Couple convert old van into dream flat complete with kitchen, toilet and bedroom
Adam Croft, 29, and his partner Nikki Pepperell, 32, bought the van for £10,000 after struggling to afford rent
As the cost of renting and buying continues to soar, a couple has come up with a novel way to secure their dream flat, by spending just £10,000.
There is one catch - their new home is actually in the back of a white van.
Adam Croft, 29, and his partner Nikki Pepperell, 32, spent £6,500 transforming the back of the Ford Transit they had picked up on ebay into a comfortable home, which comes complete with a kitchen, shower, toilet and bedroom.
The van also boasts windows, a porch, new flooring, full insulation and even a sofa to relax on.
The couple have now gave up their office jobs and intend to spend at least a year travelling across Europe.
Mr Croft, who finished the project last week, said: "The main idea behind it is that we found it far too expensive to rent here.
"Pretty much all of our wages were going.
"At the end of the month, once we had paid for the running of the car and living costs, we wouldn't really be left with anything."
The pair were thinking about how they could live without struggling when they both decided on the van.
They returned home to Stroud in Glocestershire from a holiday in New Zealand and began work on the van.
The couple carried out all the work themselves while living with their parents.
They learnt to do major electrical work to install lights and other equipment, and used drills and saws to give the house its wood-effect interior.
Mr Croft, who owns Cotswold Bells and is a landscape gardener, added: "We did it completely ourselves.
"I haven't done any building work and it was the first time Nikki had picked up a drill.
"It was just about getting on with it, watching YouTube videos and learning as we went."
Progress was slow over the winter after they sprang a leak in the roof, but drier days meant they could fix the problem.
They have already spent a few nights in the van but have delayed travelling while they sell off all their belongings.
They are hoping to hit the road in the next two or three weeks and plan to keep adiary of the trip.
