Prepare your van.

The amount of work this entails will of course depend on the life your van previously led. It essentially entails getting the van to a clean condition, which, if you’re lucky, could just mean a simple sweep out and wipe down. If the van is lined with boards it may be possible to remove these and reuse them later if their condition allows. You may want to remove any floor boarding to clean and check the condition of the van floor. If the van has a bulkhead, do your plans require its removal?

Before removing anything that may be structural or integral to the strength of the van you should of course check with a qualified person that it is safe to do so.

If there are graphics on the van you will no doubt want to remove them. There are several methods and some proprietary products for helping with this job and getting the van fully prepared for you to start your conversion but don’t forget, there is a wealth of advice and tips that can help you with almost any job you’ll come across during your build, on the SMBCC forum.

DVLA requirements for a van to be classified as a ‘Motor caravan’