Who has a small bedroom?

[Oregonconversion]

I am considering building a VERY small bedroom.

I want to maximize the living room space in the font as much as possible. I am even thinking of putting an the shower and an air toilet in the very back on the side then a 4X8 bedroom next to it like this...


Has anyone done this? Any reason I should not do this? I don't think I require a large sleeping space.

[Oregonconversion]

And yes you would enter the bedroom through the bathroom.

[WEC4104]

The first question that come to mind involves ventilation.  Can you give us an idea what windows will be useable back there?

[Zeroclearance]

You might want to consider looking at a entertainer style bunk rack.   Typically you can get 3 bunks stacked on one side.   You could arrange this in a 3' X 8" space.  

[Tenor]

Oregon,
I assume you are single.  Do you expect to only use the bus alone?  If so, make it as small as you want!  As is most common, my wife and I put in a queen size bed, but kept the bathroom walls as close to the bed the bed as we could  and still get by with little difficulty.  Of course, if you ever plan to sell it, you will limit your customer base.  Good luck!

Glenn

[gumpy]

I suggest you get yourself some large refrigerator boxes and a couple rolls of duct tape and mock it up in your coach. Then go camping for a few days or longer and see if it works for you.

It wouldn't work for me.

Now, here's an idea... how about turning the bedroom and bath 90 degrees. Make the bed into a pod just big enough for a mattress. Crawl in from the aisle. From the back, you have bedroom pod, then bathroom, then kitchen.

[jjrbus]

I wanted as much living space as I could get. But also wanted a useable bedroom. So I made the bedroom about 2 inchs longer than a short queen bed with access to both sides of the bed. A picture is worth a thousand words so if you are interested click on the photobucket link below and take a peek.

Someone laying on the bed cannot see anyone sitting on the toilet!!

What I would do different, is make the bed base a box, mounted on tracks so could be moved to one side to create a larger dressing area.
                                         HTH  JIm

[NewbeeMC9]

Would be a good Idea to consider where you are going to put the stuff underneath and how to connect to it. 

Are you going to use the original toilet?

Most dump sites are set up for the other side of the bus.

since your considering electronically,  add some dotted lines for the stuff underneath, wheels engines, bays, etc.

Make sure you keep your engine access hatches available to get into.



Also maybe make a bay a small bedroom and maximize living quarters.


Interesting concept, let us know what your trying to do and and what you come up with.

[Oregonconversion]

I like the idea of a mock up bus made out of cardboard. Maybe I will try living in a small bedroom for a couple weeks.


Also, resale value is a concern of mine.

I eventually want to sell it to help fund my next bus.

Should I make it a standard bedroom if I want to get a good price for it?

[JohnEd]

YES!!! If you want to get any price for it at all.

Have you ever looked at a Safari "Trec" ?  Had no bedroom and was 28 feet long and was roomy and had a bath and dressing room across the rear.  Lots of closet and storage inside and had large storage bays outside.  Starting to wonder, ain't cha?

The Safarie Trec had what they called the Magic Bed.  It was a double size bed that was oriented across the "living room", was on gear faced tracks that were mounted on the wall and was elect motor driven yp and down.  It was really thin as the "pan" the matress sat in was fiberglass sandwitched foam and "hid" in the ceiling during the day.  Only came down to the height of the back of the coach and chair so you had a crawl space up to the drivers seat fi needed.

Food for thought?  That would have resale value for more buyers than a boxed in single.

John

[HighTechRedneck]

I like the idea of a mock up bus made out of cardboard. Maybe I will try living in a small bedroom for a couple weeks.

I think Craig was referring to using the cardboard to temp the walls and fixtures in the bus and then go camping in it. 

A pod style bedroom is a good way to achieve your objective of minimizing bedroom space.  You could simulate that with a refrigerator box in your home.  Try living with that arrangement for a while to see if it suits you.

Also, resale value is a concern of mine.

I eventually want to sell it to help fund my next bus.

Should I make it a standard bedroom if I want to get a good price for it?

Unless the market dramatically changes, you will not get back what you put into it.  But to get the best you can out of it when you sell, avoid doing "unconventional" things (i.e. tiny bedroom).  It will certainly limit your market.  When you are building one just for you, then be creative, make it serve your exact needs/interests and "do it your way".

[BG6]

Should I make it a standard bedroom if I want to get a good price for it?

Yes.  People like big bedrooms, and you want to be able to cross-ventilate.  Small bedrooms with poor ventilation create a kind of imposed sleep apnea.

In Japan, there are "capsule hotels," in which travelers rent a space about 40" wide and 50" high and 80" long (they remind me of renting a drawer at the morgue).  They are only popular because they are cheap and usually close to places like airports, train stations, etc., and consider that they were designed for people who tend to be smaller than European adults.

[Oregonconversion]

Sounds like I am going to go with a larger bedroom and bathroom then, maybe even a tub.

Resale value is a big deal because my goal is to some day be in a double decker Neoplan.

[buswarrior]

Just to be sure you've heard the economics involved...

So that you're plans are properly paced to succeed!

The sale of a bus conversion is about loss recovery, not about making any money.

Only the most fortunate recover the funds of the expensive hardware installed, and the purchase price of the shell, if they paid the right price to begin with.

Construction materials, cabinetry, everything spent on the coach chassis, and your TIME are worthless.

Engines, transmissions, brakes, old or new do not change the street price. With inspection and verifiable documentation, there is a slight recovery.

The "savings" of a bus conversion are in its use, the trips you took at reduced cost over motels and restaurants, the comparison to what a RV would have cost to do the same, the hobby aspect, building our own keeps us out of other trouble....

Just making sure you're plan stays on track!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[pvcces]

A tub might be of some value in a park model design, but I don't think it is of any value in a boondock model.

Good balance in your choice of plan will be worth the most, I think.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey