Floorplan Ideas

[ToppDog]

Here are some floorplan ideas I had for a MCI 102D3 or DL3, depending on what I end up getting.  Next spring I'll be done paying off 2 new car loans, & will be thinking about buying

http://s962.photobucket.com/albums/ae105/ToppDog/Floorplans/?action=view&current=Untitled.gif

[happycamperbrat]

What drawing program did you use? I also like the plans that dont have a center isle thru the entire bus. The toilet and the refer (if propane) have to vent thru the roof from what the experts around here say. My thoughts are to put the toilet and the refer back to back and towards the center of the bus so the hole will be centered (and maybe they can even share the same hole?) then the aisle would run along a side wall there....

[cody]

One thing I learned was to place the toilet facing the back with a wall behind it, nothing scares me more than to have to nail the brakes while libby is on the pot and to find her heading to the front of the bus by the braking action.  (now I need theropy lol)

[ruthi]

I have a mental image of this Cody, too funny. It is all in the balancing, and the older I get, the less balance I have, lol.

[trucktramp]

Cody,  might I suggest a good set of seat belts?  Think about it, they will hold here safely in place and slow her exit from the bathroom giving you more time for escape before she grabs the skillet and applies a dose of skillet rash to you.   

[Ed Hackenbruch]

We have a side aisle. The toilet is backed to the side of the bus and faces towards the hall. There is a cupboard next to the toilet so hitting the brakes doesn't bother anybody if they are using it. However if i happen to "accidently" move the steering wheel quickly back and forth a couple of inches a time or two, i will get a comment from back there.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

I just tell my wife that there was road debris that i had to avoid.

[TomC]

Practicality and space savings wins out over trying to have angles to make the inside more interesting.  Besides, every 45 or 90 degree angle wastes space. I have a straight hallway (2ft wide) from the kitchen to the bedroom. Since it is primarily my Wife and I, if we do have a guest, the rear closet in the hall, we can open the door and it is cut to form a door to give us privacy in the bedroom, but will still allow guests to access the bathroom.  If anyone is in the bathroom and wants privacy, the bathroom door is also cut to form a door sealing off the back of the bus.  The inline floor plan on my bus works so well, I'm using almost exactly the same floor plan on my truck.  Good Luck, TomC

[ToppDog]

Sorry, I wasn't able to get back til now...

The drawing program I used was an old version of MS Publisher.  It works fine for simple stuff, but I'll probably redo it in TurboCAD or something when I settle on a final design idea.

I like a straight hallway too, except that I'm really picky about about the bedroom layout.  I'm planning on having a king bed, & there would be no room to walk around it if it were sideways (without installing a slide), so it needs to go with the head towards the back of the bus.  And, I'm also fussy about having a cabinet/widescreen TV centered from the foot of the bed with a closet/doorway on either side.  I like symmetry  .

One of my biggest pet-peeves about most motorhome designs is the bathroom layout.  It seems like they all shove the toilet too far against a wall to save space, making it very uncomfortable to sit down to do your business.  This is one area where installing the toilet on a diagonal in a corner actually creates more space for someone to sit down & feel like they have a little room to move around.  There's also more room to stand in front of a sink without your foot rubbing against the toilet bowl.  It looks like it will all fit pretty comfortably in a 4' x 6' space, but I'm not so sure how having the shower in that position will work out.  Anyone ever placed a shower with the showerhead towards the outside wall of the bus instead of towards the center?  How did it work out?  I imagine with a raised roof it might not be so bad, but still curious if it would work out without raising the roof.

I'm still leaning towards the DL3 plan though... I like the straight shot back until the bedroom, & the tiny U shaped kitchen will give my wife a little more room to move around while others are running up & down the hallway, & it also allows for extra counter space on either side of the sink & stove top, with the fridge & wall oven across the walkway, & a dishwasher to the right of the sink.

The living area allows for four pivoting captains chairs/small recliners to face forward while driving, or facing a bigscreen opposite the couch, or the two back ones can be turned completely around to face pop-up computer desks.

For those of you that have used the flip down floor piece to cover the stairs so that a seat could be scooted forward, how did you mount the seat?  I wasn't sure if they were mounted to a sliding platform, or if the seat simply folded up.

[Ace]

After many trips and camp outs in our bus, we opted to remove the tv from the br. Simply didn't use it. We have one in the LR and we usually stay up late enjoying the moment so when its time for bed, its time!
Our shower is a neo-angle installed behind the fridge which is on an angle both on the drivers side. The toilet is on a angle on the curb side along with the sink which is also on an angle. The door to the br is off to the side allowing for a large walk thru bath. My shower head is on the wall behind the fridge facing the br. To do any plumbing work, simply roll fridge out.

[robertglines1]

You Ideas are good! will ask questions about floor plan and give my opinion..Starting at back.you will loose approx 40 inches of floor space in length due to engine compartment  requirements. you can use rear 20 inch for closets etc.the other 20 your bed headboard and start of your mattress can rest on..a 102 wide is outside width you will end up with 97 inch approx inside and if you add 1 inch each side insulation your down to 95. Leave your coach duct work you loose another 4 inches on each side (I remove it) so you can't even squeeze betwen wall to make or get into bed or access closet across rear(with king bed) also remember you will have curtains or window boxes sticking out from side.                               Didn't notice a dressing table or bathroom sink. A must for my wife! Where are you changing clothes? need floor space for this.               Toilet and shower area..if you use 6 ft width for this and a 24 inch isle you have used up your width but you show cabinets between isle and wall.   Shower you need to consider height of commercial units and curve of outside wall.(you can sink shower in floor) or custom build.                    Suggestion in you garage driveway or living room lay out a space with your actually available measurements for your coach..put tape on floor to indicate walls.and see what will work..remember you loose space for stairs'driver seat and dash in you length 3ft and also at rear up to 40 inches.(cabinets/closets can go there and maybe start of mattress 20 inches)  in width your 102 will be reduced to 97 less any additional insulation you add.also duct work if left in will delete another 6 to 8 inches at floor level.  only meant to point out challenges of building a house inside a bus..Bob  don't get discouraged and do it your way.

[eddiepotts]

I would also go to http://www.busforsale.com/buses/ and look for your model. They have crude floorplan layouts with pics to show what the design looks like. Also http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/diesel/diesel-motorhomes.htm has the same thing just look at 40ft motorhomes for ideas. Maybe this will help on giving workable ideas plus you can highjack their drawings.

[bevans6]

In my bus the center isle is dictated by the original curved roof and no roof raise.  I'm jealous of the additional options that a flat tall  ceiling will give you.  We found a queen bed just too big for our space, with the 96" width, low curved ceiling height on the sides of the bed, made worse by wheel well intrusion, so I switched to two twin beds.  Makes access to the engine hatches a snap and gives the cat exercise jumping from bed to bed all night...

Brian

[Len Silva]

You don't show nightstands next to the bed.  If you use them, keep them short.  Mine project almost three feet into the aisle and make very difficult to make the bed.

[TomC]

Since my bus is a transit, I also had lovely wheel wells to work around. The front passenger seat is mounted with the front edge at the front door passageway so the only leg room is the stairway.  I made a liftable floor hatch and used the old air powered door activator to raise it.  I also retained the driver's control of the air cylinder so I can lift the hatch remotely from the driver's seat before exiting.
My bathroom is built around the rear door, so I have a right side bathroom.  This is nice since you can enter the bathroom directly from the outside to avoid walking the interior to get to the bathroom-also advantageous when at the beach-I also have an exterior shower for rinsing off.  The stairway in the bathroom also has a hatch to cover when the door is closed and also have used the old air powered actuator to raise it up.  I used a simple push button by the stairway to activate it.  Good Luck, TomC