Comments on layout

[paulcjhastings]

Doug,
Dinette will have expandable table and seat six(with two folding chairs) when slideout is out. Two couches means two extra beds for when my kids bring guests, I 'm not so sure how comfy a chair is to sleep in, even if you kick your feet up on the table.

Ace,
Turning the bed sideways doesn't seem to save any room, it gives me two really tight aisles(13") instead of a large one.

Thanks for all of the constructive comments, nothing is set in stone yet and I'm still refining it.

[tekebird]

Paul not sure how old you and the wife are but at some point the bed against the wall may be a PITA

I'd leave the floor the way it is, can build a big drawer for the aisle ( under the bed) which I assume is a sunken aisle

that way you can make the bed of to the side now and when you get to old and feable to crawl over it to make it you can shift it to the center.

or for that matter put it on tracks where it can be moved from one side to the other

The U shaped yacht style dinette can also accomidat ethe two "extra seats"   Just something to consider for the seating capacity  vs floor taken up it's the best bang for the buck....and also gived you alot more aisle space which makes you bus feel bigger even with the slide in

[skipn]

Same age as you Tekebird.......

Paul it is just like building a two story play house............

  You'll be a hero no matter what  then in time the kids grow and move on
   maybe time then to update the proir build....
   BUT they always remember the wonderful memories of when the project was done.


   Skip

[tekebird]

having had a bus with a side bed, and at the time I was in my Early 30's....... I didn;t care for it...unfortunatly it was a 35 footer and the build did not permit any adjustement without major redo

[Blacksheep]

I guess having 6 inches more in the br helps as mine is 102 wide!
BS

[tekebird]

it does make things a bit nicer.

with two adults and possibly 5 or six kids, I would be awanting to make the space as Roomy feeling as possible.

keep in mind a large prtion of your time in the coach will be traveling and eating, providing you go somewhere that has something other than indoor games to keep kids occupied.

you might also think about 3 bunks high in the bunk arrangement.

The glider type bed above the driver is a unique idea in a coach......affraid it might add to the small feeling in the living area

[TomC]

I personally like an enclosed bathroom.  On my bathroom, I have door going into the bathroom that has the sink and toilet with access to the shower.  The shower also has a hall door so two people could be using the bathroom AND still have anyone else able to walk from the front to the back of the bus.  
Make the rear queen a raised island bed with deep storage underneath.
Take the bunk beds out of the bathroom area and fill up the space with more closet space-no such thing as too much storage.
Then in front make the right side couch a bunk bed (sleeps 2 adults), the left couch a pull out (sleeps 2 adults), the Dinette convertable (sleeps 2 kids), and then the queen (sleeps 2 adults)-so you can sleep 7-8.
If you do not install a slide out (I don't have one and with a 102" wide, I don't miss it) make your kitchen counter top straight.  If you do do a slide out, then the angles will be fine.  My kitchen counter top is 9ft long and simply love it.  Both my wife and I can cook side by side with much room to spare, and also use the dinette for prep work.
These are suggestions, course you'll do as you want.  Good Luck, TomC

[Dreamscape]

Hi Paul,

Looks good! Have you thought of taping off the walls and maybe making some cardboard templates that would make up you furniture, shower etc.? Do all of the measuring first before you start securing the walls.

When I did ours I taped the floor, measured, move the tape etc.. Then went back after a few days and looked everything over. Moved some more tape....You get the idea. Your ideas may change over time. I started building from the back going forward. It's not finished yet but I think I'm pretty close on the placements of everything. We are about half way. Bedroom, closet and bath are finished. This includes a washer/dryer combo in the 8' closet. Now all I have left is the kitchen and living room areas.

By the way, our queen bed is the same as your layout. It does give a wider isle on "My Side". Wife doesn't mind, and we both make up the bed!

Good Luck,

Paul

[CAROLINABOY]

I like the layout myself,my conversion is for a large family as well the wife and I and 4 children mine will be alot like this one with a few excetions.


1986  06  GMC RTS  40'  6V92 T V730 4:56

[Barn Owl]

This will be a cut and paste from the link listed, it's how I feel about what I like in a conversion.

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=3443.msg31162;topicseen#msg31162



I don't know what my dream coach would be like; I think my ideas would change over time as my needs changed. But, I do have some likes and dislikes.

I do not like the walk through bathrooms; my coach has a small bathroom with a door. There is enough room for one to do the three S's and change cloths. That leaves the back accessible; with a family of eight, that is important. One neat feature is that the door will swing open and block the front from the bath and the bedroom so that area can be blocked off if needed. Keep it functional, but where you spend the least amount of time dedicate the least amount of space.

Another feature I see that I don't like are kitchens that are too large. Plan on what you need and then cut that in half. So many builders get a grand idea that they are going to become a chef and overbuild and waste that area, never using it as planned. When we are on vacation, we don't have the time to make large complicated meals, and when we do, we like to do it outdoors. I have seen some coaches that have slide out kitchens in a bay. I like camp cooking, and we usually do it outside with Dutch ovens. My wife says she cooks enough as it is and vacation is a vacation from cooking for her. I understand that full timers might cook more, but I still think large kitchen areas are a lousy use of space that could be better used elsewhere. The kitchen is a great place to be creative with the counter tops and cabinets. Slide-out or folding counter top prep areas would be a good example of efficient use of limited space.

If you put a dinette in, I feel it should be on the passenger side. The side with the dinette usually has the most windows (I like lots of windows), and if used while you travel it's nice not to have to look out over the other lanes of traffic and the gawkers, but instead, see the scenery as it lazily passes by. As a driver, the low dinette and windows makes it easier to see an area that is difficult to see anyways. In addition, if you are at a campground, you want to see your side of the campsite, not your neighbors.

Finally, dedicate the most space to where you spend the most time and don't overdo it. Some of the nicest coaches I see are simple, elegant, and practical. Some people don't like dual use areas, but when you have a crowd like I do, it is a necessity. I am going to make the rear bed convertible, a U shaped lounge in the day would give me two living areas so as the adults visit in the front; the children can watch a movie or play games in the back.

One of my favorite features of my bus is that it still has the back window. At the beach I go to, the camping sites are directly on the dunes overlooking the water; these sites are back in sites. I love waking up to the eastern sun as it rises above the water, bathing the interior with light, and seeing it all through that big rear window. One day, unless I can find replacement rubber for it (Luke doesn't have it), it will have to come out. That will be a very sad day.

Enough rambling from me now, have fun with your project.