Campervan conversion costs UK: complete price guide

Converting a campervan is one of the best investments you can make. Turn a van into a campervan, upgrade a regular van to add features like a toilet and shower, or add your own luxury spin to your home away from home.

The average cost of a van conversion ranges from £500-£40,000. £500 for a basic build where you do everything yourself using recycled/second-hand materials, and up to £40,000 for a fully professional conversion to a luxury van.

But how is each cost broken down? What’s the best van to convert to a campervan? And should you source all materials and convert a van yourself, or look for conversion kits or campervan conversion companies to sort the hard work for you?

Read on for our comprehensive guide on how much campervan conversions cost in 2021.

Camper van conversion costs

Of course, when considering a campervan conversion, it’s best to do as much as possible yourself if you’re on a budget, but outsourcing the conversion is the simplest option if you have the money. Here's how that overall cost breaks down:

Cost of the vehicle

Estimated cost: £500-£15,000

The most important part of a campervan conversion. Have a look at our guide to buying second hand camper vans to get a feel for vans you can upgrade, and our best vans for conversion including the Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter if you want to buy a base vehicle.

Tip: for inspiration, hire a converted campervan for a road trip before you start to plan your own conversion.

Cost of windows and vents

Estimated cost: £800-1150

Fit your own windows to save money: the windows and Jigsaw should cost about £600. A campervan conversion company will probably charge £200-300 per window. It’s essential to ensure your van is properly insulated too, so budget £200 for a roof vent or £250 if hiring a company to convert your van (remember that conversion company prices will depend on the size of your base van).

Cost of insulating a camper van

Estimated cost: £250-300

Stay toasty warm in your conversion by insulating it well for holidays in all seasons. You can pick up a thermal insulation board, wool, bubble foil insulation and aluminium foil tape for £250-300.

Camper van flooring and cladding costs

Estimated cost: £200-£1000

This is one of the most variable items on the campervan conversion kit list. Source flooring and wall lining/cladding or on recycling/local sales sites, buy new, or hire someone to do it for you. A plywood base floor costs from £345-500 for materials and fitting, plus carpet; ply lining the campervan sides will be £150-250; and ply lining the roof will cost £250-300.

Camper van electrical system cost

Estimated cost: £1000-£2000

Another essential part of your van that you don’t want to mess up! Unless you’re a qualified electrician or know one who can give you mates’ rates, we recommend turning to the professionals for this one. Expect to pay £1000 for a full 12v wiring system to cover your battery, split charger and lighting.

If you opt to do the van electrics yourself, a simple 12v system including battery, connections and cables will cost from £190-£400 (search online for “camper conversion wiring kit” to get all you need in one place). An inverter (to convert your 12V battery to 240V mains) will cost from £140-270, and solar panels cost from £250-300 each.

Cost of camper van water tanks

Estimated cost: £200

A 70L water tank, water pump, accumulator and pipe/connectors can be fitted for under £200, assuming you aren’t installing a shower (which will need a boiler). Paying a company to plumb a van with a simple system, plus add a tank, should also work out at £200.

Gas and heating

Estimated cost: £1000-£1600

You might decide to only use your van in summer, or to use it in warmer climates such as Spain or southern France. However, if you plan to rent your vehicle out, a decent heating system will make it much more attractive. Whichever option you choose, you’ll need to fit a gas connection for cooking and hot water.

As with electrics, get a qualified professional to do this if at all possible. It should cost £500-£800 for the fitting, and the same again for a gas tank, heater and the relevant piping and connectors.

Cost of Fittings and furnishings

Estimated cost: £500-£5000

Keep costs down by installing basic fittings like one seating area and a sleeping space, or kit your conversion out more elaborately by adding fixed seating and beds, a kitchen counter and a sink. Budget £500-£5000 depending on the size of your van.

Kitchen costs

Estimated cost: £105 (basic kitchen unit)

Estimated cost: £1100 (luxury kitchen unit)

Have this as basic or luxury as you like: a cool box on average costs around £30 for a basic model and £90 for a deluxe one, while a decent-sized 12-volt fridge ranges from £200 up to £800-£900 for a compressor fridge-freezer. You’ll also probably want:

• Two-burner gas hob: £25 upwards; or oven: £300

• Kettle: £10

• Cutlery, crockery, glasses and kitchen kit such as chopping board, storage jars/containers £50-150

Toilet and shower

Estimated Cost: £60-£150

Expect to pay £60-£150 for a camping/cassette toilet such as a Porta Potti, plus chemicals. A UK campervan conversion company can supply and fit a cassette toilet for £150.

Many campervanners opt to omit a shower, using campsites where necessary.

Safety and security costs

Total cost: £85 (basic: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; steering wheel lock; wheel clamp):

• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: £30

• Wheel clamp/s: £25-£200

• Tracking device/GPS tracker, plus SIM card: £40-£100 annually

• Steering wheel and wheel locks: £30-£120

• Campervan alarm: £250-£350

• Immobiliser: £10-£40

Registration

Estimated Cost: Free, unless a DVLA inspection is needed, in which case the van owner must cover the costs of getting the vehicle to the inspection site.

Finally, you need to register/reclassify your converted van as a motor caravan with the DVLA, providing it has the required internal and external features. Also, the original van body must be one of the body types shown on its V5C registration certificate (log book) – check this before you buy your base van!

Once your van is converted, double check internal and external requirements on theDVLA website, then send off your:

• Completed motor caravan conversion checklist

• V5C showing one of the applicable body types

• Interior photos of each one of the required features with the bed and table in the use position, and showing at least two windows providing daylight into the main living accommodation exterior photos from the front, sides and rear

• A photo showing the vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number

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If you still have questions, want to discuss your income potential with an expert or get more information on how to list your vehicle, call us on ☎ 0330 808 1811 or visit www.camplify.co.uk. We’ll be happy to help you with anything you need!