Keen to explore alternative working-from-home options? A custom campervan conversion makes a fantastic mobile office, giving you the freedom and comfort to take your work anywhere. Discover more about using a campervan office in our blog post below, where we weigh up the pros and cons.
Off-Grid Home Office
Given the current situation across the world, many of us are now in a position where working from home is becoming our daily reality.
With space a little crowded at home, we’re currently using our Love Campers campervan as a fully functioning off-grid home office. And our friends are borrowing a neighbour’s campervan to do exactly the same thing.
If you are lucky enough to be able to work from home – essentially all you need is somewhere quiet, with a good internet connection – then you can take your work anywhere. A campervan gives you the freedom to take a laptop and a mobile hotspot with data, and explore whilst you work.
Campervan vs Building a Home Office
OK, so a campervan sounds like a great option already. But how does it compare to other home office options?
If you’re working at home now and wondering whether you need more space, I’m sure you’ve already considered some of the alternatives. Building a home office extension and converting a shepherd’s hut are two other possibilities for a home office.
Whilst adding a home office might increase the value of your property, it doesn’t give you as many options as a mobile office such as a shepherd’s hut or campervan. And a shepherd’s hut can give you a really cosy space to work in, but you still need to find somewhere to permanently keep it.
In comparison, a converted campervan can be custom built to your home office needs and is also designed for travelling around. You might love it so much, you want to live, work & travel in it full-time! Now there’s a good work-life balance.
Getting Closer To Nature
The brilliant thing about a campervan is that you can tailor the adventures to suit you. If travelling further afield or staying away overnight isn’t possible at the moment due to government restrictions, your nearest campervan adventure only needs to be around the corner.
A mobile home office means you can ‘work from home’ at the nearest beauty spot and come back home in the evening. You may be surprised just how many wonderful views you can find within a half-hour radius of your house.
Converting a campervan to use for your mobile home office gives you the freedom to work in beautiful surroundings and discover nature close to home and further afield, when the time is right.
Fully Functioning Campervan & Office
Another important point is that choosing a campervan for your home office doesn’t mean compromising on facilities. At Love Campers we fit fully-functioning campervans with a cooker, oven and hot running water, to make your working day is a fully-catered one.
With our solar panel, 12v USB & mains inverter power supply systems, your mobile home office can also be totally off-grid. A custom campervan conversion can include everything you need to sustainably recharge your essential tech on-the-move, and whilst you’re parked up.
We also fit our own custom-made Rock and Roll beds, giving you a double bed if you fancy an overnight adventure, or a comfortable two-seat sofa to sit at the table, work and eat during the day, and socialise around at night.
If you like the idea of a light and airy workspace, our pop-top roof would be a great option, as it allows you to stand up and walk around inside to stretch your legs – essential for rainy days.
The possibilities are endless – we also fit accessible toilets to bespoke campervan conversions, so you can focus on your work and drink as much coffee as you like knowing a loo is nearby!
Two-In-One
With so many features, the most awesome thing about a campervan home office is that it serves two functions in one.
During the week, it is your mobile home office, a sanctuary to work from and carry out your to-do list. With a comfy seat, adjustable table and windows to take in the view, you need nothing more to focus on your work in comfort. In the winter, you can park up at a local nature spot, put the heating on and a pot of tea, and work on your latest project in peace and quiet.
At the weekend, you can close the laptop, swap the coffee pot for a bottle of wine and head to the hills! In the summer holidays, you can load your campervan up with picnics and surfboards and head to the beach with your friends or family, with work firmly out of mind!
And if your life circumstances change in the future, you still always have a campervan, even if you don’t need the home office anymore.
The Financial Side
Yes, I know, it sounds really cool… but how much is it going to cost?
We create beautiful, handcrafted campervan conversions to work with all kinds of dreams and budgets. Depending on the features you’d like in your van, we can put together a custom quotation for you – please contact us and ask for Darren or Clara who’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
And it’s not just the outgoings to consider…
Claim Tax Relief or Expenses
It’s also worth considering that if you use your van for work purposes, you may be able to claim tax relief or expenses as a self-employed person. Each individual circumstance will vary, so we advise speaking to your accountant or a financial advisor before weighing this up.
Make Money Back with your Campervan
Don’t forget you could also explore renting your campervan out via a specialist website for the times you don’t need it. This is becoming a popular way to help campervan owners build a return on their investment or simply help cover maintenance costs.
Potential Drawbacks to Consider with Vanlife
OK, we admit it, we’re really positive about the idea of using a campervan as a mobile home office and we genuinely love working from our own campervan. But ‘vanlife’ isn’t always easy, or cheap. So there are some downsides too which are important to consider…
Firstly, a campervan requires maintenance to keep it roadworthy. Annual costs like MOTs and servicing will depend on the base vehicle you choose. (But don’t let this hold you back – at Love Campers, we’re here to help you choose a van which will fit your personal budget.)
Secondly, you’ll need somewhere to keep it. If you have a parking space at home, then this isn’t a problem. If you don’t, you might be able to rent one nearby using an app dedicated to this – or ask a friend, in return for a few days’ usage!
Finally, whilst your van can be fully functioning with hot running water, a cooker, toilet etc., it takes a little effort to keep these filled (or emptied!)
But that’s where we find the reward comes in: every cup of tea tastes that little bit sweeter, knowing what’s gone into making it possible.
So, what do you think? Are you ready to take the first step onto the open road?
We’ve got a few vans for sale that are ready to go!
Working from a Campervan – Our Conclusion
If you can’t already tell, we’re pretty excited about the possibilities in building custom mobile home office campervans. Having experienced ‘working from home’ in our own campervan, we’re keen to share the benefits outlined above with you all.
Get in touch if you’re interested in starting your campervan journey with us.
Thanks for reading the post!
Read more on the blog:
- Custom Campervan Conversions: The Perfect Mobile Home Office?
- Using a Campervan for Day Trips in a Socially Distanced World.
- Micro Camper Van Holidays With A Toddler And Dog
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