I spent my house deposit on a grubby old DHL van and transformed it into a tiny home on a budget
A SAVVY man has revealed how he converted an old yellow DHL delivery van into a chic and cosy hotel on wheels.
After being inspired by the prominent ‘van life’ trend content on social media, Tom Leatham decided to get creative and sample a slice of the nomad life himself.
So, he purchased an ex-DHL van for £8k using money he'd saved for a house deposit and spent a further £5k designing and recreating a whole kitchen and living space from scratch.
To make the money back, Tom has since listed the van ‘Colman’ - named after the famous yellow mustard - on Camplify, one of the biggest global operators in the peer-to-peer RV rental market worldwide.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Tom explains: “The money was a mixture of regular savings and inheritance, that was due to be used as a deposit for a house."
"My fiancée wasn’t very happy - if we hadn’t made the money back so quickly through Camplify, I may have not been around to tell the story!”
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After seeing countless videos of motorhome adventures, I decided that I wanted to have a go at it myself.
"With new motorhomes costing tens of thousands pounds to buy, I knew that I had to make a go of a van conversion of my own.
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"As well as being massively rewarding, I learned so much in terms of DIY skills, even learning from ‘how-to’ style videos on YouTube.
"I work as a Dental Technician, so I knocked up a quick render of how I wanted the interior to look on 3D CAD software we use in the practice – after a bit of trial and error, I’d say it was bob on!”
After months of hard work converting the van and to make money back, Tom listed the van ‘Colman’ - named after the famous yellow mustard - on Camplify, one of the biggest global operators in the peer-to-peer RV rental market worldwide.
Standing at eight feet high, Colman is the perfect size for a home-on-the-road, as most will be able to stand up in the living area quite comfortably.
Along with its super stylish Scandinavian-inspired interior, it has all the necessities needed for a holiday on the open road – mains power (no hookup needed), heated outdoor shower, king-size bed with bed linen, solar panels, toilet, fridge, and outdoor furniture.
"I do love Scandi-style home interiors, and I wanted to channel the same theme here," he says .
"It’s an interior that seems to suit everywhere it goes – it’s a mobile chic cabin."
For those who like a caffeine boost at the start of their adventurous days, Colman even includes a Nespresso machine.
“I’ve been all over in Colman - from big adventures to the New Forest and all over Wales and Snowdonia to short weekend trips down to the south coast – Colman has never let us down," Tom explains.
"This year, we plan on ticking the North Coast 500 box and heading up to Scotland for a couple of weeks – it’s the ultimate road trip.
"Because we are based in St Albans, Colman is situated perfectly for any Londoners wanting to escape the city."
He adds: “The best thing about owning a converted motorhome like Colman is that I’m able to leave the busy life and go away whenever I feel like it.
"I’m pretty proud of what I have created – a warm and toasty home away from home!"
