“The Butter Bus”: How One Family Turned a $7 k 1999 School Bus into a Design-Magazine Darling
After three years in Saudi Arabia and a stint renovating fifth-wheel trailers, Van and Lauren Jones returned to the U.S. with one mission: create a stationary, style-forward tiny home that could raise their two kids and grace the pages of Dwell. Their canvas was a retired 1999 Thomas MVP school bus bought on eBay for $7,250.
Nine months and $42,000 later, “The Butter Bus” was born—equal parts Scandinavian minimalism and Gulf-Coast sunset vibes.
Today it sits permanently in rural Alabama, has 1.8 M Instagram impressions, and proves you don’t need wheels in motion to live large in 250 sq ft.
THE INSPIRATION & SAUDI DETOUR
From Desert Expat Life to DIY Dream Home
Van, a General Contractor Superintendent, and Lauren, a former elementary teacher, spent three years in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Tiny living wasn’t new: they had already renovated two RVs for weekend trips to the Red Sea. But shipping an RV back to the States was cost-prohibitive. “We wanted the challenge of a skoolie plus the design freedom a rectangle on wheels offers,” Lauren says. A Pinterest board titled “Clean Lines on Yellow Steel” grew to 400 pins and became the blueprint.
“We weren’t running from anything. We were running toward a slower, lighter life.” —Lauren Jones
FINDING THE RIGHT BUS ON EBAY
Scrolling Past 84 Buses to Find “Butter”
Must-haves:
- Transit-style flat nose (more interior length)
- Under 100 k miles
- High-headroom Thomas MVP body
- Clean title, no rust belt history
They won a 1999 Thomas MVP with 51 k miles for $7,250. Delivery from Georgia to Alabama cost $600—still under their $8 k bus budget.
Red-Flags & Green-Lights When Scrolling Listings
Beyond miles and rust, the Jones family learned to open every maintenance hatch. A faint antifreeze smell meant rear-engine coolant leaks—$1,000 repair before the first screw turns. They also recommend insisting on a cold-start video: blue smoke equals worn rings.
Green-light signals? Service records from a school district that changed oil every 5,000 miles and a seller who lets you crawl the roof for soft spots.
Finally, check the data plate: a 5.9 Cummins with an Allison 2000 transmission is the “golden combo” for parts availability and flat-towing simplicity.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
“Air on Top, Storage Below” & the Sunset Door
Van sketched 14 layouts before landing on one rule: keep all storage below knee height so eye-lines stay open. The result:
- 22 linear ft of lower cabinets
- Zero overhead bins
- A 10’ long “sunset” pocket door separating living & bedroom zones—hand-painted in ombré coral-to-indigo that has become their signature Instagram backdrop.
How to Turn Flat-Packs into Built-Ins
The Butter Bus lowers its visual weight by hiding IKEA Sektion boxes behind custom ¾” walnut fronts. Van’s trick: mount the cabinets on French cleats so the entire kitchen can be removed in 20 minutes if the bus ever sells.
He also swapped IKEA’s soft-close hinges for Blum 110° clip-tops rated for road vibration—extra $120, zero sag after two years. For renters or future movers, the cleat system is landlord-friendly: patch two screw holes and you’re back to a blank wall.
NINE-MONTH BUILD DIARY
Nights, Weekends & One Epic Snow Day
Van Build Timeline
Follow the journey of transforming a cargo van into a mobile home with this detailed 9-month build log. Each phase represents a milestone in creating the perfect adventure vehicle.
Build Progress
Remove factory seats, grind floor rust, and apply POR-15 protective coating for long-lasting corrosion resistance.
Install closed-cell spray foam insulation (2″) for superior thermal performance and sound dampening.
Frame walls with 2×2 & 2×4 studs, and run both 12V DC and 110V AC wiring throughout the van.
Install beautiful cedar tongue-and-groove ceiling over three weekends for a warm, natural interior.
Lay continuous vinyl plank flooring throughout the van to create a sense of visual length and durability.
Customize IKEA SEKTION cabinets with custom walnut fronts for a high-end kitchen look on a budget.
Create a compact bathroom with 32×32 shower, Nature’s Head composting toilet, and classic subway tile.
Paint the Sunset door and pour epoxy countertops for a durable, glossy finish in kitchen and bathroom.
Install 800W solar panels, 400Ah LiFePO4 battery bank, and Victron MultiPlus inverter for off-grid living.
Add plants, leather cabinet pulls, and complete final photo shoot to showcase the finished build.
“We worked until 2 a.m. some nights—then woke up to a snowed-in bus and a toddler asking for pancakes.” —Van Jones
INSIDE THE COLOR PALETTE & MATERIALS
Blonde Wood, Matte Black and a Pop of Sunset
Van Build Color Palette
Carefully selected colors and materials for the perfect mobile living space
Alabaster Walls
Soft, warm white with subtle undertones that brightens the space without being stark.
Butter Accent
Warm, creamy yellow that adds coziness and energy to the interior.
Deep Teal Tile
Rich, saturated teal that creates a sophisticated focal point in the bathroom.
Matte Black Hardware
Modern, sleek hardware that provides contrast and sophistication.
Why a Sunset Door Makes a Tiny Space Feel Bigger
Lauren studied color theory during her teaching years and chose a gradient that draws the eye through the bus instead of stopping it at a solid wall. Warm corals advance, cool indigos recede, creating a false vanishing point that adds perceived depth.
She tested seven swatches on foam board before committing, filming each under LED, daylight and Edison bulbs to avoid hue shifts. Pro tip: use eggshell, not matte, on high-touch doors—you’ll be wiping tiny handprints nightly.
KID-PROOF YET INSTAGRAM-READY
Toys in Hidden Drawers & Camera-Ready Corners
- Toy rotation in 4 labeled IKEA SKUBB boxes under couch.
- Magnetic-latch kid gate at cockpit.
- Camera corner: 2 clamp lights + peel-stick backsplash for Reels.
- Upholstery: performance velvet sprayed with 3M Scotchgard.
STATIONARY SKOOLIE LIFE IN ALABAMA
Why They Parked (and Never Looked Back)
Unlike most skoolies, “Butter” sits on a rented ½-acre lot with septic tie-in and 50-amp pedestal. Van’s superintendent job keeps them local; the bus eliminates a 30-minute commute. Monthly costs:
- Lot rent: $250
- Electric: $45
- Propane: $20
Total housing cost: $315/mo.
Monthly Cost Comparison
See how much you can save by choosing the van lifestyle over traditional housing
Monthly Savings
That’s 94% less than traditional housing costs! Imagine what you could do with an extra $1,745 every month.
THE REAL BUDGET – LINE BY LINE
$42,062 Down to the Penny
Van Build Budget Breakdown
Detailed expense tracking for the complete Butter Bus transformation
| Item | Cost | Source / Notes |
|---|---|---|
1999 Thomas MVP bus | $7,250 | eBay auction |
Delivery to AL | $600 | UShip |
Spray foam (closed-cell 2″) | $1,400 | DIY kit from Foam-itGreen |
Cedar ceiling & trim | $1,900 | Local sawmill |
Walnut slab countertop | $850 | Facebook Marketplace off-cut |
IKEA cabinets + fronts | $1,600 | SEKTION hacked with Semihandmade |
800 W solar + 400 Ah LiFePO4 | $6,100 | Victron + Renogy bundle |
32×32 shower kit + tile | $650 | Amazon + Zia Tile |
Natures Head toilet | $960 | Direct |
Apartment-size fridge | $1,200 | Unique 10 cu ft propane/elec |
Hardware, paint, textiles | $2,500 | Home Depot + Etsy |
Tools & misc. | $4,200 | Milwaukee, Ryobi, Fastenal |
Landscaping / deck | $1,200 | DIY paver patio |
TOTAL PROJECT COST | $42,062 | |
MAINTENANCE & REGRETS
Two Years In: What They’d Change
- Regret #1: ¼” gaps in vinyl plank during humid summer—should have used SPC.
- Regret #2: Matte black faucet shows water spots—next time brushed nickel.
- Win: Cedar ceiling still smells faintly of campfire.
- Annual ritual: re-caulk roof seams every spring.
