Campervan customs

Marcus, by founding Budfellas, you created your own camper customizing business. How did that come about?
I was originally a construction manager for shop fitouts. I’d customized several campers before and loved traveling, so my training, professional experience and passion all kind of came together to form this one big idea.

What vehicles do you customize? Do you focus on particular makes and models?
We pretty much do everything – microcampers, mini campers, big campers – but most of our customers want to fit out medium-sized vans because they’re manageable, maneuverable and perfect for two people. Families tend to fit out slightly larger campers.

Why do campervan fans get you to customize their vehicles? Don’t the manufacturers put enough equipment in them to start with?
Each one of our campers is completely unique – no two are alike. This coming winter, for example, we’re customizing a small truck that’s going to drive the Pan-American Highway – a big adventure for the customer and a major project for us. The customer is planning to be on the road for ten years, so everything needs to be tailor-made, robust, perfectly tuned and designed to go offroad, too.

That sounds expensive.
When a customer comes to us, the first thing I tell them is that it costs a lot of money to convert a campervan. Anyone who wants to customize a van with us gets the best possible technical specification and quality available right now. Many of our customers have already looked at buying campers ‘off the peg’ but found they were uncomfortable or impractical and thought: ‘I want to design this all myself.’

What kind of special requests can you accommodate?
Our customers’ wish lists feature all kinds of things, from wine coolers and wood-fired ovens to dog crates, compartments or just a functional layout that you can’t buy from a dealer. The challenge is to fit everything into the smallest possible space so that it works well without feeling overwhelming.

What do customers bring with them when they come to you?
Some customers already have complete plans, while others have no idea what they want. For us, the most fun thing is working together to find out what the floor plan could look like. It all starts with an initial conversation, then we provide our first estimate. If that all goes well, we draw up a draft design before submitting the final quote. If the customer gives this the green light, we produce the detailed plans and then start customizing.

How flexibly can you accommodate special requests?
Pretty much every one of our conversions includes some special requests that require us to design the space afresh to make sure everything works together. One of the more unusual requests was to integrate a dog crate into the floorplan without taking up any additional space. We solved that by putting the crate in the shower unit! All the customer had to do was remove the dog crate before taking a shower. It was a sensible use of space, as you don’t actually spend that much time in the shower. Of course, there are also times where we try to convince customers that some ideas – like a huge roof terrace, for example – don’t make as much sense when you can use that space for something more useful like powerful solar panels, a skylight or an air conditioning unit instead.

What is particularly in demand right now?
Electric power. Previously, we’d fit a small battery for the refrigerator. Now everyone wants to cook using electric – ideally an induction stove – take hot showers, charge laptops and run coffee machines. The power package needs to cover so much more than before. The Swiss company Vanatics offers specialized solutions that provide a self-sufficient electricity supply, giving campers much greater freedom and independence. We’re also getting plenty of requests for dry or bag-sealing toilets that don’t use chemicals or need a water supply.

What materials do you use, and how big a consideration is sustainability when choosing materials?
We use Albasia, the lightest plywood on the market. It comes with HPL surfaces in every color as well as real wood veneers, helping us save up to 500 kilograms on each conversion compared to birch plywood. We also use stainless steel shower trays and sinks, glass covers for gas stoves and high-quality fittings. All of our parts are custom-made, and we use virtually no plastic.

What does a conversion cost?
A fully customized, medium-sized van costs between CHF 80,000 and CHF 100,000 – not including the cost of the vehicle. Of course, the conversion can be more or less expensive depending on what you want. New seating starts at around CHF 3,000, while a solar panel costs from CHF 800. If you want an awning, you need to budget for around CHF 1,500, while fitting a water supply starts at CHF 750. Finally, an independent vehicle heater costs from CHF 1,990. What matters is that every conversion is unique, and that’s what makes it so special.

That’s a tidy sum! Do you offer anything for smaller budgets?
That all comes down to the customer’s expectations. CHF 20,000 isn’t enough for a complete customization. For smaller budgets, we offer partial conversions such as fitting an electricity supply, sub-distribution system or heating unit – and the customer does the rest themselves. Alternatively, we can use modular solutions by installing prefabricated elements. These are tailor-made, typically include a kitchen, bed and storage space, and can be easily integrated into the vehicle with relatively little cost and effort. For that, you get a functional camper to which we only need to add a floor covering and a few small technical details.

Which aspects of a conversion can a campervan fan tackle themselves?
Technology such as electricity, heating and gas is best left to the professionals, as all sorts of things can go wrong there. Theoretically you can install the sanitary facilities yourself, but that gets expensive if there are any leaks. On the other hand, customers can save some money when it comes to fitting furniture. Cupboards, seating areas, beds – theoretically, you can do all that yourself.

What does the future of camper customization look like to you, and what new trends are emerging?
I think travel and work will become increasingly intertwined. Many people convert campervans so that they can work from home while out on the road. To do that, you need more technology and comfort – and ultimately more weight. That’s why there are also plans to increase the legal weight limit for mobile homes from 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes.