16 Replies to “Tiny Home Tour Video”

  1. Russ McCurdy says: Reply

    I just watched this video and it was a great pleasure meeting you yesterday at the farm.

  2. I am so utterly impressed with your thought and care and then application in this bus. I would love to have one like this. If you had to charge someone to at least design and oversee them making it, what would be a ballpark figure?
    We want laundry, air con, heat etc and be able to charge EDs and cook, etc. Only 2 young teens here but Im a rabid (veteran) hsler so I got STUFF, educational, like truly educational, not just “curricula” resources, and we have crafts and such STUFF too.
    Just my (absolute bare minimum) needed books would take up two kids’ worth of space alone lol
    Blessings

    1. Aaron Bockelie says: Reply

      Hello Hélène,

      I would probably bill out on a quarterly retainer basis. Engineering and design of a system like this is usually completely unique for every occasion. Building the bus chassis itself is a solved commodity at this point (there are several school bus conversion companies, however they are almost all booked out into the future), however an integrated electromechnical system is tricky to know in advance the cost.

      I would imagine that approaching a standard engineering firm for a custom build would be several times the price of a commodity vehicle that is a copy of an existing system.

      There’s also to consider a sliding spectrum from “two distinct systems: batteries and panels affixed to a vehicle” all the way to “deep system integration”. The bus on this site is certainly more into the “two distinct systems” category. If it were a hybrid-electric vehicle it would be the other end of the spectrum.

      All of it is driven from risks and requirements.

  3. Very inspired by your YouTube tour and unusual solutions. For our remote cabin with minimal solar, we set up a 12VDC water filtration system, for lake water. The wiring is a mess, and no one else can set it up when we get to the cabin — it needs to be redone so anyone can install it. Would you be able to take a look at my wiring diagram? The choice of connectors is overkill, but it’s the only way I know to keep people from plugging things together wrong. Feedback at any level would be appreciated, thank you, Carol

    1. Aaron Bockelie says: Reply

      Sure I can take a look!

      Send me an email aaron ( a t ) bockelie dot com

      1. Aaron, I updated the diagram and notes, and emailed it again. Please let me know if there are any problems receiving the files. Email has been haywire on my end for a little while. Thank you, Carol

  4. Chuck Courtney says: Reply

    Aaron, I appreciate your build and all the time you have spent providing information to those of us who have similar interests in building a skoolie.
    I am currently searching for the right bus to convert. I am planning on a roof raise and love your electrical set up.
    My biggest concern is finding an insurance company that will cover the bus when I pick it up and after the conversion. What company insures your bus? I don’t like what I am reading about how difficult it is to get insurance. My wife and I plan on living in it full time. I appreciate your help.
    Chuck

  5. Hi Aron and family I was really impressed when I seen your u – tube video … tour home looks great 🤩 I was just wondering how is your life and traveling impacted by the coronavirus? My limited outdoors experience has been very much and I would be sad for all of you longtime travelers out there if it had 🥺

    1. Aaron Bockelie says: Reply

      It’s weird and more difficult. Stuff being closed means it’s keep to yourself in places you would have normally expected to interact at.

  6. Just found this video on my FaceBook, posted by “Tiny Home Tour”
    WoW.
    God Bless America!
    You are the exact genius that justifies cloning humans. I hope you live & continue to teach Forever!. Your work is extraordinary and beautiful. What a great family!

  7. Aaron,

    It’s Mark, formerly of Everett Metal Supermarkets fame. I just stumbled across your video when searching for details on adding slide outs to school bus conversions, and I am so glad I did. It is great to see that you and your family are doing well, and that the bus conversion has worked out so well. I am particularly interested in your use of the Nissan leaf battery pack for your solar system and now need to spend more time digging in to that. I think I remember you telling me about moving in that direction when you were building it. From the looks of it, it turned out great.

    1. Hey Mark! I’m so glad you found us again! Let me know if you want any more details on things. I could even write it up as a new blog post.

      All the best

      Aaron

  8. Amazing. Thanks for allowing us a peek. Do you tend to eat outdoors? Or do you eat where the van seats are?

    1. Aaron Bockelie says: Reply

      We like to eat at a table that is stored in the main living area, and other times up at the front. Outdoors is our favorite, when weather permits.

  9. Jessica Adkins says: Reply

    Hello Aaron & Family!

    I’ve been lucky enough to work remotely since just prior to COVID and my hubs is also hopefully soon to be. We’ve been working on a plan to hit the open road ASAP, but I am very afraid that we may find ourselves in an internet dead zone. Just on random road trips we’ve lost cell service for hours at a time. Can you share your best advice on acquiring a reliable internet or cellular signal? Or do we just stay away from BFE Montana?
    Thank you so much for sharing your home with the world and for any thoughts you may provide!
    Life’s A Trip!
    Jessica

    1. Aaron Bockelie says: Reply

      I have primarily used ATT data on the road (sprint as a backup) followed by t-mobile for our cell phones. Since then Sprint and Tmo have merged though. Usually I check for dead zones via coverage maps and that factors into where we are staying. I found Wyoming to be the most challenging for reception.

      Coverage in remote areas is a significant factor as to where we are able to travel. For example when we went through Yellowstone, I basically planned some vacation days and assumed we wouldn’t have coverage. Extrapolating this concept further, I’ve learned that there’s a difference between “travel while living” and “travel while enjoyment”. Many times being able to stay employed took priority over the location.

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