Living in a bus to have more space seems like a contradiction, but for this couple, it was the perfect solution!
Upon deciding to move in together, 26-year-old Charlie MacVicar and 27-year-old Luke Walker had one main objective: to avoid a large financial burden. After poring over their many options, they finally made a decision. They were going to make a home out of a double-decker bus!
“We love to travel and wanted a hub that we could return home to and then leave again and have a lot of flexibility,” Charlie explained. “We loved the TV show ‘George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces,’ and [our project] was inspired by some of the builds on the show. We went back and forth over a shipping container to a caravan and finally settled for a double-decker bus.”
They then began their search for the perfect vehicle. Wrestling through obstacles such as buses that required too much work and buses that weren’t tall enough to accommodate Luke’s 6-foot height, they finally landed on the Go-Ahead London Volvo Plaxton bus.
Charlie and Luke spent the next year hard at work converting the bus into their dream home – with the help of their close friends and family.
That extra hands were much-needed. Charlie confessed that this was her first time holding a screwdriver, let alone figuring out how to remove all of the seats from a double-decker bus.
“Myself and my boyfriend are not your typical creative type,” Charlie said. “We have mostly worked office jobs, and there were some parts of the bus we simply couldn’t do ourselves. The electric, plumbing, and carpentry were done by either family or professionals. As much as we would like to take credit for the hard work, we certainly couldn’t have done it without others.”
Even so, the outcome was nothing short of spectacular!
“We got very lucky with the condition we bought the bus in,” Charlie added. “So the conversion went quite smoothly. Building upstairs was more of a challenge as on the top deck, the floor is slightly curved, so we had to custom-build the bed, level the bath, and other furniture.”
After the renovation was complete, the lovebirds ended up with a roomy kitchen on the first floor, paired with a guest/living room, desk, bathroom, and even an oven. Then, up on the second floor, they fashioned a closet, bathtub, and bedroom.
To help keep the bus toasty, Charlie and Luke put in a new heater in addition to their log-burning fireplace downstairs.
The couple has the good fortune of paying Charlie’s dad a small fee to park on his land in Essex, England. This allows the couple to have a charming patio and keep pet goats, who are also known as Monty and Darwin.
Aside from the rental fee, their remaining expenses are small. In total, the couple spent $3,470 for the bus and an additional $20,830 for the bus-home renovation.
“We love living here and the freedom it gives us,” Charlie said. “I believe it was completely worth it, and honestly, it’s the best thing me and my boyfriend have done.”
What an amazing way to live the life of their dreams! We’re so impressed by their gorgeous tiny home!
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