A couple who spent £16,000 transforming their van into a home-on-wheels have finally hit the road.
Lauren Alger and Louis McKendry, both 28, have been together for nine years and always dreamed of travelling together.
The pair from Northamptonshire spent the last seven months transforming their Ford Transit into a retro home-on-wheels.
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And, incredibly, they managed to do it with no previous experience.
“For a while, we rented camper vans to explore, and instantly fell in love with the sense of freedom and adventure it offered,” Louis, a landscaper, and Lauren, marketing manager, told What’s The Jam.
“Fast forward to last year, we realised it was time for a fresh change.
“We started looking for second-hand vans to convert, initially planning for weekend getaways or week-long adventures.
“But then, after we both lost our jobs, it felt like a sign to fully embrace the road life.
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“We pivoted, upgrading our conversion plans to create a van that would be fully equipped for full-time travel.
“That’s when the dream really took shape.”
The couple found a Ford Transit MK7 2012 for £4,675 with only 105,000 miles on the clock, and immediately got to work.
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Lauren said: “We started working on it during the cold UK winter weekends before eventually going full steam ahead with the build, working 9-5, six days a week.
“The whole project, from purchasing the van to finishing the conversion, took us from April to October 2024.
“We couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved.”
All together, renovating the van cost the couple £16,121.05.
They tracked every expense meticulously on a spreadsheet – from the van itself, tax, and insurance, to the conversion, electrical systems, exterior modifications, and all the accessories that make van life comfortable and cozy.
The renovations themselves, excluding the van, tax, and insurance, came to £10,457.05.
The remaining £989 was spent on the tax and insurance.
Now Lauren and Louis are spending their lives on the road.
They set off in February to visit Portugal and are currently in Morocco.
Lauren said, “We absolutely love it.
“It’s our cosy little home on wheels.
“Of course, I have some worries about the mechanical and electrical aspects, despite everything being thoroughly tested and certified.
“But other than that, it’s perfect.
“We spend most of our time together anyway, so living in a van suits us perfectly.
“We love the time spent in each other’s company and the simplicity of life on the road.”
The couple said that anyone looking to do the same should start with a good van and second-hand furniture.
They added: “We’re passionate about sustainability and love shopping second-hand.
“Around 90% of our wardrobes are thrifted from car boot sales and charity shops, and we carried that same philosophy into the van conversion.
“Many of the items in our van came from second-hand shops, like the vintage photo frames we collected over a year for just 50p each, and a £25 wooden table from Facebook Marketplace that we up-cycled into our kitchen countertop.
“Everyone should try to upcycle and repurpose as much as possible.”
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