Married couple Steven and Tracey from Vancouver, Canada, were trying to figure out what they wanted to do with their retirement years. While many retired couples settle down, rest, and relax, that wasn’t what Steven and Tracey had in mind. They wanted to downsize and build a tiny home. They also wanted to consider sustainability in their plans.
After researching container homes, trailers, and RVs, nothing felt quite right. They wanted something solid and reliable to pack up and travel in during their retirement years. After finding videos on YouTube following a couple converting a school bus into a tiny house on wheels, they knew they had found what they were looking for. Steven and Tracey wanted to live in a house on wheels, travel, and live their retirement years to the fullest.
Let the Hunt Begin
Knowing the type of home they wanted to enjoy was just the first step. Steven and Tracey then had to find the perfect foundation for their plans. After discovering a 32-foot Bluebird school bus at the local high school, they knew it was ‘the one’. Despite it only being the second one they viewed, the school was downsizing its bus fleet, and it was the ideal size.
Not only was it the perfect size for a house on wheels, but it was also in excellent condition. It had recent upgrades, new tires, and a robust Caterpillar diesel engine with an Allison automatic transmission. It ticked all the right boxes. Steven and Tracey purchased the bus for CDN 7,000 (USD 5,100).
Steven and Tracey’s Bluebird school bus wouldn’t remain local high school transportation for long. During the pandemic, the couple spent every spare moment (and every spare dollar!) transforming it into an idyllic house on wheels.
In total, the couple spent approximately CDN 25,000 (USD 18,200) on the build. Their main challenges were skyrocketing materials costs and supply chain constraints during the COVID-18 pandemic.
Fortunately, the build wasn’t as expensive as it could have been. As Steve is a cabinet maker by trade, they were able to utilise materials left over from his job. Tracey also has several years of experience as an art consultant, which gives her design skills that she could put to good use. They completed all the work themselves.
The final touch on any house on wheels is, of course, a name. Steven and Tracey decided on ‘Shore Leave Skoolie.’ The name, paired with a few nautical touches, is a nod to their former 38-foot sailboat they sailed along the West Coast for many years. Many years spent on a boat together in a confined space also meant they knew how to co-exist in a small area before their adventures truly began!
After several long months, Shore Leave Skoolie was officially ready. Now, Steven and Tracey live in her full-time off-the-grid in Mexico with their two dogs, just 20 minutes from the beach.
“We are now retired and living the dream.”
Steve installed storage bins in the bus, which originally had none, and added an exterior shower primarily for cleaning dogs. He also mounted a bike rack on the back of the bus.
From the very beginning, Steven and Tracey wanted their house on wheels to be entirely off the grid. It would enable more freedom on their travels. They installed six solar panels with three 100-amp-hour Lithium-ion batteries. They also carry enough propane and water for at least two weeks to cater to their needs.
The final touch to the bus’s exterior was the seven-foot by 15-foot rooftop deck with western red cedar planks. Not only is it ideal for extra storage with pipe fittings to tie things down to, but it’s also an excellent place to relax in the sunshine. Steven and Tracey also chose to install house skylights from Home Depot.
When Steve and Tracey first bought their bus, there was a steel dog house over the engine area. With a desire for more space and a more aesthetic finish, Steve built cabinets. They are installed in place with just two bolts, making them easy to remove for engine maintenance.
Steve entirely transformed the bus dash to make it his own. He removed everything unnecessary, retained the original switches, and finished it in leather. Steve also added a CB radio, Sirius satellite radio, solar charge controller, and GPS. He describes this part of the bus as ‘his’!
Steven and Tracey knew the bus’s traditional height would cause problems because Steven is over six feet tall. Rather than undertaking a complete raise, they decided to raise the centre aisle since it’s where they would typically stand. The raise added an additional 10 inches.
They cut out the middle portion of the metal roof, welded a steel frame from tubing, and placed it into the opening before welding it to the existing bus frame. They then attached the leftover sheet metal from the ceiling to the outside and installed two skylights into the raise. Combined with a telescopic ladder, these provide easy access to the roof deck.
Whether you’re in a tiny house or a traditional house, you need somewhere to eat! Steven crafted a dinette. Despite it looking like it’s floating, it’s a fixed table with storage under each seat.
The sofa in Steven and Tracey’s bus is as versatile as they come – and it’s entirely their own creation! They transformed an old sectional IKEA sofa into a comfortable lounging area. There is under-cabinet storage and behind-the-sofa cubby holes to maximize all available space. Their diesel heater also runs alongside the sofa.
Tracey and Steven both love enjoying 360-degree views, so they didn’t want to remove the bus windows. They opted to keep them and designed their spaces using the window columns. For privacy, they purchased blackout curtains, cut them to size, and installed rods in the bottom with leather tabs for a snug fit. Tracey also created the same blinds for the skylights.
This charming little Grizzly cubic mini wood stove is located in the heart of the bus. While it’s ideal for warmth, Steven and Tracey also love using it to make toast. They even have a little grate they place on the top for that task.
The fireplace is set upon a stone that acts as the hearth. A copper sheet on the side and back of the fire also functions as a heat shield. The storage space underneath is ideal for wood and dog toys.
Steven and Tracey thought of everything when creating their charming farm-style kitchen. The kitchen galley has a ceramic and charcoal water filter to filter bacteria. Their water conveniently flows to a grey tank under the bus. There are also heating pads under the water tanks to prevent freezing.
Planning a new kitchen in a small space isn’t easy, but Tracey and Steven got creative. They measured the kitchen in their past apartment and decided to use the same dimensions. They also built and installed custom cabinets with large, deep drawers.
All drawers boast soft-close mechanisms and have leather snaps to stop them from opening while driving. There are kick drawers on both sides of the kitchen and pull-out cabinets for wine, utensils, oils, and spices. There is certainly no shortage of storage space in this quaint, farm-style kitchen!
While kitchen space is limited, Tracey still found room for the essentials! She said having a cappuccino maker was important to her because she’s half-Italian.
Fortunately, despite the bench space intrusion, there is still space for all the essentials, like coffee mugs and dog treats, on the floating wood shelves. The kitchen also has a Unique-branded propane stove and an oven with a broiler.
A small cavity is next to the stove, with just enough space for the telescopic ladder. This ladder extends to provide access to the rooftop deck.
Steven and Tracey wanted to save as much space as possible and opted for an apartment-sized fridge running on an inverter. It’s tucked away in its own cabinet, flush with the wall. The refrigerator was originally red, but they sanded it back to the metal and painted it flat black. Like the cabinets, the fridge and freezer doors are secured with leather straps for travel.
Planning the bathroom and toilet took a great deal of effort and re-planning. Initially, Steven and Tracey decided to have just one room for the shower and toilet. However, they eventually decided they liked the convenience of using the toilet and sink while someone was in the shower.
The small toilet room has a gorgeous bowl sink from Mexico, which they carefully drilled into the bottom of to create the drain. The toilet is a DIY composting model with a Keuwig urine separator. Tracey and Steven also installed a toilet vent to speed up composting and control odor.
The separate shower area has everything Steven and Tracey need for convenient on-the-road showering. It’s entirely tiled and boasts frosted windows for privacy. Due to Steven’s height, they also had to opt for a sit-down shower with a built-in bench over the wheel well. The existing bus window is convenient for ventilation and light, but a small fan is outside the shower stall for more ventilation.
Steven and Tracey’s charming bedroom is at the rear of the bus. It has been well-designed with a 32-inch-deep chest of drawers with dividers positioned underneath the bed. There is also enough storage space underneath the bed for a 100-gallon water tank that lasts around six days.
Steven and Tracey’s bedroom is certainly cozy. It retains the original bus height and the back door as an emergency exit. This exit also provides convenient access to their under-bed storage. They’ve also incorporated more storage into their bed headboard and USB outlets.
Despite Steve’s tall stature, the queen-size bed works perfectly for him and Tracey. The couple especially enjoys opening the back door on warm nights to welcome a refreshing breeze into their room.
You can keep up with Steve and Tracey’s adventures in their skoolie by following them on Instagram @shore_leave_skoolie