How Much Does a Bus Conversion Cost in 2025?

This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.

Bus conversion costs average $33,000, depending on the total scope of your project and the quality of your remodeling materials. Budget-savvy DIYers may be able to renovate a bus for as little as $16,500, while large-scale skoolie conversions with upscale appliances and fixtures cost as much as $102,000.

Bus Conversion Cost Factors

Deciding to live out of a bus is a huge decision—and it impacts more than just your finances. Here’s what you need to consider before purchasing a used bus:

Scope

Converting a school bus to an RV can be a complex task—it involves stripping down a vehicle that was originally intended for transporting people and adding creature comforts to create a new home.

One of the most significant factors that influence the cost of your school bus conversion is the size of the bus and the scope of your project. The larger your school bus, the more expensive it is to convert. A small bus, for example, may have room for just a toilet, while a larger bus also accommodates a sink and shower.

Materials

The quality of the materials you choose also plays an important role in how much you'll pay. As with a traditional home, the bathroom and kitchen areas of a school bus conversion are where you have the most freedom when choosing what to install. Selecting ceramic tile over a vinyl backsplash or real wood over composite is an example of purchasing decisions that can impact the bottom line.

Labor

While there are certain aspects of the construction process that you can handle yourself, you'll most likely outsource most of the project to a pro. Considering that electricians, plumbers, flooring installers, and painters can cost as much as $200 per hour, labor costs can take up a significant portion of your renovation budget.

Bus Conversion Cost by Element

Bus conversion costs vary widely, so it’s important to understand where your money will go. Several factors can impact your overall conversion cost, including the bus itself, demolition, repairs, construction, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, appliances, furniture, and decor.

Vehicle

The most important—and biggest expense—to consider when calculating the cost of a bus conversion is the cost of the school bus (sometimes called a “skoolie” once renovated) itself.

In addition to the price of the bus, you’ll need to factor in taxes, registration, and maintenance (an annual cost). In most states, when you buy a vehicle, you’ll pay taxes on the purchase price—around 10%—plus registration costs of $50 to $200 per year. Plan to set aside $1,000 to $3,000 for maintenance and potential repairs every year you own the bus. Consider having a trusted mechanic inspect any low-priced bus before purchase. Steep discounts signal needed repairs.

School buses range in size from 20 to 40 feet in length. The shorter the bus, the more affordable it is. The condition of a bus can also vary dramatically. For a moderately sized bus in decent condition, you’ll spend around $10,000, but you can spend as little as $3,000 for a short bus in need of repairs or as much as $25,000 for a full-size bus that may already have some of the renovation work done.

Demolition

Interior demolition is labor-intensive, and many owners hire a demolition professional rather than taking on the work themselves. In most cases, you’ll remove everything from the inside until there are bare walls and floors. The bulk of this process involves removing seating, but you may also spend time removing old flooring, handlebars, and other unnecessary accessories.

A demolition can be physically exhausting. If you can’t do it on your own, a demolition service may run the same rate as the cost of demolishing the interior of a home, $2 to $7 per square foot. While this cost will vary depending on local labor rates and the size of your bus, budget between $1,000 and $4,000 for demolition.

Once you’ve got everything out of your school bus, contact a local junk removal service to haul away any waste. How much you’ll pay depends on how much needs to go, but a good estimate is $150 to $375.

Repairs

Set aside $1,000 to $5,000 for bus repairs. If your school bus has rust or mechanical issues, you’ll need to hire an auto body specialist or mechanic to make necessary fixes. The most common issues you’ll find with the body of a bus are rust and dents. Repairs can cost between $75 and $5,000, depending on the severity of the problem and the size of your bus. Mechanical issues, like trouble with the engine, transmission, or electrical system, can be costly to repair. For example, replacing an entire diesel transmission can cost as much as $20,000.

Unless you have extensive experience working on cars, trucks, or buses, you should defer mechanical repairs to an expert. By spending more on a higher-quality bus, you’ll avoid higher repair costs. But if you purchase an affordable but run-down bus, expect to pay on the higher end of the range.

Flooring and Walls

After you’ve demolished the school bus interior and gotten the bus in proper operating condition, it’s time to reimagine the interior with flooring and walls.

Depending on the materials you choose and assuming you install the floor yourself, the cost of new flooring ranges between $3 and $22 per square foot, including the cost of a local flooring installer. With bus flooring space ranging between 150 and 300 square feet, expect to spend from $450 to $6,600 on new flooring.

Installing walls in an RV conversion isn’t the same as installing them in a house. You need materials that are flexible enough to withstand movements as you drive. One of the most common (and affordable) materials for RV walls is recycled lumber. Hire a carpenter who has worked on a bus conversion before if you’re unsure how to build the walls. To add insulation, budget $0.50 to $3.65 per square foot or $0.40 to $6.75 per square foot if you hire a pro to install it.

Painting

While most local interior painters may be used to working on houses, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding one willing to take on your school bus conversion. Unless you have an especially complicated setup with many obstructions, the cost of painting the interior of an RV should be similar to other types of painting jobs. When hiring a professional, you could pay $2 to $6 per square foot. Some painters may also quote you a flat fee based on their hourly rate of $20 to $50 per hour.

Electrical

You should always hire an electrician to handle electrical wiring, as the work can be dangerous and complicated. Electricians charge $50 to $125 per hour and can run new wiring, install outlets, install your generator, and even set up solar panels. Plan to spend between $800 and $4,000 in total for electrical work.

Wiring

Outfitting your bus with wiring and outlets can cost anywhere between $500 and $1,000, depending on the size of the bus and extent of the project. The earlier you contact an electrician, the easier the job will be.

Lighting

Some lighting options you might consider for your school bus RV include pendant lights, track lighting, recessed lighting, and domes. The cost of the fixtures themselves depend on style and material, and the cost of light fixture installation ranges between $160 and $1,020.

Generator

You may choose a portable or standby generator if you plan any off-the-grid living. There are no installation costs for portable generators because they’re standalone devices. The cost for the generator itself is $500 to $2,000, depending on the size and model.

Solar

The cost of installing solar panels on a house ranges from $18,000 to $34,400. Because a converted school bus is so much smaller, you’ll pay a fraction of that for the wiring and solar panels—$3,000 to $12,000 for an off-grid power system or $2.50 to $3.50 per watt. You’ll also need a power bank to store the energy your panels produce. Battery prices vary depending on brand, model, and size.

Plumbing

Plumbers charge $45 to $200 per hour. The work will involve installing fixtures, setting up your water storage and filtration, and setting up your propane tank. Plumbing remodeling also includes installing:

• Self-contained composting toilet

• Kitchen sink

• Bathroom sink

• Shower

Depending on the size and quality, you’ll spend between $300 and $500 for your water tank and filtration system. If you also intend to have propane in your school bus conversion to run kitchen appliances and heat water, plan to pay a professional plumber $250 to $750 to run new fuel lines.

Heating and Cooling

Depending on where you intend to travel, you may not need heating and/or cooling appliances. Portable air conditioners cost $100 to $500, mostly dependent on the size of the unit. You can expect to pay on the higher side if you purchase an AC with a heat strip or heat pump.

Expect to spend between $500 and $1,000 on heating. You can choose from a variety of options, with the most popular including:

• Heating blankets

• Wood stoves

• Propane heaters

Appliances

When outfitting your tiny house on wheels with creature comforts like appliances, you’ll turn to miniature versions to accommodate the area’s smaller size.

Fridge

RV-sized refrigerator costs vary, depending on their size. If you’d like to save money, you can also opt for a mini-fridge; you can find smaller, 2.0-cubic foot models or 4.0 to 4.9-cubic foot units.

Stove

RV stoves are smaller than those you’ll find in a house and cost $650 to $2,000. They commonly run off propane.

Water Heater

The average cost for an RV water heater (which you’d also use in a camper or school bus conversion) is $880 to $1,810. The most common options include small, 10-gallon heaters and tankless heaters.

Washer and Dryer

If you’d like to install a washer and dryer in your converted school bus, your best bet is a stacked unit. Combining a washer and dryer in a single appliance, these units are top picks for apartment living, but they’re also just the right size for smaller applications, like RVs.

Counters and Cabinets

If you’ll use your bus as your primary living space, you’ll want functional storage, as well as food prep space. Set aside at least $1,800 for countertops and $2,000 for kitchen cabinets.

Finishings

Furniture and decor are the finishing touch that transforms a space from somewhere you can live to somewhere you want to live. Available square footage ultimately determines how much furniture fits in a school bus conversion; at minimum, plan for a bed and seating areas.

The most affordable bed options are floor mattresses, which can be as simple as thick mats or padded cushions. On the other side of the spectrum are traditional bed and mattress combos, which have higher cost ranges based on size and quality. Loveseats and futons fit well in RV-style layouts because of their small footprint. Include chairs or benches for the dining table to round out seating needs. RV tables are specially designed to mount to the floor of your vehicle for safety and stability.

DIY Bus Conversion vs. Hiring a Pro

Unless you have significant construction experience, you’ll most likely hire a professional to handle many installation jobs on your school bus. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing tasks are best left to licensed professionals because they affect safety, code compliance, and long-term performance. Appliance installation, fixture mounting, and painting are projects many experienced DIYers handle themselves.

If you want to be completely hands-off, find a general contractor near you who can coordinate the whole project, subcontracting work out to specific contractors as necessary.

Tips to Reduce the Cost of a Bus Conversion

Try these strategies to keep your bus conversions costs in check:

• Get quotes from multiple contractors to find the best rate.

• Consider hiring a general contractor who can offer a single cost range, rather than paying for multiple contractors independently.

• Source used furnishings and recycled materials when possible.

• Prioritize features you value most in your budget, and avoid overspending on customized or high-end features.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.