So, what's the deal with the school bus, you ask? It has to do with my Florida Plans. While researching the cost of moving across the country, I found how expensive it was. The cheapest moving company I could find would cost me almost $5,000. Since I'm not 25, I can't rent a U-Haul and do it myself. With a moving company, I have to add on the cost for plane tickets and with U-Haul, I'd have to pay for gas and hotel and food. Then, what do I do with my stuff once I get there? I found out that no one will rent to someone until they meet them in person, but how am I supposed to meet someone when I live several thousand miles away? That would entail yet another set of plane tickets and hotel and food costs so I could stay in Florida for a week or two (loosing time at work) to meet prospective landlords. While researching moving vans, I came across a moving truck for sale. I thought, why not buy moving truck, pay for gas and food and hotel, then sell the truck when I get there? That way, I only end up paying for gas, food and hotel. If I buy one big enough, I can throw a mattress in the back and eliminate the hotel costs. If I get a gas stove and a cooler, I can cook my own food and eliminate the high fast-food prices (not to mention be healthier). So I started looking for a truck to buy.

That's when I came across bus conversions. People all over the country are buying old and used buses (city buses, school buses, double-deckers, whatever) and converting them to motorhomes! I thought, what a great idea! I wonder how much this will cost! So, I found a bus for $1000. I decided to only do a partial conversion (meaning I would install the furnishings and electrical but I would not install plumbing. Instead, I'd use a chemical porta-potty) and supplies for this would run me another couple grand. Then add in traveling costs and gas, and that's another $1000 more or less

So, the benefits: It will cost the same or less than hiring a moving company; I will have somewhere to store all of my stuff (and I have a lot of stuff) when I get to Florida while I'm looking for a place to live; If necessary, I will have somewhere to stay while I'm looking for a house and it won't cost me the rest of my savings for hotel fees if it takes me a while to find a house.

The drawbacks: I have to convert it myself (not really a drawback, since I love this kind of work); It will take up every weekend until it's time to move (again, not really a drawback, since if I didn't have this conversion to do, I'd find some other project to take up my time); I'd be living in a bus (only a drawback after the novelty wears off. Hopefully I'll find housing before it does!)

Conclusion: Factoring in my age and budget limitations, converting a school bus into a motorhome is the cheapest and coolest way to move to Florida for school. Plus, I can always resell it when I'm done with it and I should make back my money on it, if not a profit. Some people have tried to disagree with me, but I believe this really is the most economical solution to my problem, besides being pretty cool. I mean, how many other people do you know that can say they own a school bus? And how many other people do you know can say they built their bus/motorhome/house with their own hands? I'm pretty proud of it and I also owe a very big Thank-You to Scott for all his help. I couldn't do this project alone and his help has been invaluable.

UPDATE I have made it to Florida, however, the bus did not. It threw a rod in Texas. The cost to repair it would cost more money than I can spend and I was unable to find a buyer, so I paid for storage of the bus for a year, then just gave up. Some day I'll convert another bus.

The Inn Between © 2002