is a good place to start, and the free Van Build Budget Guide pairs well with a Planning Session.
Want to run some numbers first? Our free van build planning tools will size your solar and battery, ballpark a build cost, and point you at the right platform before you book anything.
How our van design service works
- 1
Tell us about your van
A short questionnaire about your van, your trips, your budget, and your skills.
- 2
The Planning Session
60 minutes on video, working through your layout and every system: electrical, plumbing, climate, interior, exterior. Recorded, so you never have to take notes.
- 3
We build your Build Plan
Within a week you get a personal build plan: your layout, our recommendation for every system with honest retail budget ranges, what to buy first, what order to build in, and where we think you’ll get stuck.
- 4
The review call
30 minutes to walk through it together and answer everything.
- 5
You build with confidence
Or come back for the complete plan set, coaching while you build, or a build slot in our shop.
Pick Your Level of Backup
Van Build Plans and Design Packages
Planning Session
First 5 only — full $695 still credits toward your build
For DIYers who want a professional design direction before spending a dollar on parts.
- ✓ 60-minute recorded planning session
- ✓ Your personal Build Plan: layout, all six systems, honest budgets, buy-first list, and build order
- ✓ 30-minute review call
- ✓ 30 days of follow-up questions
- ✓ Every dollar credits toward The Blueprint or a build deposit
The Blueprint
$1,950
The complete plan set. Everything in the Session, plus:
- ✓ Dimensioned layout drawings for your exact van
- ✓ Complete electrical design with wiring diagram, down to every wire gauge and fuse
- ✓ Plumbing schematic
- ✓ Full parts list with links and current prices
- ✓ Step-by-step build sequence and budget workbook
- ✓ Second review call + 30 days of questions
Build Coaching
$450/mo
We stay in your corner while you build.
- ✓ Two 45-minute calls a month
- ✓ Async questions between calls, answered within a business day
- ✓ Month to month, cancel anytime
- ✓ Limited to 6 builders at a time
Pay by card or bank transfer. Planning Session fees credit in full toward The Blueprint or a build deposit with us.
Designed by people who actually build
Every plan comes from the shop floor, not a content calendar. We build custom vans in Encinitas, California. Showers, full electrical systems, custom cabinetry, the works. Every plan we sell is the same process our build customers get through our build process.
When we tell you a wire gauge or a build order, it's because we did it that way last week. See it for yourself in our finished builds, or browse the how-to guides we publish from the same shop.
Our guarantee
If your Build Plan doesn't give you a clear, buildable direction for your budget, we'll revise it until it does, or refund your session.
Van design questions, answered
I haven't bought my van yet. Too early?
It's actually the best time. The session can save you from buying the wrong van. We'll tell you what your layout needs before you commit, and our how to choose a van guide is a solid primer.
What if I want you to build some of it?
If you're within driving distance of our Encinitas shop, your design fee credits toward a build deposit. Plenty of customers have us do electrical or plumbing and DIY the rest.
Are the plans up to code?
Our plans follow industry best practices from professional builds. As the owner-builder you're responsible for safe installation and any applicable regulations, and we'll tell you plainly which jobs are worth hiring out.
What vans do you design for?
Sprinter, Transit, and ProMaster primarily. Something else? Ask. If we can't do it well, we'll say so.
How fast?
Your Build Plan within a week of your session. The Blueprint within three weeks.
Your Van, Designed Right the First Time
Book a Planning Session and start your build with a plan from people who build vans every week.
Tell Us About Your Build