I transformed an old school bus into a tiny home – it has everything I need and I don’t pay a penny in rent

A MAN has revealed that he turned an old school bus into a tiny home, that's got everything he needs.

Franko decided to build his 'unschooled bus' during lockdown so that he could travel around his native New Zealand.

Franko has completely transformed the bus
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Franko has completely transformed the busCredit: youtube/livingbig
He travels around New Zealand in it
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He travels around New Zealand in itCredit: youtube/livingbig
The bus is powered by solar panels
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The bus is powered by solar panelsCredit: youtube/livingbig

He spent £5,000 on buying the bus, and has spent around £50,000 converting it.

The bus is now situated on a farm that Franko owns collectively with a group of other tiny home residents.

Franko's bus is completely off-grid, and all of the appliances, such as the cooker and shower, are powered by the giant solar panels on it's roof.

The musician has even transformed the roof of the bus into a deck to do yoga on.

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The former school bus looks very homey, and has a comfy looking sofa on either side of the living room, which transforms into a double bed.

Under the bed is a heater, speakers and some storage space.

The kitchen is all made out of wood, and Franko reused copper piping from the original bus' air conditioning unit to turn it into cupboard handles.

There is a tiny kitchen sink, a fridge and a freezer and a compost toilet in the bathroom.

Franko's two daughters have their own tiny room with bunk beds and Franko has a large master bedroom, which is situated under the engine, so the room stays nice and warm after he has taken the bus on a drive.

The dad of two has kept all of the windows of the bus, so the area looks bright and spacious and there is even a skylight in the roof, which Franko uses for stargazing.

I turned a bog-standard garage into the perfect tiny home for me and my family - living there is so cheap & people now say it’s nice than their ‘normal’ house

Speaking to the Living Big In A Tiny House, Youtube channel, Franko said: "It's really good to have a warm, safe, inspiring space to live in.

"Every nook and cranny I love to bits.

"It's spacious and so easy to live in".

YouTube users raced to the comments section of the video, to share their thoughts on Franko's bus.

One person said: "I love this bus, it's so clean and uncluttered".

Tiny Homes FAQs

The tiny house movement began in the USA before gaining popularity in the UK.

What is a tiny home?

Tiny houses are small, fully-equipped living spaces designed to lead a more sustainable, off-grid lifestyle. Although they vary in size and shape, tiny homes tend to be between 15 and 50 square metres in capacity, made of sustainable materials and are easier — and cheaper — to maintain than traditional brick homes.    

Are tiny homes legal in the UK?

As long as the tiny house doesn't exceed 19.8m x 6.7m in size, it is defined as a caravan in UK law. Therefore, tiny houses are classed as legal additional living space.

Can you get a mortgage for a tiny home?

The small size and relatively low cost of tiny houses means they’re not generally considered eligible for a mortgage. However, there are plenty of options to take out a loan to fund your dreams of the perfect, moveable home.

Another person said: "Wow Franko, what a beautiful home".

A third said: "I absolutely want to live in this place".

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A fourth added: "Absolutely love the bus and the wood features".

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