Yes, this is exactly why I bought my campervan (2017 promaster 2500) already built out by a youngish kid who wasn't a professional, but sure made nice instagram pictures.
It certainly cost me a lot more than just doing it myself, but by doing it this way, I achieved two goals: immediate use for camping and the ability to figure out what I would do differently by living in it first.
There are a few things I learned pretty quickly:
1. Get rid of the "fancy" toilet. Just use a bucket with eco bags that can be buried or tossed into a trash can. No cleanup mess, lighter, and frees up a lot of valuable space.
2. Moved the sink from the door side and put it on the other side of the van next to the stove (there was an uncomfortable seat there before). Again, freed up a lot of space and made better use of it.
3. Removed a lot of hidden unnecessary support wood. Like in the backs of cabinets against the walls. People don't realize how heavy that stuff is and every extra pound affects van handling and gas mileage.
The list goes on and on, but one thing I did learn after taking my van into cold climates... insulation is critical and very hard to add after the fact.
It certainly cost me a lot more than just doing it myself, but by doing it this way, I achieved two goals: immediate use for camping and the ability to figure out what I would do differently by living in it first.
There are a few things I learned pretty quickly:
1. Get rid of the "fancy" toilet. Just use a bucket with eco bags that can be buried or tossed into a trash can. No cleanup mess, lighter, and frees up a lot of valuable space.
2. Moved the sink from the door side and put it on the other side of the van next to the stove (there was an uncomfortable seat there before). Again, freed up a lot of space and made better use of it.
3. Removed a lot of hidden unnecessary support wood. Like in the backs of cabinets against the walls. People don't realize how heavy that stuff is and every extra pound affects van handling and gas mileage.
The list goes on and on, but one thing I did learn after taking my van into cold climates... insulation is critical and very hard to add after the fact.